Coastal & Ocean Ecosystem Manager

Organizational Overview:  A Pioneer in Conservation Leadership

This is an exciting time at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as we are shifting our strategy for greater impact in the world seeking to address some of the most complex challenges facing people and nature—issues such as climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient and sustainable.
For more details, please visit to our website: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

Nature Conservancy India Solutions Private Limited (NCIS) is a private limited company incorporated under the Companies Act 2013, having it registered office in India at 37, Second Floor, Link Road, Lajpat Nagar – III, New Delhi – 110024, India. It is a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of The Nature Conservancy.  The company currently provides technical consultancy, monitoring & evaluation and other relate services in the domain of conservation and environment to it various clients.  The company under Indian laws can also provide fee-based service to clients (development organisations, Corporates and Govt. Agencies) within and outside India.  The company has all the required registrations under the relevant laws to provide such fee-based services in India.

TNC has an ambitious goal of conserving 4 billion hectares of oceans; support 45 million people whose well-being and livelihoods depend on healthy oceans, freshwater, and lands; help 100 million people at severe risk of climate-related emergencies by protecting and restoring the health of natural habitats—from mangroves and reefs to floodplains and forest; and sequester 3 giga tonnes of carbon by 2030. On the edges of the ocean, coastal wetlands—such as mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass meadows—protect our shores, too. They also draw in carbon as they grow and transfer it into their leaves, stems and the rich soils held by their roots. This “blue carbon” can remain in the soil for thousands of years. In fact, coastal wetlands store five times more carbon per hectare than rainforests, helping to limit further climate change.

In India, the three main coastal ecosystems cover an area of ~7075 km2 or 0.21% of the country’s geographical area. These ecosystems are home to highly threatened plants and animals such as the Bengal Tiger and Green Sea Turtle. It is estimated that mangroves alone support more than 80 species of flora and 1300 species of fauna, thus holding high biodiversity conservation value. Coastal ecosystems also play an important role in climate mitigation—it is estimated that these ecosystems store ~340-719 million tonnes of CO2eq. In addition, coastal ecosystems protect communities from tidal waves, floods, and storms. Most importantly, millions of people in India directly depend on the coastal ecosystems for their food security and livelihood because these areas serve as nurseries for many fish, crustaceans, and other marine species that are of commercial value. In fact, it is estimated that “almost 80% of global fish catches are directly or indirectly dependent on mangroves.”

Coastal and marine ecosystems are disappearing at an alarming rate with serious ecological and socio-economic impacts. A recent study suggests that between 2000 to 2016, the Bay of Bengal and Andaman alone lost 4343 ha of mangrove forest annually due to agri/aquaculture, erosion, clearing, human settlements, and extreme climatic events. It is projected that the annual loss of mangroves due to these activities in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman may contribute to the emission of ~530.1 million tonnes of CO2e in the next 80 years. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), India is one of the 27 countries that will face the worst consequences of sea-level rise caused by thermal expansion of ocean water due to global warming, thus coastal ecosystems in India are at the forefront of climate change.

We must conserve and restore India’s coastal and marine ecosystems to combat climate change; safeguard communities from cyclones and storms, support livelihoods, and protect biodiversity.

The coastal and marine ecosystem conservation and restoration is an emerging strategy within the India Program, this strategy/program will be responsible for implementing science-based measures to restore and conserve coastal and marine ecosystems in India including exploring potential for blue carbon, aquaculture and livelihood, spatial conservation planning of coastal and marine area etc.

Coastal and Ocean Ecosystems Manager will drive the development, and management of coastal and marine ecosystem restoration and conservation strategy within the India Program. He/she will serve as a senior member on the COE team who helps set strategic directions and define priorities for TNC’s broader engagement on ocean conservation that includes mangrove restoration and conservation, blue carbon, aquaculture and livelihood of coastal communities, spatial conservation planning of coastal and marine ecosystems etc. and build partnerships locally and globally that help to achieve our coastal and marine ecosystem conservation work in India. COE manager works with the members of TNC global ocean, tackle climate change, provide food and water team and India science and program team in strategic development, planning, and implementation of coastal and marine ecosystem conservation strategy in India.

Location: Preferred location – New Delhi/West Bengal (but candidates from different parts of India can apply) (location can also change as per project requitements)
Reporting to: Sr. Applied Scientist, NCIS
Tenure: Three years (with an option to renew based on performance and funding availability)

The COE manager will be responsible for the overall management of coastal and marine ecosystems restoration and conservation activities, ensuring that they are coherent and consistent with TNC’s ocean conservation goals and strategy and add value to regionally and nationally defined coastal and marine ecosystems conservation priorities. Some key functions include:
Strategy development and portfolio management: 

• Oversee the development of project activities, workplans and related budgets, in collaboration with other COE team member, and partners;
• Day-to-day coordination of project implementation by partners and activities delivery in line with TNC’s ocean conservation goals and ensure that activities are implemented in line with project workplans and budgets.
• Ensure that programmatic and project activities are effectively and efficiently implemented at both regional and national levels.
• Develop relevant programme KPIs and ensure its good monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Lead development of national and regional level strategy for coastal and marine ecosystem conservation and blue carbon credits in collaboration with global ocean and tackle climate change team and NCIS science and program team.

Strategic and Technical leadership:

• Provide leadership, strategic and technical guidance, and direction to the costal and marine ecosystem conservation work in India.
• Act as a driving force for innovation to position TNC as a leading organization in terms of science-based restoration and conservation approaches and mechanisms and in particular on efforts to achieve large scale ocean conservation by 2030.
• Ensure that TNC’s conservation work in the region is of high technical quality, based on good science and drawing upon experience of successful projects across the globe.
• When and where possible, identify synergies and collaboration with local partners who are in the area of coastal and marine ecosystem conservation.
• Manage and supervise regional COE team; and also, mange local partners.

External engagement and communication:

• Ensure that TNC is adequately represented in central and state level discussions on relevant marine and coastal emerging conservation issues to position TNC as a reference in the region.
• Lead relationship building and engagement with government departments, private sector, and partners in the areas of coastal and marine ecosystem conservation.
• Provide evidence-based support and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues (workshops, round tables) on emerging conservation issues in coastal and marine ecosystems and policy debates.
• Lead coherent and consistent communication of lessons learnt to key decision-makers (government and private sector) and other stakeholders within the region and globally as appropriate, including via the web, print, media, workshops and events.
• Lead in identifying and managing potential risks associated with programmatic strategies and projects and design strategies to mitigate the risks that have been identified.
• Act as a focal point for facilitating and supporting the involvement of TNC members in the development and guiding implementation of programmatic activities.

Proposal Development and Resource Mobilization:

• Work with global and regional fundraising team and senior management to identify donors and in developing related concepts. This will involve establishing, maintaining, and nurturing good relationships with donors, funding agencies and other technical partners so as to ensure the financial viability of the coastal and marine ecosystem conservation strategy in India.
• Lead the development of related full proposals once a concept note has been selected. This work requires coordination with the regional team (fundraising, program, science and leadership team), global programme colleagues as well as with partners.

By joining our Coastal and Marine ecosystem conservation team in India, you will become part of a group of dedicated globally dispersed group who are leading ocean conservation efforts on multiple fronts and who bring science, strategy, and action together. We work closely with teams from across the organization and partners to deliver a representative, durable, effective, resilient, and inclusive 2030 vision for land, water and ocean conservation across the globe.

We’re looking for an outstanding, hands-on, highly motivated, innovative, solution oriented, results driven and resourceful individual with expertise in managing and coordinating marine and coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration work. You would be part of a team of scientists, conservation, and program staff with dedicated efforts to impact conservation throughout the world.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Develop adaptive management plans, conceptual models, and design conservation strategies for coastal and marine ecosystems in India.
• Develop, manage, and oversee programs within a coastal and marine ecosystems conservation area or program.
• Work with TNC India program and science team members to implement approaches to enhance performance of projects in accordance with short and long-term objectives of the coastal and marine ecosystem conservation strategy in India, and other key priorities within the India BU and global ocean team.
• Assign or coordinate with other coastal and marine ecosystem conservation team members in India who may support the execution of projects. Collaborate with other science and program leaders within TNC to ensure needs are covered across all realms.
• Participate in team planning meetings and advise on integration of science within related efforts. Serve as the primary point of contact for coastal and marine ecosystem conservation work in India.
• Work across global boundaries and collaborate with the science and program community to enhance the conservation practices.
• Coordinate a multidisciplinary team, including responsibility for team engagement, and staff management (objective setting, coaching, and mentoring).
• Ensure that India’s coastal and marine ecosystem conservation strategy align with TNC global ocean conservation goals. Coordinate closely with global ocean and tackle climate change team to coordinate integration and coverage of India strategy in TNC global ocean conservation goals.
• Coordinate fieldwork and logistical support for research, project development and monitoring.
• •    May manage a grant, contract, or request for proposal.
• •    Must work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, in hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in environmental science/ecology/ocean and marine science/geospatial science/conservation and sustainability science and any related field with 6 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Up-to-date knowledge on climate impacts on coastal and marine systems, coastal and marine biodiversity conservation, with particular reference to large-scale ecosystem restoration and conservation at site, national and regional levels.
• Familiarity with established and emerging biodiversity conservation approaches, and methodologies and processes related to coastal and marine management and in the context of the newly established Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Knowledge national and international level NDC commitments in relation to coastal and marine ecosystems and national level policies related to coastal and marine ecosystems conservation.
• Experience managing staff, project, workloads and finances under deadlines.
• Experience synthesizing, interpreting and communicating scientific information.
• Experience preparing reports of findings.
• Record of peer reviewed publications in scientific journals.
• Experience working and communicating with a wide range of people.

Desired Qualifications:

• Sound expertise in marine and coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration, nature-based solutions, Ecosystem-based Adaptation or related fields with 5 to 8 years of work experience.
• Strong expertise and experience in designing and implementing large-scale ecosystem management and restoration activities and in engaging local stakeholders in locally-led approaches at seascape level.
• Knowledge of global and local carbon markets, standards, and blue carbon credits.
• Experience in network development and alliance building skills to consult and collaborate across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals; demonstrated ability to build consensus in cross-cultural situations.
• Ability to interact effectively with and directly support or identify experts required to support all aspects of the coastal and marine ecosystem conservation program in India with information on ecosystem conservation and restoration and more generally blue nature-based solutions.
• Experience with result-based portfolio and project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation methodologies and principles and facilitation skills.
• Strong experience with project and programme development and management, with demonstrated fundraising, budgeting and programme planning abilities and subsequent delivery and reporting.
• Strong interpersonal, management and supervisory skills and experience.
• Demonstrates strong leadership and people – management experience including supervision of staff, consultants and coordination and effective management of virtual team settings.
• Ability to make independent decisions based on incomplete information and accepts associated risks.
• Strong knowledge of common software applications in biodiversity conservation.
• Must be a strong team player with proven communication and diplomacy skills and ability to work effectively with multicultural and multidisciplinary teams displaying sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Proven negotiation skills with partners and vendors.
• Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
• Committed to continuous learning and proactive and mature attitude towards self-development.
• Excellent verbal and communication skills in English is essential, with ability to communicate in Hindi and other regional languages will be an added advantage.
• Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of TNC in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team and external stakeholders.
• Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
• Knowledge and experience of coastal community livelihood programs focusing on aquaculture and fisheries will be an added value.
• Promote the organization’s interests, objectives, and values in a diligent and professional manner.
• Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the TNC’s One Conservancy approach.

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