Senior Manager, Combating Illegal Deforestation

Organizational Background

Amazon Conservation Association (also known as Amazon Conservation) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, USA with partners across the Amazon Basin. Amazon Conservation’s mission is to unite science, innovation, and people to protect the Amazon—the greatest wild forest on Earth. As conservation pioneers since 1999, our holistic approach focuses on three approaches: protecting wild places, empowering people, and putting science and technology to work. Our on-the-ground work, carried out through our sister organizations Conservación Amazónica-ACCA in Peru and Conservación Amazónica-ACEAA in Bolivia, are geographically focused in the headwaters of the Amazon. From this base, we incubate solutions that we take to scale through building partnerships across the region, including in Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela, where we have been strengthening coverage of our real-time monitoring efforts to combat illegal deforestation through our flagship Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP).

To date, our most significant efforts include:

• Helped establish and support the protection and management of more than 10.5 million acres of protected areas in Peru and Bolivia.
• Support local people to build a forest-based bioeconomy in the southwest Amazon through sustainable production of açaí, Brazil nuts, and other products.
• Support indigenous groups, communities, governments, and local NGOs to combat illegal deforestation through real-time monitoring and defense strategies that employ the latest in technology.
• Provide cutting-edge analyses on deforestation, fires, and climate change across 100% of the Amazon through our Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Program (MAAP).
• Carry out science that backs our conservation efforts and the world’s understanding of the Amazon, both inside and outside our premier biological research stations.

Through these conservation efforts and by building strong partnerships, we are widening and deepening our work to apply nature-based solutions that strengthen climate resiliency for people and nature. For more information, please visit www.amazonconservation.org. Illegal deforestation in the Amazon has become one of the major threats to the future of its forests and the communities who are trying to protect and sustainably use the standing forest and its resources. For this reason, combating illegal deforestation has grown as one of Amazon Conservation’s priorities as part of our 2020-2030 Strategy. Funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is providing a major boost to our efforts as we continue to strengthen this work over the coming years.

Position Overview

The Senior Manager, Combating Illegal Deforestation will be a central figure in these efforts, leading and managing all aspects of a two-year, grant-funded initiative aimed at combating gold mining across the Amazon, a project supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This pivotal role involves overseeing the strategic direction, implementation, and technical execution of the project, ensuring alignment with donor objectives and organizational priorities. Importantly, this position will also work closely with multiple teams within Amazon Conservation to optimize the coordination and complementarity with other ongoing initiatives coming from different public and foundation funders to optimize the impact of this project.

The Senior Manager will be the primary liaison with the Moore Foundation on this project and will manage sub-grants, coordinate in-country partnerships, and lead a multi-disciplinary team to achieve the project’s goals across multiple Amazon countries.

Reporting to the Programs Director and working closely with the President and Director of Strategy and Policy, the Senior Manager will focus on enhancing real-time deforestation monitoring, strengthening policy frameworks, and building capacity among local stakeholders to address the environmental and social impacts of gold mining. This includes active participation in technical oversight, communication, and advocacy efforts, while strategically steering the project to foster collaboration with government officials, civil society organizations, and community groups. The role demands strong leadership, project management expertise, and a deep understanding of the Amazon region’s unique dynamics, requiring professional fluency in English, Spanish and/or Portuguese.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management and Coordination (50%)

• Provide overall operational and administrative management of the project, ensuring that all components are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• In coordination with the Programs and Development Teams, serve as a point of contact with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, providing regular updates, reports, and financial statements.
• Coordinate in-country meetings of the MAAP Partnership Network to combat gold mining and project staff to ensure seamless implementation of project activities.
• Oversee the implementation of all project objectives with the MAAP team along with the Director of Strategy and Policy and the Research Assistant.

Technical Oversight and Partner Engagement (20%)

• Work closely with the Technical Leads and partners to ensure the project’s technical outputs, including real-time monitoring and data analysis, are of high quality and contribute to the project’s objectives.
• Ensure the integration of technology solutions in conservation or natural resource management efforts within the project.
• Steward the relationships with in-country partners, providing support and guidance to ensure effective implementation of project activities.
• Facilitate capacity-building initiatives for local partners and stakeholders, including training sessions and workshops.

Communications and Reporting (20%)

• Prepare high-quality reports, policy briefs, and other communication materials for diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders, in coordination with the Communications Team, the Director of Policy and Strategy, and local partners.
• Represent the project in national and international forums, advocating for policy changes and sharing project successes and lessons learned.

Strategic Leadership (10%)

• Set the strategic direction of the project in alignment with donor objectives and organizational priorities.
• Engage with multiple stakeholders, including government officials, civil society organizations, and community groups, to foster collaboration and achieve project goals.
• Lead the development and execution of the project’s policy and advocacy strategy, working closely with the Director of Policy and Strategy to influence policy changes at various levels.

Required Qualifications

• Project Management:
  • 6-10 years of relevant experience (internships can be counted towards this requirement) in managing and coordinating programs or projects, particularly in complex and multi-stakeholder environments.
  • Strong experience in natural resources management, conservation, environmental policy, or a related field, with a focus on the Amazon region.
• Communication and Advocacy:
  • Proven experience in policy development, advocacy, and engagement with government officials and international forums.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to make effective presentations to diverse audiences.

Other Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science, geography, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated emotional intelligence and self-awareness, with the ability to effectively manage relationships, navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, and foster a positive team environment.
• Professional fluency in English and Spanish and/or Portuguese is required to facilitate communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead activities under limited supervision and guidance.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to manage technical teams from partner organizations effectively via remote working relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical Expertise:
  • Masters degree in environmental science, geography, public policy, or a related field.
  • Extensive experience with real-time monitoring technologies, GIS, and data analysis in conservation or natural resource management projects.
• Regional and Sectoral Experience:
  • Hands-on experience in the Amazon region, with a deep understanding of its environmental, social, and political dynamics.
  • Experience in initiatives aimed at combating illegal deforestation, nature crimes, and promoting sustainable land use practices.

Application Guidelines

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, cover letter, and list of three references to applications@amazonconservation.org with the subject line “Senior Manager Application.”

Applications without all required materials will not be reviewed.

Due to the high volume of applications, the organization will only reply to finalist candidates. No phone calls, please. Candidates are reviewed on a rolling basis. The position is open until filled and is available immediately.

Position Details (Salary, Benefits, Location)

The location for this position is flexible. Ideally, it will be based in a key Amazonian country (such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, or Peru) or Amazon Conservation’s Washington, DC office, but other remote-based arrangements may be considered. If not based in Washington DC, periodic travel to this location may be required, with a travel budget allocated for this position. International travel to/ within Latin America will also be required on an as-needed basis. Amazon Conservation’s Washington, DC office operates in a hybrid work environment.

Competitive salary based on experience and the candidate’s location. Amazon Conservation offers a competitive benefits package that includes employer-paid medical, dental, vision, shortand long-term disability, 70% dependent coverage, as well as a matching pension plan, 12 sick days, 25 vacation days, and 3 personal days. For staff outside the US, other arrangements may be made for benefits coverage.