The Species Recovery Programme Manager (maternity cover) will: i) coordinate the delivery of work under ZSL’s Species Plan, with a focus in particular on species in the Back from the Brink initiative (a programme of work focused on driving sustained, targeted actions to recover a set of highly threatened species from near extinction); ii) oversee programmes focussed on the recovery of specific target species under the Back from the Brink umbrella, in particular on Sahelo-Saharan antelopes; and iii) provide targeted technical support to teams and partners in the area of species recovery. The role will foster collaborations around ZSL seeking to identify opportunities to support and build out collaborative species recovery efforts. The role demands a dynamic, energetic, collaborative individual seeking to make a difference for species conservation within the scope of a maternity cover position

Key responsibilities: 

• Coordinate the delivery of ZSL’s Species Plan, in close collaboration with colleagues in field programmes, the zoos and Institute of Zoology involved in species recovery programmes, including leading and coordinating the Back from the Brink initiative, to ensure a coordinated, science-based, target-driven, programme of work focused on species recovery.
• Provide management oversight to existing species recovery programmes for desert antelopes and any future projects / programmes that may be developed, in collaboration with colleagues around ZSL and partners.
• Provide targeted technical support to ZSL country and UK teams, as well as partners, in species recovery, such as species recovery planning, population viability assessment, and structured decision making.
• Provide training and support in species conservation approaches and ecological research methodologies, including supervision of masters and PhD students, training/teaching EDGE fellows and masters courses, and to colleagues within ZSL where appropriate.
• Work with the Fundraising department, and other colleagues as appropriate, to seek new funding opportunities, develop and oversee fundraising proposals for the programme, and contribute to joint fundraising proposals with other programmes and departments in ZSL
• Be responsible for all elements of programmatic oversight and management, including budgeting and donor reporting.

Education, Skills and Other Requirements

• PhD, or equivalent experience, in conservation science
• Demonstrated experience planning, or leading, threatened species recovery programmes/ projects in situ, preferably in a developing-world context
• Demonstrated programme management experience, including writing and collaborating on fundraising bids/grants, staff management, budget oversight, project implementation, and donor reporting.
• An excellent grasp of current international conservation issues supported by good knowledge of interdisciplinary approaches to conservation
• Robust skills in ecological research and advanced statistical methods, including familiarity with R or similar
• Strong organisational and project management skills with an ability to manage competing priorities
• A high standard of English writing skills, with evidence of a good (first author) publication track record in the peer-review literature
• Ability to think strategically with strong decision-making capability
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with an ability to work in different cultural settings with tact and diplomacy

This is a maternity cover role. Candidates should be in a position to take up the role by 01 October 2024.

This role is subject to standard pre-employment checks, including the candidate’s right to work in the UK.