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Conservation Media Manager

Position: Conservation Media Manager
Reports to: CEO/Assistant Director of Programs
Based: Cape Town, Harare, Windhoek or Lusaka

 

ABOUT WILD AFRICA FUND
Founded by WildAid co-founder Peter Knights, OBE, and based out of Cape Town with teams in Lagos, Harare, Kigali, Accra and Windhoek, Wild Africa Fund is a dynamic new African NGO. We aim to be Africa’s most effective conservation communicator inspiring the public support and political will to protect Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces forever.

We believe people and wildlife can only survive and thrive together, so we are popularising conservation with a much broader audience than has previously been engaged. We do this to protect endangered species and communities that depend on wildlife and to minimise the risk of zoonotic disease.

By amplifying the voices of African opinion leaders from every field through a powerful network of media partners and diverse programming, we seek to promote domestic wildlife tourism, local conservation projects and the passage and effective enforcement of conservation laws. Through our communications and direct support, we also aim to deliver permanent reductions in wildlife crime, the demand for illegal bushmeat, human/wildlife conflict and habitat loss. 

Our network includes more than 15 national and international broadcasters, as well as radio, newspaper, billboard, pr and social media companies, who work with us pro bono to add their voices and promote conservation and environmental issues. We partner with over 150 ambassadors from music, sports, film, TV, business, religion and government from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Rwanda, Ghana, Namibia, and Zambia. By 2026 we will cover sub-Saharan Africa with an ever-expanding portfolio of programming and media partners, from broad awareness initiatives to focused campaigns in individual countries on specific issues or species. 

We have two US-based staff, six staff in Cape Town, South Africa, and nine consultants across Africa with a 2023 budget of US $2m, raised through a US 501 c 3. We seek to have transformational impact through our collaborative partnerships, working with empathy rather than judgement. Unlike traditional conservation institutions, we are a fast-paced, entrepreneurial media organisation with ambitious delivery targets and tight time frames. We expect team members to take responsibility and use initiative. We are focused, efficient, pragmatic and value flexibility. 

 

THE POSITION
This person will lead efforts to take our media and programs to key southern African nations, ultimately including Namibia, Zambia and Botswana. Their primary goal will be to engage with media, government, NGOs, and ambassadors in these target countries to build ongoing partnerships. They will also be responsible for organising the logistics of filming in those countries and then launching and running campaigns. They will be assisted by our production and program team accordingly and ultimately by local consultants in each target country.

 

THE INDIVIDUAL
This individual will earnestly want to protect Africa’s wildlife heritage and will be inspired by the opportunity to play a pivotal role in building a new kind of African organisation to do so. We are seeking an extraordinary person with conservation experience and entrepreneurial/ business-minded attitude. They should be hyper-organised and motivated to keep up! Long hours and strenuous travel are the norm. They must be prepared to face and deal with challenges directly and rapidly rather than avoiding them. Candidates must be dedicated and driven to achieve. Knowledge or experience of media production or journalism would be beneficial. Ideal candidates will be super smart and motivated with a track record of getting things done on a practical level. They will enjoy managing and motivating small teams. They would ideally have five or more years of experience, having had increasingly responsible roles at a fast-paced, growth-oriented organisations. This would ideally be someone with communications or conservation industry experience across a number of African countries. 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Research and connect with media leadership from TV, radio, newspaper, billboard, PR and social media companies, accompanied by Wild Africa Fund staff.
  • Research and connect with local ambassadors from music, sports, film, TV, business, religious bodies, and government, accompanied by Wild Africa Fund staff.
  • Research and connect with relevant government including ministries, parks, wildlife, tourism, customs, police, and the president’s office, accompanied by Wild Africa Fund staff.
  • Follow-up on workplans and commitments to ensure that what is agreed is followed through.
  • Organise logistics for local visits and film shoots for public service announcements, mini documentaries, and other productions.
  • Report weekly on progress. 

 

REQUIREMENTS

  • Knowledge and experience with wildlife conservation and/or media
  • Five or more years of experience in management roles
  • Excellent organisational, project management and communication skills
  • International business experience and ability to travel at short notice 
  • Excellent leadership skills, with steadfast resolve and personal integrity
  • Excellent writing skills
  • Knowledge of production processes and understanding of social media 
  • Ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues

 

All staff and consultants must be comfortable in an entrepreneurial culture. The successful candidate must be able to work independently without a great deal of supervision. They must also have excellent interpersonal skills to influence and collaborate with partners.

Remuneration will be competitive for non-profit dependent on location, experience, and qualifications.

To apply, upload your one-page cover letter and CV / resume here. 

Apply Here