Advisor, Sustainable Financing and Partnerships

Uganda
Administrative
Full Time
African Wildlife Foundation
Description

Position: Advisor, Sustainable Financing and Partnerships, Uganda

Supervisor: Country Director, Uganda

Matrix Manager: Vice President, Institutional Partnerships

Supervises: N/A

Division: Conservation Programs

Location: Kampala, Uganda

Position Summary

The Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape (KVCL) is one of East Africa’s most ecologically vital yet climate-vulnerable wilderness areas. Facing intersecting pressures from climate change, local community economic insecurity, and historical infrastructure gaps, the long-term survival of this landscape requires a shift away from short-term interventions toward an integrated, long-term, and financially self-sustaining management framework.

To secure the landscape, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) are establishing a Collaborative Management Partnership (CMP). The partnership is dependent on national-level legal, regulatory, and financial frameworks. AWF is seeking an Advisor, Sustainable Financing and Partnerships to guide the AWF Uganda Country Director and the Joint Technical Team (JTT) developing the KVCL CMP on priority relationship management with key partner institutions. The aim is to ensure the KVCL CMP is designed and delivered in a way that aligns with national and sectoral priorities and shapes financing solutions that leverage cross-sectoral collaboration and investments into the landscape. The role reports into the AWF Country Director, who is accountable for overall delivery of the KVCL CMP, and will have a matrix reporting line to the Vice President, Institutional Partnerships, who is accountable for AWF relations with foundations, corporations and bilateral and multilateral partners. The incumbent will be expected to liaise regularly with public entities such as the Ministries of Water and Environment (MWE), Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), and Uganda Wildlife Authority Headquarters and inform Donor Account Managers of opportunities arising in country with partner institutions.

Operating under the direct guidance and supervision of the Country Director, the Advisor optimizes the Country Director’s executive decision-making and diplomatic positioning and informs AWF’s institutional partnership engagement strategies by undertaking the following core roles and responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

Context Analytics, Governance Support, and Sovereign Briefings

  • Design, undertake, and systematically update comprehensive Political Economy Analyses and macro-level context analytics for the Kidepo landscape.
  • Provide data-backed, confidential briefings to the Country Director to enable proactive management of political trends and shift operational strategies safely within state sovereignty boundaries.
  • Formulate technical briefs, policy options, and strategic advisory notes for the Country Director and JTT, ensuring AWF’s inputs to state partners remain relevant and aligned with national development plans.
  • Under the guidance of the Country Director, track operational deliverables of the AWF/MWE Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), feeding progress updates directly to leadership.
  • Provide administrative and analytical support to the Country Director and Joint Technical Committee in preparation for sessions of the KVCL CMP Governance Board, including drafting policy recommendations and compliance notes in line with the agreed Delegated Authority Matrix.

Financial Partnership & Resource Mobilization Support

  • Support the drafting of KVCL CMP resource mobilization strategy and provide input into cultivation materials, proposal designs and other related documents.
  • Research and map strategic entry points for blended and sustainable financing from private sector investors and operators, impact funds, eco-tourism concessionaires, carbon and nature finance, insurance and others.
  • Provide the Country Director, Vice President – Institutional Partnerships and leadership teams in AWF and UWA with actionable options for landscape-level green growth and the architecture for sustainable financing of the KVCL CMP.

Coordination and Technical Liaison

  • Act as the principal operational-level technical liaison for AWF with UWA, MWE, OWC, and other relevant stakeholders at the national level to ensure a coordinated landscape support framework.
  • Work with the relevant Monitoring and Evaluation team at Country and Institutional levels to develop and track established metrics to ensure adherence to set targets. adherence.
  • Lead technical working groups and sector fora regarding biodiversity and climate resilience, ensuring AWF’s technical visibility.

Knowledge Management and Systems Transfer Support

  • Translate field metrics into clear graphs, charts, and policy briefs to enhance the clarity and impact of AWF presentations to the JMB and partners.
  • Coordinate and facilitate the delivery of AWF’s institutional mentoring programs and system-strengthening sessions for UWA and other agency personnel.
  • In collaboration with the AWF Brand and Strategic Communications team, draft strategic messaging, press releases, and internal briefs for endorsement, ensuring all outbound project communications align with parameters established in the CMP Master Agreement.

Key Qualifications

Academic Qualifications & Experience

  • Master’s Degree in Public Policy, International Development, Political Science, Environmental Economics, or Natural Resource Management.
  • Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience managing large-scale conservation programs, environmental diplomacy, or conducting complex Political Economy Analyses (PEAs) for multi-stakeholder initiatives in East Africa.
  • Proven, successful experience securing and managing complex funding portfolios.
  • Demonstrated experience working in complex political and security settings is desirable.

Competencies & Critical Attributes

  • Deep professional understanding of the distinction between executive decision-making by the Country Director and strategic advisory and operational support by the SFPA.
  • Thorough familiarity with the specific administrative hierarchies, protocols, and cultures of government institutions.
  • Exceptional political awareness and communication skills, with a strict commitment to confidentiality, objective reporting, and backing institutional leadership.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • A strong team player with a proactive approach to decision-making.

Deadline:August 28, 2026

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To apply for this job please visit https://recruiting.ultipro.com/AFR1000AFWI/JobBoard/20e4eecc-c532-4e6a-bb5f-39ea79059f29/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=dcc20fc7-848b-4039-8632-976f06f0f038.