Head of Partnership

Application deadline: Thursday, 16 January 2025– 23:45

Location: Cambridge UK, or one of the BirdLife Global Offices (salary and benefits will reflect the location)

Hours : Full-time

Contract: Open ended

Salary: £60,000-65,000

Annual Leave : 25 days pro rata in year 1, increasing for every year of service up to a maximum of 28 days.

BirdLife International is the world’s largest nature conservation partnership. Through our unique local-to-global approach, we deliver high impact and long-term conservation for the benefit of nature and people.

The BirdLife Partnership Department exists to ensure that the BirdLife Network is present and impactful in countries and territories delivering the BirdLife Strategy. It includes coordination of several distinct areas of work, delivered by the Secretariat and BirdLife Partners:

• Network governance and expansion
• Organisational development and leadership
• Communities, livelihoods and behaviour change
• Impact and learning
  
  

We are looking for a Head of Partnership to lead strategic development, fundraising and implementation of these work areas, while supporting the global Partnership team and strengthening the BirdLife Partnership at regional, national, and local levels.

How you will do this:

• Working closely with Executive Vice President of Conservation & Regions, Regional Directors and Global Programme leads and to plan and coordinate Partnership work areas in alignment with wider global/regional priorities.
• Setting effective agenda and direction for the Partnership Department and supporting relevant regional team members.
• Leading Partnership departmental planning, coordination, monitoring and reporting processes as part of the Secretariat work planning and reporting cycle.
• Ensuring effective oversight of Partnership Department budgets.
• Developing, reviewing and regularly updating fundraising plans for Partnership work areas and mobilising support for their implementation from across the Secretariat and Partnership.
• Developing and reviewing reports to donors on delivery and impact, as well as on projects run by the Partnership team in different work areas.
• Managing the global review of the BirdLife Partnership every four years to ensure compliance with Partnership criteria.
• Working with BirdLife’s CEO, COO and Head of Governance to run the Global BirdLife meeting(s) every four years.
• Promoting collaboration and sharing of experience and resources amongst BirdLife organisations across regions; and between the Secretariat and Partners.
• Providing guidance and support to the Head of Communities and Livelihoods, Head of Impact and Learning, Partner Development Officer and Partner Relations Administrator to deliver their objectives effectively.
• Partnering with BirdLife’s Fundraising team, Regional Secretariats, and national Partners to secure funds from institutional donors, bilaterals, and multilaterals, focusing on regional and global opportunities.
• Developing and sharing success stories highlighting the impact of Capacity and Network Development efforts.
• Representing and promoting BirdLife’s achievements at external events, forums, and conservation working groups.
  
  

Ideally you will have:

• Education to Master’s degree level in conservation leadership, business management, organisational development, international development, or equivalent experience.
• Previous experience in a networked, charitable organisation at senior management level.
• Multi country programme development and management; strategic management; governance.
• Organisational development, training, capacity building.
• Good knowledge and experience of integrations social issues in conservation.
• Knowledge and experience with monitoring, evaluation and learning practices, especially in networked organisations.
• Fundraising from various sources including institutional donors.
• Engagement in capacity development at organisational, individual and systemic levels.
• Experience negotiating and influencing decision-makers at senior levels in corporates, governments and donor agencies.
• Ability to work under pressure, managing competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Critical thinking skills, interested in developing new ways of working.
• Passion for nature, wildlife and the environment and high motivation for working in a conservation charity.
• Working language is English. Additional language skills, especially in Spanish, French or Arabic would be advantageous.
• International travel may be required.
  
  

See The Full Job Description Here.

Some of our benefits:

• We are able to offer a hybrid model of working on-site and from home/remote for most roles, which helps to ensure a flexible work-life balance.
• A chance to work in the award-winning David Attenborough Building, which brings together much of the Cambridge-based conservation community on a ‘conservation campus.’
• A generous pension scheme, up to 12% company contribution.
• Holiday starting at 25 days excluding Bank Holidays and increasing for every year of service up to a maximum of 28 days.
• Full access to LinkedIn Learning with access to more than 13,000 high-quality, on-demand courses.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme, including access to Health Assured online health portal (webinars, nutritional advice, 4-week programmes, financial wellbeing and more).
  
  

BirdLife values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Find out more about our Diversity statement.

We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture, a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We aim to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrate and promote diversity.

We will consider putting into place appropriate reasonable adjustments for candidates who may have a disability.

Interviews: Interviews will be held in week commencing 03 February 2025.