Chief Conservation Officer

The Wildlands Conservation Trust (WILDTRUST) invites applications for:

Chief Conservation Officer (CCO)
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – NPO Sector

FIXED TERM CONTRACT

WILDTRUST seeks to appoint a Chief Conservation Officer (CCO) to serve as the strategic integrator for the WILDLANDS and WILDOCEANS programmes—partnering with their respective Programme Leads and Directors to optimise collaboration and shared systems, while preserving the distinct identity and unique offering of each. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CCO will work in close partnership with the Chief Operations Officer to ensure
that conservation and operations move as one, driving conservation impact across southern Africa.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:

Outlined briefly below but not limited to:
• Executive alignment, integration, and optimisation of programme strategies across WILDLANDS and WILDOCEANS.
• Programme implementation, quality assurance, and adaptive management.
• Drive institutional sustainability by leading innovative resource mobilization through carbon markets, conservation investments, and strategic blended finance models.
• Cultivate and diversify a high-value donor portfolio by securing long-term philanthropic partnerships and large-scale grants from international agencies and private foundations.
• Impact measurement, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
• Community engagement and strategic partnerships.
• Provide executive mentorship, guidance, and overarching support to the WILDLANDS and WILDOCEANS Programme staff.
• Catalyse cross-programme synergies and drive conservation innovation to amplify overall institutional impact.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience:

• Master’s degree or higher in conservation biology, environmental science, natural resource management ,economics, business administration, or a related field that bridges ecology, development and finance.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in conservation programme management, paired with a verifiable history of securing large grants or investments from institutional donors, private foundations, or the corporate sector.
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in developing or managing sustainable finance mechanisms, such as carbon credit projects, biodiversity offsets, or impact investment portfolios.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, partnering with and empowering established senior leaders to optimise shared systems and drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong track record in programme design, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Commercial acumen, including a strong understanding of financial modeling, risk assessment, and the legal frameworks governing emerging environmental markets.

Contract Details

• Contract: Five-year fixed-term contract, based in South Africa. Including a competitive market- based package.

TO APPLY:

Submit your CV and cover letter to: Dr Roelie Kloppers CEO, [email protected] by no later than the 10th of April 2026. Late applications will be disregarded. WILDTRUST reserves the right to vary the requirements and not to fill this position. Should you not receive a response within a month kindly consider your application unsuccessful.
Disclaimer: WILDTRUST employees are not authorized to request payment from prospective candidates for
recruitment purposes. Any such payment requests should be reported immediately to the Ethics hotline 0800 828 688.