[open until filled]
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Regional Advisor – Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation Region-based Contract Position
About the Organization
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a family foundation that is guided by the enduring business philosophy and personal values of Lucile and David Packard, who helped found one of the world’s leading technology companies. Their approach to business and community participation has guided our philanthropy for nearly 50 years. Today, their children and grandchildren continue to help guide the work of the Foundation. The Foundation makes grants at the local, state, national, and international level.
They work on the issues their founders cared about most, which are
• Improving the lives of children
• Enabling the creative pursuit of science
• Advancing reproductive health
• Conserving and restoring the earth’s natural systems
A staff of 100 conducts the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and a Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Foundation. David and Lucile Packard passed onto the Foundation the following core set of values: integrity, respect for all people, belief in individual leadership, commitment to effectiveness, and the capacity to think big.
The Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation subprogram is dedicated to the long-term conservation and responsible stewardship of critical coastal habitats and resources in the region, with a particular focus on eastern Indonesia, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. The subprogram is committed to helping to develop the knowledge, skills, and institutions needed to conserve these coastal ecosystems, and the sustainable livelihood and health of those who rely upon them. A complete description of the Western Pacific strategy can be downloaded from the Packard Foundation’s Web site: www.packard.org.
Regional Advisor – Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation seeks an exceptional contractor to support its Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation subprogram by representing and facilitating its goals and ideals throughout the region as a resource to the Program Officer – Western Pacific. The work environment, the workload, and the geographic focus will shift on a regular basis and the Regional Advisor will work on many different initiatives as determined by the Program Officer – Western Pacific. This is a contract position and is an excellent opportunity for a culturally sensitive, diplomatic professional with regional expertise, superior communication skills, and a desire to work at the interface of conservation, community development, and policy. The position will report directly to the Program Officer – Western Pacific.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
On behalf of the Program Officer, the contractor will act as a field-based representative of the Western Pacific Coastal and Marine Conservation Program accountable directly to the Program Officer. Under the leadership of the Program Officer, the Regional Advisor shall be accountable for a range of deliverables, including:
• Provide direct support to grant recipients as required to achieve real impact through specific policy and programmatic objectives
• Interact monthly with active grantees (either in person, by phone, and/or electronically) to improve grant administration and implementation
• Interact monthly with potential collaborators (donors, agencies, etc.)
• Facilitate monthly reporting, monitoring and evaluation dialogues with grantees and Program staff
• Conduct scheduled country/site visits to assess progress of programs and grants.; submit trip reports and assessment documents monthly as needed
• Clearly and consistently communicate with grant recipients and other potential partners in a transparent, timely, and respectful manner
• In collaboration with the Program Officer, review and resolve legal, financial, and technical issues raised by specific grants and grant reports
• Think strategically and manage complex processes involving multiple institutions and individuals in a team arrangement
• Review and analyze grant requests submitted to the Western Pacific and other subprograms (i.e. the Science and the Organizational Effectiveness subprograms) on monthly basis. Also, contribute to the shaping of proposals as needed
• Identify and coordinate opportunities for grantees and partners to gather around common themes relevant in the countries where the Foundation works (e.g., MPA enforcement, governance, public advocacy campaigns)
• Identify specific research and conduct analyses in areas of strategic priority in consultation with the Program Officer. Submit reports and whitepapers as agreed
• Develop reviews, summaries, white papers for the Program Officer and Foundation leadership that address key activities, progress, and issues
• Attend regional meetings important to the program’s mission
• Represent the Foundation and the Conservation and Science program to external audiences where required
Professional Qualifications
The successful contract candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:
• Based in the Western Pacific
• Commitment to the conservation and sustainable management of resources for the health of both biologically diverse ecosystems and the people who rely upon them
• Clear, diplomatic communication skills and the ability to engage individuals from a wide variety of cultures, disciplines, academic backgrounds, and institutions
• Knowledge of marine conservation-related threats, opportunities, policies, institutions, and solutions throughout the Western Pacific region and within the individual countries where the Foundation’s work is concentrated
• Intellectual agility, desire to learn, and ability to analyze, think critically, and understand situations and information that are directly relevant to the Foundation’s grant making priorities
• Initiative and capacity to sustain work, as well as set and complete tasks, with minimal direction
• Ability to write well under time constraints
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, particularly one that is widely dispersed
• Demonstrated presentation skills
• Capacity to effectively manage time, manage budgets (grants budgets as well as the Regional Advisor’s own contract and travel budget), and meet deadlines
• Ability to travel frequently throughout the Western Pacific, sometimes over weekends and public holidays
• International experience including significant experience in the Western Pacific and/or Southeast Asia
• Familiarity with key NGO, academic, and governmental institutions involved with coastal and marine issues in the Western Pacific region
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, and the private sector
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills; English required
• Ability and willingness to participate in and coordinate administrative duties as required
• Experience with grant making desirable but not necessary
• Fluency in Bahasa Indonesia, Fijian, or Pijin desirable, but not necessary
Personal Attributes
The following personal attributes are desired:
• Approachable demeanor and openness to input from all staff and grantees
• Cultural sensitivity and openness to learning
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas
• Impeccable integrity and trustworthiness, sense of humor, a diplomatic approach to problem-solving, and a high tolerance for ambiguity
• Ability to work effectively independently and also to be able to contribute to a team
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently (up to 30-40%)
Compensation and Location
The Regional Advisor is a contract position. The Packard Foundation offers a competitive consultant rate that is commensurate with experience. The successful candidate for this position will be based in the Western Pacific region.
To Apply
To be considered for this position, interested candidates must follow the link below to submit a resume, cover letter, and consultant rate requirements. CEA Recruiting is assisting The Packard Foundation with this search. Please direct all inquiries to Eileen Ashton at eileen@ceaconsulting.com. This position will remain open until filled.
http://www.ceaconsulting.com/what/position_details.aspx?client=CEA&jobId=204
CEA Recruiting works with leading environmental nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to recruit top talent and design effective organizational staffing strategies. For more information, visit www.cearecruiting.com.