Area Manager || Akashinga

DUE: 14 FEB 2025

Area Manager

About Akashinga

Akashinga delivers resilient nature conservation programmes of global significance through community-driven partnerships. Originally named the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF), was founded in 2009 by Australian-born and Zimbabwean-based environmentalist Damien Mander. Since its inception, we have transformed a traditionally adversarial approach to conservation into an innovative, uplifting, and gender-diverse model to protect wildlife and habitats.

As the organisation’s mission has evolved, so too has our identity, leading to our major transition in 2023 to become Akashinga. This name, meaning ‘the Brave Ones’ in Zimbabwe’s Shona language, reflects our unique approach to conservation by acknowledging the people at the heart of our collective fight for the future of the planet. At Akashinga, we centralise social impact around the advancement of women’s leadership to achieve nature conservation at scale.

The Akashinga model invests in local development to create relevant conservation pathways and nature-based economies that are then scaled to create impact at a global level.  With your support, we are achieving biodiversity outcomes and spreading our operations across vast areas by working together with local and indigenous communities, placing community first, and ensuring social impact is centralised around the empowerment of women. We believe that supporting people to protect the planet in the places they call home will ultimately create a sustainable future for us all.

Akashinga is unwavering in our dedication to protecting the natural world and preserving biological diversity. Our mission centres on safeguarding migratory pathways and creating interconnected habitats to address the critical challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and human well-being degradation. We understand the intricate interplay of these issues and strive to cultivate resilient ecosystems where nature, wildlife, and communities flourish in harmony.

About the Area Manager Available Position

We are very excited to announce that a fantastic opportunity has arisen in our organisation. We are looking for a suitably qualified Area Manager for one of our area. The area is situated in the Zambezi Valley with vast landscapes and a variety of wildlife under protection by our teams.

Job Purpose

This is a role encompassing all aspects of Akashinga; and the Area Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Area, the management of relationships with the local and broader community and other key stakeholders, habitat protection and security, overseeing routine ecological monitoring and maintenance of ecological records.

Key Responsibilities

1. Manage the daily operations of the Area program:
   • Establish strong working relationships with nearby conservation areas and stakeholders.
   • Maintain cleanliness, order, and organization in the camps at all times.
   • Ensure compliance with Health, Safety & Environmental regulations, legislative requirements, and integration of the Akashinga Code of Conduct into all activities.
   • Handle human resources in collaboration with the HR Manager, including conducting performance assessments for key personnel.
   • Identify staffing and organizational capacity gaps and coordinate with the Country Manager and HR Manager to address them.
   • Implement procedures for incident response, search and rescue, field worker safety, medical emergencies, and natural disaster contingencies.
   • Monitor adherence to SOP’s, Code of Conduct, and Ethical standards.
   • Supervise petty cash management and record-keeping.
   • Oversee financial management of the area`s operating budget by department – including weekly variance reporting to the Country Manager.
   • Provide regular updates and communication with the Country Manager.
   • Prepare monthly and incident reports as necessary.

2. Supervise the onsite departments and facilitate their operations:

Community:

• Implement the community strategic plan to enhance area management effectiveness, advance conservation results in the region, and foster community engagement and involvement in Akashinga’s initiatives.

Operations:

• Ensure the security and efficiency of anti-poaching operations within the assigned area.

Habitat:

• Develop and execute the Akashinga habitat management plan, support ecological survey tasks, and maintain detailed records.
• Oversee ecological conservation efforts like fire control, soil preservation, and GIS data collection.
• Maintain regular equipment and infrastructure repairs to guarantee the safety of staff and visitors and enhance areaoperations effectively.

Kitchen:

• Ensure the smooth operation of the kitchen, including providing nutritious vegan meals for staff members and managing related logistics.

Requirements

• Recognised qualification in Ecological, Environment or Wildlife Management.
• MBA or any relevant Master’s Degree.
• 10 Years experience in a similar position.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools and web-based applications is essential.
• Computer literacy.
• Clean driver’s license.

Competencies

• High level of adaptation.
• Genuine interest in conservation and wildlife.
• Strong soft skills.
• High ethical standards and professionalism.
• Reliable and punctual.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to work with a dynamic and passionate team.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Chance to make a meaningful contribution to conservation efforts

Akashinga believes in equal employment opportunity and is committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive environment.

TO APPLY
All interested candidates should send CVs to [email protected] no later than the 14^th of February 2025.