Overview

Would you like to work with passionate colleagues from across Europe to rewild large landscapes in five different countries? And would you like to work with the power of nature and help natural processes and wildlife bounce back, where people benefit from the resurgence of wilde nature in these landscapes? Well, then this is the kind of job we offer at Rewilding Europe’s central team:

Head of Landscapes (32-40 hours)

Rewilding Europe

As an independent charitable foundation registered in the Netherlands, Rewilding Europe is a pan-European initiative operating at the frontline of rewilding at a European scale. Rewilding Europe works to make Europe a wilder place, for the benefit of nature and people.

After nearly 10 years of committed work, we are now well underway with a team of people working from 18 different European countries, with a focus on the rewilding of large landscapes with dedicated partner organisations in eight regions across the continent and scaling up thereof.

Our lean-and-mean central team currently represents seven lead positions with in total 25 people working from different European countries, with its head office based in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. There are two Head of Landscapes positions, of which one is vacant.

Role

The Head of Landscapes is a key position in Rewilding Europe, as he/she acts as the linking pin and coordination hub between the central team and the local rewilding area teams. He/she ensures, facilitates and supervises that the overall strategy of Rewilding Europe is achieved coherently and efficiently within each landscape. Working closely with other teams of the organization, the Lead of Landscapes particularly focuses on three key components:

1.     In co-production with the local rewilding partners, driving the development of large-scale rewilding in currently four landscapes: Central Apennines (Italy), Oder Delta (Germany/Poland), Southern Carpathians (Romania) and Swedish Lapland (Sweden). A fifth rewilding area (in Scotland) is in consideration. This includes strategic planning, exploration of opportunities, pioneering new approaches, fundraising, coordination and helping delivery of results and impact.

2.    As a member of the Management Team, working closely with the Heads of Rewilding, Enterprise, Communication, Finance & Operations, and central team experts, making sure Rewilding Europe’s continental agenda is coherently planned, monitored and delivered at the landscape level. The Head of Landscapes reports to the Managing Director.

3.      The Head of Landscapes participates in the development of a number of centrally led initiatives, such as the European Wildlife Bank, the European Rewilding Network, fundraising and other central initiaves looking at innovation and scaling up rewilding.

Main tasks

The main tasks of the Head of Landscapes are:

a) Facilitate and supervise implementation of Rewilding Europe’s strategy by local entities

·        Oversee the annual planning, monitoring and reporting cycle of the rewilding areas mentioned above, and act as the daily connection between Rewilding Europe’s central team and the local rewilding area teams;

·        Provide advice and guidance on the setup of local partnerships with a variety of local public and private partners that ensure the local rewilding initiatives are embedded in partners’ agendas and become part of the local society;

·        Initiate and/or provide support to fundraising efforts for the rewilding areas, i.e. co-writing and deve;opoinmg funding proposals;

·        Ensure the Management Team is regularly kept up to date on progress, challenges, needs and opportunities arising in the rewilding areas under her/his responsibility (i.e., ad-hoc comms, monthly reports, technical progress reports);

·        Ensure smooth and regular communication with the local entities so that they are kept up to date on Rewilding Europe’s strategic direction and organizational needs and in so doing ensuring the rewilding mission is aligned and alive at all times between remotely linked offices;

·        Ensure that regular visits to the rewilding areas take place, preferably synchronized with other members of the central team;

·        Work closely with the Head of Rewilding, Communication, Enterprise and Finance & Operations in coordinating all work related to the rewilding areas.

 

b) In coordination with the Head of Rewilding, provide focused technical support on rewilding matters to the rewilding areas

·        Support the local teams with technical rewilding expertise in a broad range of rewilding matters, help them scope for opportunities and think innovatively about solutions (e.g., from rewilding of a variety of natural processes, restoration of habitats, dam removal, reflooding, peat restoration and rewilding of forests to wildlife comeback);

·        Participate in strategic planning, budgeting and fundraising for rewilding activities;

·        Ensure ecological monitoring is an integral part of all rewilding initiatives taking place in the rewilding areas and keep close contact with the wildlife and monitoring colleagues in the local rewilding teams to achieve this;

·        Advise on the rewilding impact of enterprise development in the rewilding areas.

 

c) Support a number of centrally led initiatives

·          Through an already developed monitoring programme, measure progress in the rewilding areas, collect relevant data for established indicators and report these to the Head of Rewilding;

·          Assist the Geospatial Coordinator in the central team in ensuring the rewilding areas teams make use of GIS resources and capacity in strategic organizational development, partnership setup, decision making, communication and reporting;

·          As a member of the Executive Committee of the European Wildlife Bank, support decision making on natural grazing projects and herd contracts with local partners;

·          Support local teams identify local rewilding initiatives that have the potential to be part of the European Rewilding Network and pass on information to the ERN Coordinator.

·          Take part in the Management Team Meetings, Superviory Board meetings and other strategic and operational meetings in the central team.

Key qualifications

We are looking for someone with great motivation, because sometimes you will have to go against the grain and turn resistance into opportunities in a positive way. We are looking for a strategist who is able to determine a strategic and tactical route based on objectives and current activities. We expect that you are well acquainted with the substantive challenges and the professional field in the Netherlands and Europe, but that you also especially want to go out to make contacts and get others on a challenging agenda with vision. Being diplomatic, a connector, but also result-oriented, tenacious and adventurous are important qualities.

·        MSc. in conservation, wildlife biology and/or related field.

·        At least 5 years of hands-on experience managing multi-country nature conservation programmes.

·        Extensive experience in remote management and partnership development with local organizations.

·        Good command of English is essential, an additional language such as Swedish, German or Polish is a plus.

·        Excellent social and communication skills and extensive experience in inter-cultural communication.

·        An entrepreneurial mindset, and a good understanding of the potential role the private sector can play in amplifying rewilding at European level.

·        Strong organizational capacities, hands-on attitude, solution and result oriented.

·        A pro-active attitude and ability to work independently.

·        Passionate about Rewilding Europe’s mission, vision and objectives.

 

The offer

·        Rewilding Europe is a professional and dynamic organization with an informal culture. We offer a competitive and market conform renumeration, commensurate to the responsibilities taking into account background, expertise, level of experience and country of residence.

·        Frequent travel is required – the candidate can be based anywhere in Europe, but preferably central to the location of the rewilding areas and close to an international airport. Due to the Corona measures we are currently all working from home.

 

Information and procedure
Are you interested in this position and do you recognize yourself in the profile above? Then we cordially invite you to respond and send your motivation letter and CV before 21 May 2021 at 17.00 hrs CET to info@rewildingeurope.com. You can ask for more information through this email address.

We actively strive to ensure that our employees are a reflection of society and the international character of our organization. We consider the safety and protection of our colleagues as important. We therefore ask you to complete a declaration of integrity and may ask for references. A Certificate of Good Conduct is required for all positions.