Market Systems Specialist – Eastern Kafue Nature Alliance Mid level

Mumbwa, Zambia.

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Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of knowledge and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

Since establishing the Africa Programme in 2007, The Nature Conservancy’s vision in Africa is to work towards fostering a sustainable future for people and nature, partnering with indigenous communities across 55 million acres on the continent. Our efforts are firmly rooted in people, leveraging scientific and technical expertise as we collaborate with governments and organizations to conserve and enhance Africa’s shared resources in the nine countries we operate.

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management, and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development, and sustainable food production working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

In Zambia, TNC has a primary geographical focus on the Greater Kafue Ecosystem (GKE). This is Zambia’s largest conservation landscape, a 66,000 sq. km complex of exceptional biodiversity value, dominated by the 22,000 sq. km Kafue National Park and nine Game Management Areas (GMAs) under communal tenure that span an additional 44,000 sq. km. TNC is working with communities and diverse public and private stakeholders in this ecosystem to strengthen community tenure over natural resources, develop effective natural resource governance and management systems and create sustainable conservation management and revenue generation models for the landscape. One key project which supports this strategy is a five-year $10m USAID-funded Global Development Alliance (GDA) project, the “Eastern Kafue Nature Alliance” (EKNA), which leverages private sector partner resources and expertise to achieve integrated and sustainable outcomes for biodiversity conservation, economic prosperity, sustainable agriculture, human well-being, and natural resource governance in the eastern sector of the GKE. The project is focused on delivering lasting outcomes for nature and people in and around Lunga Luswishi, Mumbwa, Namwala and Nkala GMAs.

A fundamental factor enabling durable conservation outcomes in this ecologically fragile landscape is the ability of local communities to derive tangible socio-economic benefits from conservation-related economic activity. While donor funding can support the delivery of short-term benefits to communities, over the longer term, incentives to protect and sustainably manage the tremendous natural wealth of the GMAs need to come from the market, which in turn is governed by mutually beneficial, long-term relationships between producer communities and private sector actors. Few such relationships exist in the Kafue landscape currently, and it is essential for the sustainability of EKNA project outcomes that the breadth and depth of market linkages are expanded. This is an incredible opportunity to work with a wide range of private sector actors, local communities and entrepreneurs to support the creation of a vibrant nature-based economy in the eastern Kafue ecosystem.

The Market Systems Specialist will provide expert market development support to the project’s primary target beneficiaries, the local communities that depend on the landscape for their livelihoods and survival and will engage closely with private market operators as key partners. The Market Systems Specialist works as a member of the project implementation team and as part of the broader TNC Zambia’s conservation team, ensuring close communication, collaboration and learning with peers across projects and teams.

Specifically, they will provide hands-on strategic guidance and technical oversight for all the project’s market development activities in the natural resources and sustainable agriculture sectors, developing and strengthening mutually beneficial commercial relationships among the private sector, local communities and small businesses, ensuring meaningful participation of women and youth. They will manage this work through a market systems lens, facilitating the participation of a wide range of supporting market functions and ensuring cooperation and collaboration between actors for the benefit of the nature-based market as a whole.

They will report to the EKNA Chief of Party and will be based at TNC’s office in Mumbwa, Zambia

Specifically, the Partnership Manager:

• Develops and maintains an information base on all formal and informal private sector activities of relevance within the project area and continually scans the market to identify potential opportunities for business linkage with rural communities.
• Works with private sector actors in the natural resources sector (e.g. consumptive and non-consumptive tourism operators, forest product aggregators and processors, carbon project developers, fish aggregators and processors) to develop commercial markets that stimulate the engagement of rural communities and small businesses in the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, provide sustainable wealth opportunities for local communities, ensure equitable participation of women and men and incentivize the investment of private capital in the long term equitable growth of these markets while protecting the natural capital upon which they depend.
• Works with private sector operators in the agricultural sector (e.g. agricultural input, information and service providers, agricultural commodity and livestock buyers and processors) to develop and strengthen agricultural markets that stimulate the engagement of smallholder farmers and provide incentives for the adoption of climate smart and sustainable agricultural technologies and practices
• Builds the capacity of small rural businesses and community-owned enterprises to engage and negotiate with private market operators and become increasingly innovative and sophisticated in their business dealings
• Using a market-led approach, promotes the climate-resilient diversification of smallholder agriculture by supporting the adoption of agrobiodiverse productions systems integrating multiple species, breeds or varieties, and integration of crop, livestock, poultry and tree crops
• In coordination with livestock market operators, builds the capacity of traditional pastoral targeted communities in the roll-out of conservation-compatible sustainable livestock management practices and links participating livestock farmers to private input markets, technical support and output marketing opportunities
• Works with tourism operators and agribusiness (e.g. suppliers of seed, irrigation technology and extension) to establish reliable supply chains for local fresh produce into the tourism industry
• Undertakes basic economic evaluations of business models related to sustainable natural resource management
• Through collaboration with TNC Zambia conservation teams and TNC Africa’s sustainable financing and regenerative economies teams, draws lessons from market development processes from across TNC Africa’s portfolio and brings them to bear in a Zambian context.
• Oversees tracking of market development activities, ensuring activities and deliverables meet USAID requirements; identifying any implementation challenges and providing the necessary support to address them.
• Contributes to developing terms of reference for market development and private investment-related sub-awards and contracts as well as reviewing reports submitted by relevant sub recipients
• Coordinates with the project’s monitoring, evaluation research and learning (MERL) staff to implement the MERL Plan, report on project activities, measure outcomes in accordance with project requirements and document key lessons learned from stakeholder engagements and community interactions.
• May require frequent travel to remote locations and evening and weekend hours.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations and under physically demanding circumstances

Minimum Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in natural resource management, natural resource economics, agriculture, business or similar relevant field
• 5 years’ practical experience in rural market development, natural resource management or similar field
• Experience in sustainable agricultural or natural resource management donor-funded project implementation
• Experience in market linkage facilitation and partnership development between private sector actors, small businesses and rural communities
• Experience in negotiating and conflict management
• Proven communication skills in written, spoken and graphical means in English
• Competence in computer skills (e.g. Excel, Word)

Desired Qualifications:

• 5-7 years’ experience in business, market development or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in the rural agricultural and natural resource sectors in Zambia
• Demonstrated experience in market systems thinking and systems development
• Experience in developing or supporting innovative business models that stimulate private investment and engage rural communities
• Experience in capacity building and mentoring small rural businesses
• Knowledge of best practices in sustainable agriculture in Zambia
• Experience in resource stewardship e.g. managing and tracking budgets
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of rural market development projects
• Ability to communicate in the local languages spoken in the project area
• Ability to work independently with strong self-motivation

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the world’s most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation worldwide!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package, including health care benefits, Retirement Pension Stipend, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, and other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits in the on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work environment that supports the health, well-being, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.

This position requires a valid driver’s license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program.

Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered “high risk drivers.” To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit under the FAQ section.

Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee’s motor vehicle record.

To apply for job ID 54732, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at . Need help applying? Visit our page or contact .

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

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An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.