International Partnership Manager at Community Forests International | March 2024

Help protect forests and promote climate adaptation and gender justice with Community Forests International in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The International Partnership Manager will serve as a critical bridge between local and international executive management teams under Global Affairs Canada’s ‘Partnering for Climate’ Program by facilitating excellent inter-organization communication, effective collaboration, and upholding the teams’ high standards — all while providing proactive management support to partners at Community Forests Pemba in service of gender justice, climate resilience, and community wellbeing in Zanzibar. 

Position: International Partnership Manager

Hours & Term: Full-time (up to 37.5 hr/week) and 1-year annually renewed contract with an indefinite term. 

Compensation: A starting salary range of $58,000 – $62,000 negotiable based on experience. 15 days paid vacation increasing to 20 days paid vacation after three years of service. In addition to observing 12 public holidays, Community Forests also provides two (2) additional floating holidays per year to respect a diversity of cultural observances employees may celebrate. An optional $100 / month health bursary is available and employees are entitled to 12 days of paid sick leave per calendar year, carried forward annually and accruing to a maximum of 24 days available. 

Relocation Benefits

Relocation flights are provided at the beginning and end of the assignment. Additional vacation travel of one round-trip flight home and back to the assignment country per year will be provided. Relocating staff are also eligible for temporary living expenses at the beginning and / or end of the assignment when seeking permanent accommodation, and this includes costs for meals, incidentals, and accommodation for up to twenty (20) days before departure from the usual country of residence, twenty (20) days after arrival in the City of Assignment, and twenty (20) days after returning to the originating country of residence.

Location

In-person in Zanzibar City, Unguja Island, Tanzania. The position requires periodic inter-island travel to offices in Wete, Pemba Island, Tanzania

Organization

Community Forests International believes that some of the most important climate solutions can be found wherever people live and work closely with forests. We protect and restore the climate by empowering communities and forests to thrive together in diverse regions around the world, and we center climate justice in our vision, mission, and actions—understanding that only by acting with justice can people become the restorative force that the world needs.

Job Description

Community Forests International is seeking an empathetic and highly organized International Partnership Manager (IPM) to act as a key liaison between our Canada-based team and our longstanding Zanzibari partners, Community Forests Pemba. As the key cross-team connector, the IPM will strengthen inter-organization communication by organizing and coordinating daily meetings, strategic planning sessions, and the regular and effective flow of information and decisions within and between the organizations. The IPM’s communications-focused role is critical to the successful delivery of a complex and collaborative gender justice and climate change adaptation project.

The International Partnership Manager will also be directly responsible for effective communication and planning across the senior management team in Zanzibar. The IPM will help align the team on the most critical project goals by ensuring clarity while following through with management support that ensures high-quality outcomes. In this regard, the IPM will be responsible for continually upholding Community Forests’ shared values and standards. The IPM will work closely with staff to develop and maintain effective processes that uplift and support the team, strengthen relationships, and achieve results.  The ideal candidate will be an exceptional communicator who enjoys bringing clarity to complex tasks and takes pride in the transformative efforts achieved by a well-organized, coordinated, and motivated team.

Core Competencies

• Communication. Effectively explain complex concepts in simple, clear language and accurately interpret the ideas, information, and needs of others.

• Relationship Building.  Ability to engage and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders to secure beneficial, lasting relationships.

• Emotional Intelligence. Capacity to perceive, assess and respond in positive ways to the emotions of oneself, of others, and of the team as a whole to avoid and diffuse conflicts and facilitate smooth working collaborations.

• Accountability. Holds self and others accountable for all decisions and interpersonal relationships while following through on commitments and focusing on those activities that have the greatest positive impact. 

• Drive. Possess a high level of self-motivation and ability to work independently to accomplish critical tasks on deadline.

• Innovation and creative problem-solving. Ability to develop new and better ideas or solutions that result in improvement of team performance or outcomes.

• Cultural competency. Possesses an understanding of one’s own culture, history, and norms and has a genuine curiosity and sensitivity towards the culture, history and norms of others.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in project management, business administration, human resources or related field. 

• Proficiency in digital applications including but not limited to Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with additional fluency in Swahili being a strong asset.

• Demonstrate enthusiastic commitment to Community Forests International’s full vision and mission including core principles of trust, courage, community, and justice.

• Be comfortable working at a computer for long periods and effective both with self-directed work and as part of a dynamic team of peers from different time zones and cultures.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in project management, business administration, human resources or related field. 

• Proficiency in digital applications including but not limited to Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with additional fluency in Swahili being a strong asset.

• Demonstrate enthusiastic commitment to Community Forests International’s full vision and mission including core principles of trust, courage, community, and justice.

• Be comfortable working at a computer for long periods and effective both with self-directed work and as part of a dynamic team of peers from different time zones and cultures.

Are you considering applying but feel uncertain about meeting all of the above criteria? We encourage you to apply!  Current employment data highlights that racialized and visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are less likely to apply to jobs when they do not feel they meet every qualification of an available position. At Community Forests International, we emphasize equity in the hiring process and therefore encourage all prospective applicants to express their interest.

Alternatively, are you considering applying but feel you might be overqualified? Please reach out if you have a high level of experience in organizational leadership, project management, or business administration, as we would appreciate an opportunity to explore a role suited to your capacity.

Specific Responsibilities

Communication & Cohesion – 50%

Work alongside executive leadership in Canada and Zanzibar to continuously improve information sharing that strengthens trust, team cohesion, and project delivery.

• Organize and lead weekly international team meetings and facilitate inter-office communications by collecting, summarizing, and distributing key information promptly, including meeting schedules, minutes, and action items with teams in Canada, Pemba, and Unguja

• Assist executive leadership by organizing and facilitating the Gender Justice Working Group and act as the focal person for disseminating learnings and activities across the team.

• Attend both management and daily field operations meetings to develop an overall picture of organizational priorities and productivity, and assist with transmitting information between different organizational levels and stakeholders with special emphasis on ensuring executive staff receive up-to-date information. 

• Collaborate with communications and development staff to create reports and other materials that clearly and compellingly communicate the organization’s achievements and impact to stakeholders and funders. 

Partnership – 20%

Assist in the development, management and growth of key alliances, partnerships, and opportunities.

• Proactively identify and mitigate potential risks and challenges that may arise with partners and stakeholders during project implementation, employing effective management and conflict resolution techniques to address issues and maintain positive working relationships internally and with external partners. 

• Provide information, resources, and guidance to help the team assess and navigate external partnerships to ensure collaborations are beneficial, respectful, and align well with the organization’s mission, vision and values.

• Cultivate and nurture relationships with key partners, stakeholders, and donors to support the organization’s goals and initiatives to advance climate resilience and gender justice efforts.

Operations – 20%

Assist the executive, management, and field teams with prioritizing and organizing complex tasks and dealing with key challenges and opportunities that require additional support.  

• Support management in planning and coordinating the most critical action items from week to week including assisting with planning, problem-solving, external partner relations, human resources, and specific project actions across multiple teams and geographical locations to achieve project milestones and deliverables.

• Assist management and operations with the development, integration, and circulation of work plans, progress updates, and other internal processes and documents.

• Participate in field visits and evaluations to collect information, analyze results, and make evidence-based recommendations for program improvement and adaptation.

Organizational and Team Development – 10%

Support executive leadership to create and implement internal improvement strategies.

• Provide human resource support alongside senior-level managers as needed, including the design, planning, and/or facilitation of individual, team, and/or self-performance evaluations.

• Work with senior managers to identify professional development opportunities and provide support and mentorship pathways for continued professional growth across the entire team.

• Provide recommendations to executive leadership teams on potential areas for improvements to the organization based on observations, interactions, and related experience across daily operations at various organizational levels — and if requested, assist with implementation of approved recommendations.

• Seek out capacity-building initiatives for staff to enhance their skills and knowledge in areas such as management, communication, and gender justice. 

Application

Please email your resume and a cover letter with the subject line “International Partnership Manager” to jobs@forestsinternational.org. If you require any accessibility accommodations for the application process, please reach out.

The deadline for application submission is Sunday, March 24th midnight ADT. This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is hired. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Community Forests International is committed to diversity in our workplace and encourages applications from traditionally marginalized groups such as, but not limited to: 

English is required.

Swahili is an Asset.