Background

Peace Parks Foundation, founded by President Nelson Mandela, HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and Dr Anton Rupert, is a leader in large-scale ecological restoration across southern Africa. Through co-management partnerships that unite governments, communities and donors, Peace Parks Foundation restores vast transboundary landscapes that deliver measurable conservation and livelihood outcomes. Vision 2050 aims to secure 18 functional landscapes spanning 980,000 km²—one of the world’s largest land-conservation initiatives.

Visit: https://www.peaceparks.org.

Job Profile

This position is based in Limpopo National Park (LNP), Mozambique. Spanning over one million hectares and contiguous with Kruger National Park along its western edge, LNP and the greater landscape represent one of Africa’s most enigmatic wilderness areas. LNP remains in a developmental stage, and the incumbent will oversee multiple donor-funded projects that further the park’s development. This includes oversight of multiple project managers and their teams; rigorous management of budgets; compliant procurement; and professional, proactive communication with donors. The role also supports the Head of Operations and Development and the Park Administrator in developing and improving key systems for park management. The position is site-based; applicants must be prepared to spend the majority of their time on site, with off-site work on a rotational basis. On-site housing and transport are provided.

You are an experienced project manager/administrator with strong organisational skills and a collaborative approach. You communicate clearly, work effectively in teams, and possess above-average numerical aptitude (particularly with spreadsheets). You have a deep love of nature and are excited by the prospect of living in and experiencing the bush daily. Equally, you are adept with information technology—just as comfortable driving a laptop as a Land Cruiser. Candidates considering a transition from the private sector to conservation/NGO work are encouraged to apply.

Job Purpose

The incumbent will contribute to the development of Limpopo National Park and surrounding areas by planning, executing and finalising various donor-funded projects. Project themes include (but are not limited to) community development and livelihoods support, corridor development, infrastructure development, and tourism development. The role requires coordination of diverse stakeholders and teams, rigorous oversight of budget and procurement procedures, and ongoing monitoring of progress, risk identification and mitigation, and compliance with both PPF and donor policies. The Special Projects Manager will maintain effective communication between partners, funders and other stakeholders, ensuring that project activities align with the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide end-to-end oversight of multiple third-party funded projects (e.g., One Limpopo One Health; Transfrontier Conservation Area Livelihoods).

• Lead implementation planning, monitoring and quality control across assigned projects.
• Manage and control budgets, including basic forecasting and reallocations.
• Oversee procurement to ensure full compliance with Peace Parks Foundation and donor requirements.
• Ensure adherence to social and environmental safeguards.
• Maintain timely, professional donor communications.
• Support the development and monitoring of annual park work plans and budgets.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports for submission to Mozambique’s National Administration of Conservation Areas, the Limpopo National Park steering committee, the Transfrontier Conservation Area Technical Committee, SADC and relevant donor agencies.
• Support complex contracting procedures.
• Contribute to funding proposals and public relations materials.
• Support the establishment and management of the park’s monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) systems.
• Depending on expertise, provide technical oversight to selected park departments (e.g., infrastructure, tourism, community, public relations).

Minimum Requirements

• At least five years’ experience in project or operations management, with a demonstrated capacity for organisation, management and leadership.
• A passion for conservation and a commitment to living and working on site (with home rotations).
• Strong computer literacy (e.g., spreadsheets, project management tools).
• Experience managing budgets.
• A relevant qualification demonstrating capacity to manage operations, projects and processes—preferably in conservation, engineering, development studies, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, or other project/field-based sectors.
• Excellent English language skills (written and verbal); Portuguese and/or Shangaan highly advantageous.

Advantageous

• Proven experience managing large donor-funded projects, particularly those funded by institutional donors (e.g., KfW, AFD, USAID).
• Experience in the management, planning and development of conservation areas or projects, with specific understanding of community engagement and infrastructure programmes.

Application Information

If you are committed to making a positive environmental impact and thrive in a challenging, fast-paced environment, we invite you to apply. Please submit a cover letter and a curriculum vitae (maximum two pages), including your full address, telephone number, email address, and contact details for at least three contactable references.

A competitive salary package will be negotiated, based on qualifications and experience.

Apply online.

We appreciate the time and effort of all applicants. Due to the expected volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within three weeks of the submission deadline, please assume that your application was not successful. We encourage you to apply for future opportunities that match your skills and experience.

Duration: Fixed-Term (2 Years – Renewable)

Reporting to: Head of Operations and Development

Location: Limpopo National Park (Mozambique)