Background:
WWF Caucasus Programme Office (WWF CauPO) is the leading international conservation organisation in the South Caucasus, operating in Georgia (regional hub), Armenia and Azerbaijan. It represents a highly performing WWF international Programme Office with efficient operating systems, professional and skilled staff, strong financial resources, delivering high conservation impact. WWF CauPO is guided by strong conservation vision for the region. The role of the Conservation Department is to ensure the effective implementation of conservation strategies and initiatives for the region and consistent strong impact measurement, reflection and learning from results to continuously improve performance.
Major Function:
The WWF Caucasus, Conservation Director sets strategic conservation and policy directions for the region and supervises their performance through robust PMEL frameworks and relevant indicators. Directs conservation program initiatives on a regional level to ensure coherent/ cohesive programme design and delivery and guides conservation planning and implementation in each Caucasus country. Leads on partner development and stakeholder engagement in Georgia, for policy influence, conservation delivery and fundraising purposes. Provides strategic leadership to the conservation teams and consultants engaged in project implementation across all three countries.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Conservation Leadership
Serve on the Regional Management Team (RMT), contributing to region-wide policies, systems, and standards.
Maintain strong coordination with RMT members to align activities with WWF CauPO objectives.
Lead strategic conservation planning processes with the Conservation Managers in CauPo’s offices, ensuring a current, coherent WWF CauPO Conservation Plan aligned with regional and WWF Network priorities.
Oversee review, updates, and implementation of the WWF CauPO conservation strategy and associated policies, systems, and procedures.
Lead the Conservation team in the development, submission, and monitoring of funding proposals to ensure alignment with strategic forecasts and conservation priorities.
Oversee effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the WWF CauPO Conservation Plan, ensuring compliance with WWF standards, KPIs, and GPF indicators.
ESSF, Quality Assurance and Risk Management
Develop and maintain WWF CauPO’s quality assurance systems to ensure conservation relevance and programmatic integrity across all proposals and initiatives
Supervise implementation and updates of Environmental & Social Safeguards (ESSF) across landscapes and projects, including risk screening, training, and reporting.
Guide the integration of ESSF and risk management measures into conservation planning and project design.
Ensure that programmatic risks are identified, tracked in the risk register, and effectively mitigated and evaluate project proposals for strategic relevance and quality, supporting a strong internal quality assurance system.
Stay abreast of WWF International QA and ESSF policy developments and ensure institutional alignment and capacity.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)
Design and oversee M&E strategy and frameworks that align with organisational goals, donor expectations, and international standards.
Lead development and use of logframes, theories of change, KPIs, and data systems for tracking conservation impact.
Ensure timely data analysis, impact assessment, and integration of findings into adaptive program management.
Build MEL capacity across the region, guiding staff and partners on best practices, tools, and reporting.
Team Management and Talent Development
Supervise and mentor conservation staff across the region, supporting performance, motivation, and professional development.
Oversee the work of three conservation managers in the three CauPO offices
Collaborate with RMT and P&C on workforce planning, recruitment, succession planning, and talent development for the…