WWF (World Wildlife Fund) – US seeks a Lead Specialist, Curriculum & Programming, for a new conservation leadership fellowship that will develop the next generation of leaders to protect the world’s most vital ecosystems. The fellowship will provide long-term mentorship, camaraderie, and experiential learning to a diverse set of early-to-mid-career conservationists. The long-term goal of the fellowship is to build a vibrant community of leaders who are committed to protecting nature worldwide.

The Lead Specialist will drive the design and on-the-ground implementation of the Fellowship’s curriculum. Additionally, the Lead Specialist will cultivate meaningful relationships with fellowship participants, be attentive to their learning and development needs, and help them acquire the resources, mentorship and tools they need to succeed in protecting their home ecosystems.

The Lead Specialist will work closely with the Executive Director to ensure that the overarching vision of the program is translated into effective field-learning opportunities, including visits to sites of critical conservation importance and hubs of global decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

1. Design and execute intensive, field-based learning experiences. Fellowship cohorts will convene several times a year for in-person experiences in locations as varied as Washington DC, Patagonia, and the Amazon Rainforest. The Lead Specialist, working with the Executive Director, will design and implement curricula for these experiences. This will include designating learning outcomes, crafting experiential learning and cohort-building activities, locating, and contracting with local outfitters, and planning logistics for travel in remote areas.
2. Facilitate online programming. The incumbent will lead the design and facilitation of roughly monthly Zoom-based seminars for Fellows. The seminars will focus on wide-ranging topics in conservation. As the Fellowship progresses, the expectation is that the Fellows take an increasingly larger role in designing and facilitating the seminars — a process that the Director of Programming will also steward/guide.
3. Act as primary point of contact and support for Fellows throughout the Fellowship. The Director of Programming will be expected to serve as the primary point of contact for Fellows throughout the Fellowship program, acting as a trusted advisor, advocate, sounding board, and resource for Fellows if challenges arise during the program. Because Fellowship cohorts are small, our expectation is that the Lead Specialist will develop a nuanced and understanding of each Fellow’s personal context, as part of fulfilling the overall commitment of this program to mentorship.
4. Coordinate the Fellowship’s mentorship curriculum. A central element of the Fellowship is mentorship from seasoned conservation practitioners. The Director of Programming will act as a coordinator between Mentors, Experts, and Fellows, supporting Mentors and Experts in cultivating authentic and enduring bonds with their Fellows.
5. Other tasks assigned by manager.

Key Competencies

• Expertise in facilitation and leadership development. The Lead Specialist must be skilled at facilitating growth experiences for groups and individuals, including challenging, cross-cultural “stretch” experiences that bring participants outside their comfort zones.
• Superb cross-cultural skills. The fellowship will involve participants from around the` world. The Lead Specialist must be adept at navigating cultural differences and nuances with sensitivity and should thrive in multi-cultural and multi-lingual environments.
• Comfort in “non-traditional” and experiential educational settings. Most of the fellowship’s programming will not occur in traditional classrooms or conference centers but will instead take place in natural settings designed to cultivate wonder, awe, and inspiration. The incumbent should be drawn to experiential education methods as a teaching tool.
• An entrepreneurial, innovative spirit. The fellowship is a new program that will be “under construction” for several years. It will operate with an entrepreneurial approach of boldness and creativity. The Lead Specialist should enjoy being part of a growing program and thrive in dynamic environments that involve moments of uncertainty, ambiguity, and change.
• A proactive problem-solving approach. The Lead Specialist must be able to proactively solve problems in situations where managers are traveling in remote areas and may not be available for consultation. The ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly to changing situations will be important.
• Creativity and a cross-disciplinary perspective. The fellowship program is designed to cultivate creative bridge-builders who can reach across disciplines. The Lead Specialist should bring a sense of intense curiosity and multi-disciplinarity to their work.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in educational, academic, or programmatic role (such as coordinating a study abroad or exchange program, a mentorship program, an environmental campaign, or an educational program).
• The ideal candidate for this role will bring a background in education, group facilitation, leadership development, or in conservation practice.
• Because this is a global fellowship program, a successful candidate should bring experience designing curriculum and/or teaching in multi-cultural or cross-cultural settings.
• An advanced degree is preferred but not required for this position.
• Proven extraordinary commitment to teaching, mentoring and facilitating growth.
• Experience working across cultures and geographies, including highly effective cross cultural communication skills.
• Ability to travel internationally approximately 25% of the time, including to bi-annual in-person Convenings when the Fellowship is underway.
• Proficiency with Zoom and/or other video- and audio-conferencing technologies as required.
• Exceptional skills with MS Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

• Experience in conservation or environmental learning.
• Cross cultural experiences like Peace Corps, traveling / hiking overseas and similar will be favorably considered.
• Fluent in another language, such as Spanish and/or Portuguese, as the fellowship will include extensive work in Latin America.

Location

This position will be located in Washington DC, and requires adherence to the organization’s hybrid work policy, currently set at two days per week.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #24013
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.