West Africa Regional Director

Location: Dakar, Senegal
Duration: Two years fixed term (with the possibility of extension thereafter)
Closing date for applications: 24 September 2023
Start date: ASAP
Remuneration: Competitive based on experience
Reports to: Africa Director
Direct reports: West Africa Programme Manager, West Africa Technical Lead,
West Africa Advocacy Manager

We rebuild tropical fisheries with coastal communities

Blue Ventures is a marine conservation organization that puts people first. We support coastal
fishers in remote and rural communities to rebuild fisheries, restore ocean life and build
lasting pathways to prosperity. Our work began two decades ago in Madagascar’s remote coastal
communities and is growing globally. Across a dozen countries, we’re partnering with
traditional fishers and community organizations to design, scale, strengthen and sustain
fisheries management and conservation at the community level. We bring partners together in
networks to advocate for reform, and share tools and best practices to support fishing
communities across the globe. 

Summary job description

We are recruiting for an experienced leader, strategist, and change agent to direct Blue
Ventures’ exciting new programme in West Africa. This pivotal leadership position is
responsible for ensuring Blue Ventures capitalises on its recent entry in the region, and
delivers impact at scale for coastal communities and the ocean across the West Africa region.

As the Regional Director, you will be responsible for providing leadership, guidance, and
coaching to a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team that focuses on building and maintaining
partnerships with communities, government, and other sector leaders – today in Senegal, Gambia,
Guinea Bissau, and Cabo Verde, with a strong aspiration for expansion across the wider region
in the coming 2-3 years. You will work closely with a diverse group of highly motivated,
high-performing colleagues to drive our mission and help transform community-led conservation
in the region.

Your expertise in change management will be invaluable as you lead the team through this period
of rapid growth and transformation, exemplifying interpersonal skills, agility, and resilience
to design and implement a regional strategy that gains commitment for change within the
regional team and across the wider organisation.

As a strategic and consultative leader, you will ensure effective coordination between BV
colleagues locally and globally to drive cohesion and alignment with BV’s strategic vision and
ambition. You will be responsible for ensuring operational efficiency to maximise impact and
value for money, supporting our culture, protecting our values, and enabling our team to
thrive.

You will lead the regional input to our annual global planning and goal-setting processes,
ensuring our regional strategy is integrated with the needs and opportunities of our team and
partner communities. Working closely with colleagues and partners, you will evolve and
implement regional and functional plans through close engagement.

As the primary representative of Blue Ventures’ work in West Africa , you will be the go-to
person for senior government, donor, private sector, and civil society engagements. You will
proactively pursue and manage these relationships to further Blue Ventures’ mission, including
fundraising, public speaking, and networking at all levels, from local communities to
government ministries and international fora.

We are seeking a highly motivated, strategic individual who is resourceful in managing a
diverse, multi-cultural team to deliver a broad portfolio of conservation interventions. You
will understand and respond to the needs and interests of partner communities and stakeholders,
and have significant operational and field experience in the delivery of large-scale
international development and/or conservation programmes in West Africa or similar contexts.

As a leader, you will blend entrepreneurialism and strategic discipline, creating and
capitalising on change to accelerate impact with creativity and a spirit of innovation and
ambition. You will be committed to building a culture of inclusive and evidence-based
decision-making, and understand the importance of integrating learning processes into our work
and operations.

As a member of the Africa Leadership Team, you will report to the Director for Africa and work
closely with other regional leads and senior managers to ensure our programmes achieve maximum
impact. This full-time role is based in Dakar, Senegal, with regular travel to work with
colleagues, partners, and stakeholders across the region and internationally.

To download the full job description please click here.