Emirates Nature works in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations.
Emirates Nature-WWF has been active in the UAE for two decades and is renowned for its commitment to biodiversity conservation, habitat protection, sustainable development, and community engagement. Some of our flagship projects include marine conservation initiatives to protect coral reefs and marine species, wildlife conservation programs focusing on endangered species such as Arabian oryx and sea turtles, habitat restoration projects in critical ecosystems, and sustainable development initiatives aimed at mitigating climate change impacts and promoting eco-friendly practices across various sectors.
Job Summary
The successful incumbent will be a highly organized and mission-driven project manager who will lead and ensure the successful implementation of high impact project(s) for Emirates Nature-WWF, with the goal of helping catalyze actions towards the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems in the UAE. The role requires a strong project management background and excellent stakeholder management skills, with general foundation in sustainability and environmental issues.
Major Duties and Key Responsibilities
Project Planning & Initiation
- Contribute to the development of project funding proposals.
- Define project scope, objectives, deliverables and conservation benefits in line with Emirates Nature-WWF’s conservation and strategic goals.
- Develop detailed project plans, timelines, resource needs, and budgets; ensure their alignment with project objectives.
- Identify stakeholders and establish governance structures.
Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop and manage stakeholder engagement plans, collaborating with partners, communities, the private sector, government agencies, and other stakeholders to enable project implementation and incorporate their insights.
- Provide regular updates to leadership, sponsors, donors, and other key stakeholders to ensure transparency and alignment.
- Facilitate meetings, site visits, workshops, events and presentations, and prepare reports accordingly.
- Ensure effective communication and foster collaboration among project teams, operational units, and external stakeholders to support conservation goals and long-term sustainable development.
Leadership & Team Management
- Effectively manage the deliverables of project team members and consultants—both field and office-based—and provide coaching and mentorship to junior staff as needed
- Manage third-party vendors, consultants, and service providers; collaborate with Emirates Nature–WWF’s Legal team on contract preparation and related legal matters as needed.
- Promote knowledge sharing and the dissemination of lessons learned across the project and wider organization.
- Stay informed on international best practices and regional developments to ensure that Emirates Nature–WWF’s solutions align with both global priorities (including WWF’s focus areas) and local contexts
Budget, Resource and Risk Management
- Prepare and monitor project budgets, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and internal financial policies.
- Prepare project forecasts and track actual spending while ensuring that scope and schedule are within budget parameters.
- Liaise with Finance team on a regular basis to monitor project expenditures, activities costs, and financial decision-making.
- Assess resourcing requirements and manage the planning and deployment of resources for selected projects.
- Proactively identify potential risks related to scope, schedule, budget, and quality; escalate and communicate key risk factors to leadership, sponsors, and senior stakeholders as needed.
- Maintain a risk register throughout the project lifecycle to help facilitate risk discussions during project governance meetings.
- Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies with clearly defined resolution pathways.
Monitoring, Control, Evaluation & Reporting
- Oversee project execution to ensure alignment with contractual obligations and donor expectations.
- Effectively manage assigned project(s), monitor and report on progress and achievements using relevant KPIs and program management frameworks.
- Conduct project evaluations at close-out and document key lessons learned.
- Prepare donor reports, internal updates, and presentations that effectively communicate project progress, achievements, and outcomes.
- Ensure all projects adhere to Programme Delivery standards as set by the organization.
- Oversee the operational requirements of the project and address any issues promptly to minimize delays.
- Proactively identify dependencies between project teams and reinforce clear communication to align on project delivery outcomes.
- Ensure accurate and up-to-date maintenance of all project documentation, including work plans, progress reports, risk registers, presentations, and meeting minutes.
Execution & Implementation
- Support the development of reports, policy briefs, and discussion papers to facilitate stakeholder engagement and contribute to fundraising efforts
- Support the technical team in facilitating fieldwork activities—including site access, stakeholder approvals, logistics, and vendor engagement—ensuring timely execution within agreed timelines and budgets.
- Ensure all internal and external deliverables meet quality standards, align with stakeholder expectations, and are submitted within agreed timelines.
- Represent the organization during external meetings and workshops.
- Coordinate activities with local partners, field officers, consultants, and community stakeholders.
- Collaborate closely with the Communications and Outreach team to design and implement an effective communication and outreach plan, ensuring alignment with the agreed scope, timeline, and budget.
- Collaborate with the Marketing team to develop and implement project-related campaigns, awareness initiatives, publications, and other marketing activities.
Required Qualifications
Skills:
- Proven project management skills, including planning, budgeting, and reporting.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.
- Experience managing teams, consultants, and third-party vendors.
- Familiarity with environmental conservation, ideally marine/coastal ecosystems.
- Strategic thinking with strong problem-solving and risk management skills.
Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in Project Management, Consulting, or a related field.
- Proven experience in all facets of project management, including planning, funding proposal development, monitoring, and reporting.
- Understanding of, or exposure to, marine and coastal ecosystems, including their protection and restoration.
- Experience in leading teams toward a shared vision and achieving project objectives.
- Working experience in the MENA region is desirable.
Education:
- Undergraduate or graduate degree in Business, Administration, Management, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minor in Environmental Science, Biology, or a related field is preferred but not required.
- Project Management certification is desirable.
- Fluency in English (essential).
- Fluency in Arabic (highly desirable).
Location: Abu Dhabi/ Dubai, Hybrid Model, and any other location within the UAE presence might be required for the projects.
