Community Development Manager, Massingir, Limpopo National Park Region, Gaza Province, Mozambique (Hybrid working condition)

Founded in 1997, Peace Parks Foundation is a non-profit organization pioneering conservation at scale across southern Africa. The Foundation co-manages protected areas and works across Transfrontier Conservation Areas to support biodiversity, strengthen local economies, promote regional peace, and enhance the livelihoods of local communities.

The Community Development Manager will lead the strategic planning, budgeting, and execution of the Park’s community portfolio, providing direct management to departmental staff and field teams. The role focuses on strengthening community governance structures (such as Natural Resource Management Councils), implementing human-wildlife coexistence initiatives, driving market-led sustainable livelihoods, and bridging socioeconomic development with biodiversity conservation.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic & Operational Departmental Management:

• Develop and execute annual work plans and budgets for the Community Development Programme aligned with the buffer zone management plan.
• Supervise, mentor, evaluate, and manage the performance of departmental staff.
• Manage department assets, resources, financial controls, and documentation.
• Compile technical reports for the Park Warden, Head of Operations and Development, and donors.
• Oversee community grievance procedures and community livelihood programmes.

Community Governance and Capacity Development:

• Establish and strengthen Natural Resource Management Councils and inclusive community governance structures.
• Lead participatory planning and baseline assessments with local leaders, government, and community members.
• Conduct capacity-building workshops with a focus on gender strengthening, women’s empowerment, and inclusive decision-making.
• Roll out environmental education programmes.

Community Safety, Security, Wellbeing & Resettlement:

• Facilitate essential infrastructure development, including multi-use solar water systems, clean energy solutions, and sanitation.
• Support upgrading of educational facilities, community health, reproductive health, and family planning initiatives.
• Establish rural development nodes and incentive frameworks to enable voluntary relocation of families from core conservation areas into buffer zones. I
• mplement Human-Wildlife Coexistence awareness and technical tools.

Community Resilience & Socio-Economic Development:

• Drive climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, livestock management, and responsible artisanal fishing initiatives.
• Support Herding for Health programmes.
• Promote Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) development, income generation, local employment, eco-jobs (cash-for-work), and market access.
• Deploy field technologies and support carbon credit initiatives (such as REDD+).

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) & Quality Assurance:

• Implement the departmental MEL framework and execute socio-economic baseline assessments prior to project rollout.
• Maintain and update the park’s centralized community database.

Education:

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Natural Resource Management, Rural Development, or a related field.

Experience & Competencies:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading and managing community support programmes (ideally in conservation/transfrontier areas).
• Proven background in strengthening Natural Resource Management Councils, agriculture, livestock management, and natural resource governance.
• Strong leadership, team management, project management, and performance evaluation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize field and management technologies.
• Ability to live and work in a remote environment.
• Possession of a valid Driver’s License.

Languages:

• Professional fluency in written and spoken Portuguese and English is mandatory. Knowledge of Shangaan is highly desirable.

Application Method:

• Apply online via the Peace Parks Foundation career portal: https://peaceparks.mcidirecthire.com/External/Job?Ref=TEkBhDYErs0qhHgueWeCgt_yRI-cnPLR1MRk1RR6Cpou3ktpvROhSqni_BGkK6j0gFsp46MWatRR1mmWaD5Uy6kjR_PSNIK4ccp25C2sXWxbGDn9FZDGsMTXrs6PWFuEfOwLh8Sbc0mI2FrTW4xecQ?source=planetvagas

Required Documents:

• Comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV) including full home address, telephone number, and email address.
• Application Deadline: October 7, 2026