The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is inviting applications for the position of Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator in Tanzania. This is an opportunity for an experienced project coordination professional to contribute to biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and development programmes within the Lake Tanganyika Basin.
The position will support the Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project (LaTaBioCoN) and coordinate activities involving TNC teams, government institutions, conservation organizations, civil society partners and other stakeholders.
The successful candidate will be based in Tabora and will report to the Lake Tanganyika Basin Director. The role involves coordinating project plans, budgets, implementation activities, reporting, partnerships, risks and timelines across a complex multi-partner and multi-country programme.
The commencement and full onboarding of the successful candidate will depend on donor budget availability and confirmation of the relevant project funding arrangements.
Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator Overview
Employer: The Nature Conservancy
Position: Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator
Project: Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project (LaTaBioCoN)
Location: Tabora, Tanzania
Reports To: Lake Tanganyika Basin Director
Employment Type: Full-time
Sector: Conservation, Natural Resources and Development
Closing Date: September 2026
The coordinator will serve as an important link between technical, finance, operations, grants, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships and consortium teams. The position is particularly suited to professionals who have experience coordinating complex projects involving several organizations and stakeholders.
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization whose mission is to protect the lands and waters on which life depends.
The organization works with communities, governments, scientists, development partners and other stakeholders to develop practical conservation solutions. Its work combines scientific knowledge, partnerships and on-the-ground implementation to address environmental challenges.
For this position, the successful candidate will contribute specifically to conservation and adaptation priorities within the Lake Tanganyika Basin.
About the Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project
The Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project involves collaboration between TNC and several partners, including the Lake Tanganyika Authority, Frankfurt Zoological Society, WWF-Democratic Republic of Congo, Education Outreach Tanzania and Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization.
The Project Coordinator will help keep implementation aligned with the project’s strategy, annual priorities, workplans, budgets, timelines and expected deliverables.
The role also supports coordination across country-level structures and partners, helping identify bottlenecks and ensuring that important decisions and follow-up actions are addressed promptly.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator will be responsible for a broad range of project management and coordination activities.
Project Planning and Coordination
Key responsibilities include:
- Serving as the central coordination point for LaTaBioCoN implementation and Lake Tanganyika Basin strategy coordination.
- Translating consortium priorities into annual, quarterly and monthly workplans.
- Establishing clear activities, milestones, timelines, responsibilities and deliverables.
- Keeping project workplans, budgets, spending plans, procurement activities and reporting requirements aligned.
- Maintaining implementation trackers and ensuring that project activities remain on schedule.
- Coordinating planning processes across conservation, finance, operations, grants, monitoring and evaluation, partnerships and consortium teams.
- Organizing project meetings and ensuring that agreed actions are followed through.
- Maintaining clear communication between teams and project partners.
Monitoring, Reporting and Decision Support
The successful candidate will also:
- Maintain live implementation dashboards and delivery trackers.
- Monitor progress against milestones, deadlines, budgets, deliverables and donor commitments.
- Prepare implementation, planning, strategy and expenditure reports.
- Develop portfolio review materials and management briefing documents.
- Summarize project progress, budget performance, risks, opportunities and decisions required.
- Maintain action logs, planning calendars, meeting summaries and consortium decision records.
- Ensure project records remain complete and up to date.
- Track grant deliverables, reporting deadlines, procurement requirements and partner commitments.
Risk and Adaptive Management
The role will involve identifying challenges that could affect project delivery.
Responsibilities include:
- Identifying implementation bottlenecks and coordination gaps.
- Monitoring dependency risks and resource constraints.
- Working with relevant teams and partners to develop practical mitigation measures.
- Maintaining a live risk, issue and decision register.
- Recording assumptions, mitigation actions, responsible persons and timelines.
- Escalating critical risks to the Lake Tanganyika Basin Director.
- Supporting adaptive management when project implementation or expenditure variances arise.
Budget and Financial Coordination
The Project Coordinator will work closely with Finance, Grants and technical teams to:
- Align workplans with approved budgets.
- Monitor expenditure and spending forecasts.
- Coordinate procurement schedules.
- Track donor requirements.
- Identify implementation or expenditure variances.
- Prepare recommendations for reforecasting or rephasing where necessary.
- Support strong financial management across the programme.
Qualifications and Experience
Applicants should have a BA/BS degree in one of the following or a related field:
- Project Management
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Natural Resource Management
- International Development
- Public Administration
Candidates should also have at least five years of relevant project coordination or programme implementation experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
Required Professional Experience
Applicants should demonstrate experience in areas such as:
- Managing freshwater or terrestrial projects.
- Coordinating multiple or complex projects.
- Working across different departments and technical functions.
- Coordinating teams and consortium partners without direct line-management authority.
- Working with nonprofit organizations, community groups and government agencies.
- Partnership development.
- Negotiating complex agreements.
- Workplanning and project administration.
- Budget and expenditure tracking.
- Procurement coordination.
- Logistics follow-up.
- Donor reporting and implementation documentation.
- Maintaining project trackers, dashboards, calendars and action logs.
- Building and managing partnerships across government, NGOs, communities and private-sector organizations.
Additional Qualifications and Experience
The following will strengthen an applicant’s profile:
- Master’s degree in Project Management, Wildlife Management, Biodiversity Conservation or Natural Resources Management.
- Five to seven years of experience coordinating donor-funded, multi-partner or multi-country conservation or development programmes.
- Experience in landscape or transboundary strategy development and implementation.
- Senior-level engagement with government, donors and transboundary partners.
- Fundraising, grant writing and programme budget management experience.
- Experience leading multi-site or regional teams.
- Cross-border coordination experience.
- Experience working with international organizations.
- Experience developing Public-Private-Community Partnerships.
- Knowledge of biodiversity information systems and related initiatives.
- Donor reporting experience.
- Political awareness and strong stakeholder-management skills.
- Additional languages relevant to the Lake Tanganyika Basin geography are an advantage.
Communication Skills
Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
Candidates should have strong organizational, analytical, written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to take complex implementation issues and present clear options for management action.
The position also requires the ability to communicate clearly through written, spoken and graphical formats.
Driver’s Licence Requirement
Applicants should have a valid driver’s licence.
The position requires compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees who drive vehicles for the organization may be subject to vehicle-use requirements and a review of their motor vehicle record.
Employment may therefore be conditional upon completion of the required Vehicle Use Agreement and applicable vehicle-safety checks.
Who Can Apply?
This opportunity is suitable for professionals with a background in project management, conservation, natural resource management, international development or related areas.
Applicants will be particularly well positioned if they have experience coordinating donor-funded programmes, multi-partner projects, conservation initiatives or cross-border development programmes.
The role requires someone who can coordinate different teams and organizations, maintain accountability for deliverables and keep complex projects moving even when the stakeholders involved do not report directly to them.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should apply through the official Nature Conservancy careers platform for the Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator position.
Applicants should prepare a strong CV that clearly demonstrates their education, project coordination experience, conservation or development background, stakeholder-management experience and relevant programme management responsibilities.
The recruitment process may operate on a rolling basis, meaning applications can be reviewed as they are received. The organization indicates that the position may be removed once a strong candidate pool has been identified, so qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Important Information for Applicants
The successful candidate will work within a collaborative conservation environment involving different institutions, countries and professional disciplines.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their CV clearly shows experience with:
- Project coordination
- Workplanning
- Budget monitoring
- Donor-funded programmes
- Partnership management
- Risk management
- Reporting
- Stakeholder engagement
- Conservation or development programmes
- Multi-partner coordination
The position’s commencement and onboarding remain subject to donor funding availability and confirmation of the relevant project funding arrangements.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
The Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator position provides an opportunity to contribute to conservation work within one of Africa’s important freshwater landscapes while working with government institutions, international organizations, civil society and other development partners.
For an experienced project professional, the position offers the opportunity to apply programme management, partnership coordination, financial tracking and conservation knowledge to a multi-partner initiative with regional relevance.
Closing Date
The Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator vacancy is currently advertised for applications in September 2026.
Because TNC uses a rolling recruitment process and may close the vacancy once a strong candidate pool has been established, qualified candidates should submit their applications as soon as possible.
Final Thought
The Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Conservation Project Coordinator role is a strong opportunity for an experienced professional who wants to combine project management with biodiversity conservation and regional partnership coordination.
Candidates with the required academic background, at least five years of relevant experience and a proven ability to coordinate complex programmes should carefully review the official vacancy requirements and submit a well-prepared application.
The role requires more than administrative coordination. It calls for someone who can connect teams, partners, budgets, timelines and conservation priorities while identifying challenges early and helping management make informed decisions.
