Plant Science, Botany, Research jobs

Climate and Rangeland Science Senior Coordinator

Conservation South Africa (CSA), a local affiliate of Conservation International, is committed to helping societies adopt a more sustainable approach to development—one that considers and values nature at every turn and improves human well-being through the conservation of healthy ecosystems and the goods and services they provide. CSA seeks to influence policy, develop markets, engage the private sector, and support communities to develop and implement conservation- based economic growth models.

POSITION SUMMARY - This position is based in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is a fixed-term contract, renewable based on donor funding and performance. The contract will commence on or before 1 October 2026 and end 31 December 2029.

The Climate and Rangeland Science Senior Coordinator provides scientific, technical, and community-facing support for ecological restoration and climate resilience initiatives across the Umzimvubu Landscape in the Eastern Cape. The role bridges restoration science, climate resilience planning, participatory governance, field implementation, and knowledge sharing to strengthen ecological outcomes and community preparedness in climate vulnerable areas.

The position contributes to the design, implementation, and evaluation of rangeland restoration activities, including conducting and interpreting ecological assessments. It supports Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments and the development of Community Climate Risk & Response Plans and strengthens community capacity and stewardship through training and ongoing engagement. The coordinator also contributes to landscape communications, donor-aligned reporting, and the preparation of concept notes and funding proposals focused on restoration and climate adaptation.

This role requires a strong grounding in rangeland ecology and restoration practices, experience working with rural communities and partners, and the ability to translate technical data into practical, field-ready guidance for diverse audiences.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Ecological Restoration, Scientific Design and Field Implementation

• Contribute to the scientific design, planning, implementation, and evaluation of ecological and rangeland restoration initiatives using evidence-based approaches.
• Conduct and analyse ecological assessment data (e.g., Veld Condition Assessments and fixed-point monitoring) and use results to inform restoration planning and management recommendations.
• Develop site-specific grazing strategies informed by ecological data, land-use patterns, and community priorities.
• Translate scientific findings into practical, field-ready guidance for stakeholders, beneficiaries, and partners.
• Provide technical support for restoration activities and ecological monitoring, including field troubleshooting and quality checks.

Climate Change Adaptation and Climate Resilience Planning

• Support climate resilience planning to help rural communities anticipate, adapt to, and reduce climate-related risks.
• Facilitate Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments and support the development of Climate Risk and Response Plans (CRRPs).
• Integrate climate risk analysis and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) principles into restoration planning and grazing management.
• Support climate literacy, awareness raising, and capacity-building activities across landscape communities.

Communication, Knowledge Sharing, and Reporting

• Develop and package capacity-building materials for engagements with beneficiaries, internal teams, and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to landscape communications, including the Good Stories Report, newsletters, donor updates, and visual storytelling products.
• Translate ecological monitoring data and climate information into clear, accessible formats for beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Document case studies, lessons learned, narrative insights, and visual content from restoration and climate interventions.
• Support the development of donor technical reports through data synthesis, analysis, and narrative inputs.
• Collaborate with grazing associations, conservation partners, and government agencies, and participate in multi-stakeholder platforms (e.g., the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership (UCP)) to share scientific insights, communicate monitoring findings, and support informed, community-driven decision-making for restoration and climate resilience.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

• Collect, analyse, and interpret ecological and socio-ecological data to support reporting and knowledge sharing across project sites.
• Support MERL and GIS teams through ground-truthing, mapping inputs, and refinement of indicators for restoration and climate outcomes.
• Participate in MERL sessions, quarterly reviews, and donor reporting processes.
• Strengthen landscape communication and knowledge-sharing systems through streamlined channels and updated content repositories (e.g., EC Office Teams Channel and SharePoint).

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Typical office environment in a rural landscape.
• Travel to landscape program delivery sites will be required.
• Ability to work extended hours or travel as needed.
• Fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin on or before 1 November 2026 and end 31 December 2029.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in natural and environmental sciences, natural resource management, rangeland science, ecology, or a related field.
• 2 to 4 years of relevant experience, preferably in rangeland restoration, conservation, environmental science, cli-mate adaptation, or related community-based programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, interpret, and communicate technical and scientific information (including ecological monitoring data) to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing clear reports, training materials, and stakeholder-facing content.
• Driver's License is a requirement.

Preferred

• Post Graduate Degree in natural and environmental sciences, natural resource management, rangeland science, ecology, or a related field, with experience in applied research and technical field activities.

Key Competencies

• Strong planning and time-management skills; able to prioritise competing field, coordination, and reporting tasks and meet deadlines.
• Able to work with general supervision and take initiative to resolve field and coordination challenges, escalating risks and decisions appropriately.
• Collaborative and culturally responsive; able to work effectively with rural communities, grazing associations, government counterparts, and multi-stakeholder platforms.
• Analytical and detail-oriented; able to collect, quality-check, and interpret ecological monitoring data and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills; able to support training and engagements and to produce clear, audience-appropriate reports and learning products.

To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: October 7, 2026 (11:49 PM EST)

Application Outcome & Future Opportunities - Should you not hear back from us within two weeks of the closing date for this advertisement, please consider your application not successful. We encourage you to apply for any future roles that align with your skill set.

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.

Employment Equity & Legal Compliance Disclaimer

We are committed to fair employment practices and abide by the Employment Equity Act (Act No. 55 of 1998, as amended) all related regulations and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. We promote equity by eliminating unfair discrimination and affirmatively implementing measures to hire designated groups, including Black people, women, and people with disabilities.

As a designated employer, we have implemented an Employment Equity Plan aligned with sectoral and national benchmarks, and we monitor and report progress annually in compliance with the Employment Equity Regulations (2025).

When entering into offers or contracts with any organ of state, we comply with Section 53 of the Act by attaching either a valid Employment Equity compliance certificate or a declaration of compliance with Chapters II and III of the Act, as required.