Senior Director, Amazon & Latin American Forests

Company Description

Since our founding in 1961, WWF has been committed to protecting nature and its resources. We understand that nature is our planet’s greatest asset, intrinsically linked to human survival — and that it needs our help. Our work to reverse nature loss and conserve biodiversity has never been more urgent.

As the world’s leading conservation organization—with offices on six continents and in nearly 100 countries—our global reach includes the world’s most critical forests, river systems, wetlands, savannas, and ocean habitats. By conserving these places and supporting sustainable livelihoods within them, we can keep the Earth in balance for people, wildlife, and the planet.

Job Description

Major Function

The Senior Director leads the WWF-US priority place program for the Amazon and serves as WWF-US’s lead expert and advisor on the Amazon and the development and implementation of the Amazon Priority Place strategy. The individual serves as the WWF-US primary point of contact for the Amazon and leverages relevant WWF-US staff and assets required for successful implementation of the Amazon priority place strategy. The individual also serves as lead for WWF-US on forest conservation and issues in Latin America more broadly, contributing to coordination and execution of initiatives in the region as part of WWF-US’ forest strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy development and adaptive management: Develops the WWF-US strategic plan for Amazon, focused on integrating action across WWF-US and engaging and influencing US government, private sector, NGO, and donor interests and actions in the region. Ensures that the strategy reflects the priorities of the WWF Amazon country offices and is aligned with the WWF-US strategy, including WWF-US value add and opportunities for priority interventions (“big bets”).  Defines the results that need to be achieved in the Amazon for the near and long term and works with colleagues to design and implement the near and long-term plans and strategies to achieve those results. Adapts the strategy as needed to adjust to changing contexts.  Balances long-range needs with short-term demands in establishing priorities and deadlines.
• Program execution: Oversees the implementation of the WWF-US Amazon priority place strategy to ensure delivery of the results articulated in the strategic plan. Establishes annual goals and priorities for the Amazon priority place that reflect integration across departments and teams. Works with priority place team members and Program Operations to develop a practical framework for tracking WWF-US investments in the Amazon.  Leads execution of other specific projects, assuring compliance, including environmental and social safeguards, coordination of deliverables/reporting, and tracking of budgets through regular communications and site visits to country offices and projects in the field. Provides leadership to WWF-US’ forest conservation efforts in the broader Latin American region, in collaboration with relevant project managers.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Represents WWF-US on matters related to the Amazon and Latin American forests with external stakeholders, including donors, key partners, and financial institutions. Serves as WWF-US primary point of contact for the Amazon and Latin American forests with a holistic overview of WWF’s efforts and WWF-US’s investments in the geography.  Advises relevant WWF-US internal teams and executives on emerging issues and Amazon/Latin American region conservation-related politics. Represents WWF-US in Network and external discussions related to the Amazon & Latin America forests; and serves as a primary spokesperson for the Amazon priority place.

• Communications and fundraising: Serves as a champion for the Amazon and Latin American forests in the US and globally. Engages policymakers and institutions in building public awareness and commitments through comprehensive campaigns and maintains strong relationships with public and private donor institutions. Participates in all major WWF-US decisions related to investment, fundraising and partnerships in the Amazon.  Contributes to major fundraising efforts and pursues new funding sources in conjunction with Development, Private Sector Engagement and Policy and Government Affairs staff, collaborating closely with the relevant country offices.  
• Creativity and innovation: Identifies and creates solutions to the political, social, scientific, and management issues that confront WWF in achieving its goals. Solves problems and delivers against annual workplans under complex circumstances. Ensures learnings and best practices are shared across priority places and seeks opportunity for and supports innovation in the field.
• People Management and Team Building: Convenes relevant WWF-US staff required for successful implementation of the Amazon priority place strategy by establishing and leading a priority place team composed of direct and indirect reports. Drives team to deliver on the strategy and annual goals, including tracking/reporting progress against agreed targets and indicators.  Collaborates effectively with Amazon country offices, the Amazon Conservation Unit, and the Latin America & Caribbean Secretariat/Country Office Unit. Provides direct and indirect supervision of staff, interns, and consultants and provides input to performance evaluations, as requested, for members of the priority place team. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Key Competencies:

• Big-picture Thinking– is needed to identify emerging opportunities, risks, and system-wide leverage points in Amazon and Latin American forest conservation, enabling the role to set a compelling long-term vision that aligns WWF’s regional efforts with global conservation priorities and funding landscapes.
• Strategic Planning & Implementation– is needed to translate high-level vision into coherent strategies, clear priorities, fundraising opportunities and actionable plans, ensuring WWF US brings value to WWF country offices, and can align efforts with partners, allocate resources effectively, and deliver measurable conservation impact.
• Relationship Building & Management and Influential Champion– is needed to cultivate trust-based relationships and mobilize support across WWF offices, donors, governments, Indigenous organizations, and partner institutions, enabling the role to influence without direct authority, advance shared agendas, and contribute to fundraising success.
• Diplomatic Communications and Organization Savvy– is needed to represent WWF credibly in high-level external fora and sensitive political contexts, navigate complex institutional dynamics, and communicate persuasively with governments, media, donors, and internal stakeholders to advance strategic objectives.
• Cross-Cultural Communications– is needed to effectively communicate and build trust across diverse cultural and organizational contexts, adapting messaging to regional norms and stakeholder priorities while bridging perspectives between WWF-US, Amazon (and Latin American) country offices, and external partners to advance shared conservation outcome

Skills and Abilities

• Masters’ degree with a minimum of 12 years’ experience in biological conservation, natural resources management, international development, community-based conservation, or related field with demonstrated success in developing and managing complex conservation projects and delivering results is required. 
• Extensive field experience in the Amazon is required.
• Proven ability and experience in networking with key Amazon regional players is required.
• A high level of diplomatic skills with proven ability to interact and negotiate successfully with host country Government officials is required.
• Excellent leadership and project management skills and ability to drive projects through to results is required.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and experience.
• Able to lead, inspire, and manage teams; provide coaching and development support to staff is required.
• Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese (reading, writing, and speaking) required.
• Ability to travel up to 15% domestically and internationally.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

Additional Information

Please note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.  

Relocation is not provided for this position.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) promotes equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals regardless of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.