About LGT Venture Philanthropy
LGT Venture Philanthropy (LGT VP) is an independent charitable foundation established in 2007. With teams in Switzerland, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India, the foundation strives to improve the quality of life of people facing disadvantages, contribute to healthy ecosystems, and build resilient, inclusive, and prosperous communities. It does this by strengthening the capabilities of locally rooted partner organizations that deliver effective, scalable solutions to systemic problems across the health, education, and environment sectors and that contribute directly to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About The Ahadi Collective
The Ahadi Collective is East Africa’s most ambitious community-led conservation collective anchored by private philanthropy, designed to scale community conservation and strengthen socioeconomic resilience across key landscapes. Ahadi mobilises long-term, flexible capital to protect biodiversity, improve livelihoods, and strengthen community governance - rooted in trust-based philanthropy, adaptive management, and co-creation with locally embedded organisations and Indigenous communities. Built on over a decade of investment and ecosystem building by LGT VP and founding partners, Ahadi aims to channel approximately USD 100 million over 10 years to create thriving landscapes where nature and communities prosper together.
About the role
The Director holds end-to-end accountability for The Ahadi Collective, combining strategic leadership with direct, hands-on oversight of project implementation across Ahadi's landscapes. The role shapes strategy, drives portfolio performance and rigorous delivery of field-level initiatives, mobilises funding, and positions Ahadi as a leading platform for community-led conservation and systems change across East Africa.
- Key responsibilitiesLeadership of The Ahadi Collective:Serve as Director of The Ahadi Collective, with full accountability for strategy, execution, performance, and impact - including driving Ahadi’s long-term vision and scaling trajectory.
- Position Ahadi within the broader conservation and philanthropy ecosystem, influencing field-level agendas, informing policy, and capital allocation.
- Serve as the primary interface with the Ahadi Advisory Committee.
Multi-stakeholder systems leadership and project oversight:
- Take direct, hands-on responsibility for program implementation and oversight across Ahadi's landscapes - for instance the Loita initiative - ensuring partners deliver against workplans, budgets, and milestones, and intervening early where delivery risks or bottlenecks emerge.
- Manage an active portfolio of local partners to implement complex, multi-stakeholder conservation initiatives, including piloting innovative approaches.
- Convene and align partners across communities, governments, NGOs, and the private sector to deliver impact.
- Translate field insights into strategic adjustments and informed capital deployment decisions.
- Act as a visible ambassador for Ahadi across conservation, philanthropy, and policy fora.
Capital mobilisation and partnership:
- Support/lead high-impact fundraising in collaboration with the LGT VP Resource Mobilisation team, building and stewarding relationships with institutional and private donors.
- Convert strategic opportunities into long-term funding commitments.
- Co-develop compelling impact narratives, investment cases, and donor engagement journeys.
Team leadership, governance and reporting:
- Lead a high-performing, mission-driven Ahadi team in Nairobi, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
- Maintain strong alignment with the Ahadi Advisory Committee and LGT VP governance structures, ensure financial stewardship, upholding commitments to co-creation and community-centred practice.
- Report to Senior Management of LGT Venture Philanthropy.
Candidate profile
Essential experience and expertise:
- Conservation expertise across community-led conservation, natural resource management, or biodiversity protection in terrestrial and/or marine ecosystems.
- Strong understanding of East African ecological, socioeconomic, and policy contexts, with significant experience working directly with local communities and local implementing partner organizations.
- Private sector experience and a proven track record directly implementing and overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder field programs - including hands-on project management, budget and milestone tracking, and troubleshooting delivery risks at landscape level - at both institutional and field scale, including financial and operational experience.
- Demonstrated success securing funding and building long-term philanthropic and/or investment partnerships.
- Ability to connect field realities with strategic decision-making and capital deployment.
- Strategy and management consulting experience is an advantage.
Leadership and personal capabilities:
- Strategic and systems thinker: able to translate vision into field-level impact and connect on-the-ground realities to capital flows.
- Entrepreneurial, adaptive, and comfortable navigating complexity; a strong private sector mindset - strategy consulting background preferred.
- Excellent relationship builder across diverse stakeholder groups, with lived or deep professional connection to East African communities.
- Strong communicator able to shape narratives and influence across funder, government, and community audiences.
- High integrity and deep commitment to community-driven, trust-based approaches.
Education
- Master’s degree in conservation, natural resource management, development, public policy, economics, or a related field.
- Additional executive or leadership training is an advantage.
Other requirements
- Based in Nairobi or willing to relocate.
- Strong East African experience and networks, whether professional and/or personal.
- Willingness to spend time in the field.
Why this role is unique
This is a defining leadership opportunity at the intersection of conservation, capital, and community-led development. The successful candidate will shape and scale The Ahadi Collective - including direct, on-the-ground implementation oversight of flagship landscapes such as Loita - and help drive one of the continent’s most ambitious landscape-level conservation efforts.
How to Apply
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position may be filled once a suitable candidate is identified. Early applications are therefore encouraged
This position was originally posted by LGT Venture Philanthropy and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link on the side. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.
