Freshwater Program Manager

WWF ADRIA Freshwater Program Manager

Position Title: Regional Freshwater Program Manager

Reports to: Conservation Director

Supervises: Freshwater Program team

Location: Zagreb or Belgrade

Starting: March 2026

Engagement:  Full – time position, fixed term contract

WWF is one of the world’s leading non-governmental and non-profit organizations for nature conservation. WWF has been established in 1961, and has representative offices in over 100 countries across the globe and approximately 8000 employees. The organization is proud of its supporters of over five million people.

WWF Adria is representing WWF within the countries of Adria/Western Balkans with approximately more than 40 employees. It operates through a WWF Adria office in Zagreb (Croatia), WWF Adria-Serbia office in Belgrade, and partner organizations and consultants within the rest of the region. To implement its conservation goals WWF Adria operates in the structure of different programmes: Marine, Freshwater, Protected Areas & Governance and Wildlife, which are contributing to protection of different ecosystems.

As an international organization, we support a working environment of diversity based on justice and mutual respect. We therefore welcome every application - regardless of ethnic, social and national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status and political views.

Mission of department & position

To safeguard freshwater resources for the future, Adria Regional Freshwater Program Manager strategically leads, coordinates and/or implements WWF Adria’s work around freshwater habitats, environmental flows and water governance. S/he leads on water stewardship, water security, wetlands restoration, dam removal, freshwater species protection and overall integrated water resources management with an aim to increase restoration of freshwater ecosystems across the Adria region for the long-term conservation of their biodiversity, climate resilience and ecosystem services. This position is tasked to mobilize required expertise and to coordinate the use of all available resources in collaboration with various partners to provide integrated water management, sustainable water use and restoration of freshwater ecosystems. S/he will bring state of the art policy and science, and innovative solutions to freshwater ecosystem conservation and sustainable management and use of water resources in the Adria region.

WWF Adria Freshwater Program Manager coordinates the implementation of WWF's vision and goals for conservation, climate resilience and sustainable management of freshwater ecosystem and resources in the Adria region. S/he is responsible for the implementation of the freshwater part of the WWF Adria Conservation Strategy (Areas 1. and 2.), achieving the objectives and outcomes of the program, as well as its efficient delivery. S/he ensures that the program is relevant in the context of WWF Global Goals, the latest science and development agenda while addressing local needs and challenges.

Main functions

• Participates in development and implementation of overall WWF Adria strategies
• Leads development, implementation and integration of the freshwater part of WWF Adria Conservation Strategy
• Leads integration of program into relevant Practice and other global/European initiatives and projects
• In collaboration with Adria resource mobilisation team, other programmatic leads, WWF International and wider WWF network leads fundraising for program in accordance with WWF Adria Conservation Strategy
• Responsible for monitoring and reporting at program level, working closely with WWF Adria Conservation Director and WWF Adria Finance Director to ensure timely adaptive management, learning and impact monitoring
• Responsible for direct people management of program team
• Ensures project implementation according to project plans and timelines within the program
• Leads engagement, influencing and negotiations with external stakeholders within the program’s scope of work
• Stays current on developments in the field and developments in the region
• Ensure that the WWF Adria freshwater programme embed scientific rigor and promote engagement with the scientific community.
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Tasks and responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the freshwater part of the WWF Adria Conservation Strategy. Collaborate with other senior leaders in WWF Adria, WWF International and WWF wider network to ensure regional/transboundary integration and cross-program synergies. Monitor program delivery at outcome/impact level, and undertake necessary adaptive management, in alignment with WWF Network Result Framework.
• Lead integration of program into relevant global/European initiatives and projects. Represent WWF Adria as a focal point in relevant WWF communities of practice and various network initiatives.
• In collaboration with Adria resource mobilization team, other programmatic leads, WWF International and wider WWF network lead fundraising for Freshwater Program in accordance with WWF Adria strategies. Identify funding opportunities to expand/develop the program, establish and manage contacts with potential partners, lead the development of freshwater project proposals.
• Manage program team. Assess staff performance, guide annual objectives and support professional development of program team, ensure each position within the unit has updated ToR, and identify opportunities to enable their participation in WWF Network opportunities. Identify capacity needs for the program, and lead on employment of any new staff required and/or restructuring of current program positions to ensure impact.
• Supervise and coordinate implementation of various projects within the program and make day to day decisions on conservation, policy and project development issues. Provide necessary support in the design of activities and provide guidance for achieving the overall objectives of the program. Ensure monitoring and evaluation of activities, revision of work plans, and adaptive management. Oversee the program’s financial management, especially monitoring the implementation of budgets and proper use of resources.
• Evaluate and coordinate support to local partners and stakeholders necessary for the achievement of program results. Build partnerships with organizations, projects, and initiatives addressing similar topics and threats.  
• Lead engagement, influencing and negotiations with external stakeholders within the program’s scope of work. Ensure the involvement of WWF in national, regional and international processes relevant to achieving program goals and impact. Ensure engagement with the academia and the broad scientific community in the country, region and internationally to ensure the highest standards are applied to the programme.
• Perform other activities at the request of the Conservation Director.
  

Profile

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in the broad area of environmental science, water management, natural resources science or management or related fields
• A minimum of 5 years of professional management experience in leading teams in complex settings with demonstrated success in managing multi-disciplinary teams and multiple donor budgets;
• Proven track record of developing project concept notes and fundraising at scale and programmatically

Required Skills and Competencies

• Professional expertise within the program’s scope of work.
• Demonstrated fundraising, people management, and administration skills.
• Strategic thinker, communicator and motivator.
• Excellent oral and written Croatian and English communication skills are required.
• Broad knowledge of the Adria region's geography, societies, economies, politics and pertinent conservation and development issues.
• Experience in advocacy and negotiation.
• Experience with M&E systems at both the project and program level is essential.
• Good teamwork skills, multidisciplinary skills in technical program management and development and financial management.
• Good interpersonal and organizational skills, including self-motivation and an ability to initiate actions and to follow through to satisfactory completion.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly regionalized matrix organization with a high tolerance for cultural differences across a broad region
• A good level of computer literacy, especially word processing, budget and spreadsheet preparation, database record systems, and electronic mail.
• An ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Understanding and applying WWF social and environmental safeguards.
• Aligning with the core values of the WWF: courage, collaboration, respect and integrity.
• Demonstrating WWF behaviours in everyday work: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.

Information and procedure

Are you interested in this position and do you recognize yourself in the above profile? Then we invite you to express your interest  by sending an e-mail with motivation letter and CV in English electronically and titled „FW Program Manager“. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted, and for selected candidates interview will be held virtually.