Overview

We are African Impact, one of the largest volunteer organisations within Africa. We work in many countries within southern and east Africa and are currently recruiting for a new team member in Zanzibar, Tanzania. We are looking for an enthusiastic team player who is passionate about sustainable volunteer travel and environmental conservation. The Dolphin Research and Marine Conservation Project Manager will have strong interpersonal and organizational skills and have a proactive nature in order to be an effective leader of the marine conservation team. They will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of the project and actively seek to manage volunteers and ensure positive development and sustainability of the project. This role requires someone who can set a positive example for all volunteers, with particular emphasis on marine conservation, community awareness and engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

Overall Responsibility 

You will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Dolphin Research and Marine Conservation Project, maintaining strong relationships with the communities and partners we work with and ensuring that volunteers are well-prepared and always have meaningful work to do. You will need to balance your time between planning activities, managing relationships, encouraging and supporting volunteers, reviewing the projects and making changes based on feedback. There are also tracking and reporting responsibilities.

Planning – to ensure people and projects are prepared in advance

• Complete the weekly schedule and take the lead on all logistical planning including the allocation of staff, volunteers, vehicles, boat hire and projects
• Ensure clear objectives have been agreed with community partners, and our marine conservation partner, and that all project activities are in line with these aims
• Prepare new volunteers for the duration of their stay by going through their orientation and induction
• Take part in weekly team meetings
• Make suggestions on how to develop and implement changes to the projects
• In conjunction with the Destination Specialist, prepare documentation and online information for volunteers
• Work with the Business Manager to ensure group bookings are planned and delivered effectively
• Ensure aims for each year are set and track achievements per quarter, submitting reports in a timely manner
• Prepare an Annual Report for all of the data that has been collected during research time and submit this to our marine conservation partner

Doing – a day to day project involvement and reporting

• Lead the daily project activities and preparation, especially to coach and encourage volunteers. Activities will include: leading dolphin monitoring sessions, conducting ethical boat driver training workshops, helping volunteers to prepare activities for “Conservation Club”, helping to teach at Conservation Club, conducting eco-bricking workshops, beach clean-ups, coral reef monitoring, and helping with fish-monitoring sessions
• Ensure that all data is inputted onto our data-logging sheets at the end of each week
• Data analysis
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners
• Build and maintain relationship with our marine conservation partner and attend monthly meetings about the progress of the project
• Supervise team members on a day-to-day basis to ensure they are informed, efficient and motivated
• Manage day-to-day issues with project activities, volunteers, team members and community partners and resolve these issues in an effective way, seeking assistance from the Business Manager where necessary
• Help with volunteers’ questions and resolve issues they may have
• Ensure volunteers are adhering to our Code of Conduct
• Report and discuss key project successes and issues
• Complete a bi-weekly update for the sales teams
• Book and coordinate trips and tours for volunteers
• Manage all social media activities ensuring posts are regular, timely, appropriate and in line with project policies.
• Scope and lead potential marketing channels, liaising with the marketing team as required. e.g blogs, photos, stories
• Market and develop Kizimkazi Ethical Dolphin Tours to promote our project and trained boat drivers

Operations

• Accountable for menu, meal planning and shopping to ensure volunteers receive a balanced diet (in partnership with the volunteer house cook)
• Be part of the driving team to get volunteers to projects, airport pickups and tours
• Cover for the Business Manager when they are on leave
• Plan the room allocation for volunteers and ensure rooms are ready for new arrivals

Reviewing – continuous improvement of the project

• Gather feedback from volunteers, community partners and colleagues on what’s going well and not going so well on the projects
• Integrate feedback into continuous improvement of the projects
• Agree to key changes and how they will be implemented with Business Manager
• Create and adhere to quarterly project development plans to ensure progress

Administration and Correspondence

• Contribute to the running of social media
• Contribute to the weekly production of weekly project reports
• Collating weekly, monthly and quarterly marine project stats
• Organizing volunteers verbal and online feedback surveys before their departure
• Create reports to effectively communicate specific projects developments to distribute across African Impact

Our Foundation

• Work with other team members to help coordinate in-house fundraisers
• Deliver presentations about the charity
• Support our Foundation team from overseas
• Actively promote our Foundation to volunteers and with work them on fundraising opportunities

Essential Skills And Characteristics

• Must be over 21 and hold a university degree
• Knowledge/experience within the field of marine biology, environment, and/or conservation is preferred but not essential
• Knowledge of GIS is preferred but not essential
• Previous experience of volunteering abroad
• A team player who’s interested in people, and coaching/supporting volunteers
• Self-motivated, flexible, independent, adaptable
• Love of socializing with different types of people and mixed ages
• The ability to respect and work with different cultures
• A positive attitude and the ability to think on your feet
• A confident swimmer
• Passionate about African Impact and sustainable development
• Manual international drivers licence – preferred but not essential

Package Inclusions

• Accommodation
• 3 meals per day – Monday to Friday
• Visa
• Stipend

How To Apply