DEVELOPMENT OF THE KAZA TRANSFRONTIER CONSERAVATION AREA ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Consultancy, Research Jobs
- Expires 15 May 2026
- Harare
- Part Time
Job Description
1. Background and Rationale
A local organization working to promote environmental justice, sustainable natural resource governance, and community empowerment in Zimbabwe and beyond seeks to engage a Consultant to development of a legal, policy and institutional issues paper and engagement strategy in the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) .
2. Overall Objective
The overall objective of this consultancy work is to identify natural resources governance issues with a bias towards legal , policy , institutions and actors and a practical, actionable engagement strategy in the KAZA region that enables the organisation to identify, prioritise, and cultivate relations with institutions and actors (Governments , donors the private sector and communities and Civil Society Organisations )aligned with its strategic plan and programmatic priorities. Specifically, the consultant is expected to deliver on these objectives;
(i) Review the organisation’s current Strategic Plan 2025 -2029 to understand priorities, outcomes, and funding needs under the Land and Natural Resources programme unit. Based on the review , develop a paper showing the Natural Resources Governance issues in the Kaza Landscape that the organisation can focus on from a legal, policy and institutional perspective
(ii) Identify and profile actors and institutions ( Governments , the private sector donors, Community Based Organisations and Civil Society Organisations relevant to the organisation’s thematic focus and geographic footprint.
(iii) Develop a clear engagement and outreach strategy for connecting with and securing support from these actors and institutions and other potential partners
(iv) Support connection-building and, where feasible, facilitating introductions on a best-effort basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
3. Scope of Work and Key Tasks
3.1 Task 1: Inception and Document Review
An inception meeting between the Consultant and the organisation’s team shall be convened. This meeting will enable the Consultant to seek clarification and understand more about the nature and scope of this consultancy work. The Consultant shall present an inception note that includes the timelines for this consultancy work guided by the deliverables/milestones as indicated in these terms of reference, and the methodology for conducting this consultancy work.
3.2 Task 2: Actors and Institutions Landscape Mapping and Prioritisation
Building from Task 1, the Consultant shall conduct a scoping/mapping exercise to identify actors and institutions in the KAZA TFCA that are relevant to the organisation’s work particularly the land and natural resources unit. This mapping will include identification of potential partners that the organisation can partner with including civil society organisations, funders , the private sector and communities that the organisation can partner with. The consultant should then apply prioritisation criteria to rank prospects of engagement. This prioritising should be based on for example thematic fit, geographic interest etc. This will culminate in the development of a ranked pipeline, as guided by the organisation assignment lead.
3.3 Task 3: Engagement Strategy Design
Task 3 is the core “strategy design” work and should produce a practical, implementable plan that enables the organisation to systematically engage actors and institutions that includes donor organisations and non-governmental organisations, communities and the private sector moving prospects from interest to commitment in support aligned to organisation’s Strategic Plan).
3.4 Task 4: Practical Outreach Toolkit and Connection Support
The Consultant shall develop a comprehensive set of ready-to-use practical, editable tools that the organisation can immediately deploy to engage priority actors and institutions identified under Task 2. The toolkit should include a suite of email templates, a one-page pitch deck, a meeting briefing template for internal preparation and a pipeline tracker structure.
3.5 Task 5: Validation and Finalisation
The Consultant shall facilitate a validation session with the organisation’s team to review and stress-test the draft outputs, including the ranked pipeline, engagement strategy, and outreach toolkit. The session should be designed to confirm strategic alignment with the organisation’s priorities and assess the feasibility of proposed engagement pathways, The consultants should prepare and circulate an agenda and pre-read materials in advance, document key inputs and decisions during the session, and capture agreed revisions
4 Payment for this consultancy shall be tied to deliverables and within the timelines indicated on this table
Deliverable Timing (Indicative) Payment (Milestone-based)
1. Inception Note (2–4 pages) – confirmed workplan, methodology, information needs Week 1 20% on approval
2. Development of an natural resources governance issues paper on the Kaza TFCA Actors and Institutions
3.KAZA TFCA Actors and institutions landscape mapping report Weeks 2–3 40% on submission (mapping ranked pipeline)
4. Draft Engagement Strategy and a draft Outreach Toolkit (including objectives, approach, proposed pathways, internal processes, a roadmap and draft templates/tools) Weeks 4–5 Included in final package milestone
5. Validation Session and Strategy Package finalisation – validation session; final engagement strategy; final outreach toolkit; updated contact sheet/pipeline tracker; close-out presentation/briefing Week 6 40% on acceptance of final strategy package
5 Confidentiality, Data Protection, and Intellectual Property
The Consultant must treat non-public information including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) as confidential and will not disclose it without written consent from the organisation, in respect of privacy norms and applicable data protection principles. All deliverables produced under this ToR will be the property of organisation, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Timeline: The consultancy will run for 6 weeks.
Qualifications and Experience
Required Qualifications
The candidate must be a qualified wildlife conservation expert with a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in natural resource governance, including demonstrated expertise in wildlife law, conservation, and related policy matters.
• The candidate should be a recognized writer, with a record of writing and publishing for reputable institutions, journals, or think tanks in the fields of environmental law, conservation, or natural resource management.
• Proven ability to critically analyse complex legal texts and policy documents, with experience in providing constructive feedback that enhances clarity, rigor, and scholarly value.
• Familiarity with key regional and international conventions, treaties, and frameworks related to wildlife and biodiversity, such as CITES, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and relevant African Union policies.
• Demonstrated commitment to upholding high ethical standards in research, with sensitivity to the legal and cultural aspects of conservation work across different jurisdictions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with authors, researchers, and policymakers to advance the goals of wildlife law and governance
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit:
• A inception note (maximum 5 pages) outlining methodology, timeline, and work plan.
• CV(s) of the lead consultant(s) and institutional profile.
• Samples of previous relevant work and contact details for three references.
Interested candidates should also submit a cover letter expressing their motivation and suitability for the role and curriculum vitae to procurementzw@gmail.com by the 15 May 2026. The subject on the email must be Development of the Kaza Transfrontier Conservation Area Engagement Strategy.
