Role purpose

The Director, WWF Mediterranean, provides marine and conservation thought leadership as well as drives the vision, results, and impact to ensure the continuous development of the Mediterranean Marine Initiative, working closely with the WWF partner offices in the Mediterranean, donors, partners, and the MMI regional team. WWF Mediterranean acts primarily as the legal and operational host for the MMI, performing important operational and administrative functions to enable broader MMI success. The role leads and empowers a strong regional MMI team that collaborates with the broader Mediterranean marine teams in each of the WWF offices, as well as relevant colleagues in the WWF Oceans Community or other initiatives.

Major Function

• Leads and manages the MMI Strategy development, fundraising, and implementation in close collaboration with leaders and relevant staff in all WWF Mediterranean National Offices (NOs) and Country Offices (COs), supervising and developing the regional MMI Team.
• Provides thought leadership on key marine and conservation issues and manages key partnerships, including the Mediterranean regional institutions, donors and stakeholders, to ensure optimal communications and mutually beneficial relationships are established and maintained.
• Leads the strategic development and day-to-day management of WWF Mediterranean, which includes the MMI regional team and operational/administrative functions.
• Ensures the buy-in, support and leadership of the MMI Board, comprising the WWF offices located around the Mediterranean plus the European Policy Office (EPO).
• Ensures delivery of the WWF Mediterranean Foundation’s statutory obligations, reporting to the Foundation Board.
• Provides effective leadership and performance management for all staff of WWF Mediterranean.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Conservation, Advocacy and Policy

• Leads advocacy to promote the profile, influence and impact of WWF/MMI, representing the MMI in key internal networks and external forums, including with high-level donors, partners and prospects to solicit support and funding.
• Provides and leads the vision, strategic planning and institutional development of WWF MMI Regional Marine Portfolio, in consultation with the WWF Mediterranean Offices and the Biodiversity Practice.
• Liaises with the WWF Mediterranean Offices to engage them in the MMI development and implementation, to agree on their contribution to the MMI, to meet their expectations for delivery and to ensure that consistent and integrated approaches are developed across WWF offices to deliver on the goals of the MMI, with appropriate leadership and capacity in place in each office to deliver on this ambition.
• Ensures the successful delivery of the project portfolio and pipeline management to drive strategy delivery and cost recovery for all conservation staff members.
• Brings the broader MMI Offices’ teams together, ensuring information sharing, assignment of responsibilities and tasks, coordinating work-plans, and contributes to internal learning and knowledge management by routinely and consistently sharing lessons learned and models of change.
• Ensures appropriate Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting of the regional conservation impact and progress against the strategic outcomes and 2030 goals.
• Represents WWF’s Mediterranean marine community in the Biodiversity Practice.

Fundraising, Communications and Partnerships

• Ensures effective communication and partnerships with WWF Network, regional and international institutions, donors, governments, other non-governmental organisations, maritime sector stakeholders, and the public to ensure a strong profile for MMI and its activities, as well as to leverage support, funding and opportunities at national, regional and global levels.
• Ensures that Fundraising and Communication strategies are developed and implemented in support of overall Conservation objectives and donor requirements. Oversee the development and implementation of regional communication campaigns.
• Leads engagement with key donors and relevant partners to promote the MMI, build relationships, and secure long-term support and funding.

Operational Excellence and Team Leadership

• Ensures that WWF Mediterranean is set up to provide appropriate and streamlined legal, operational and administrative support to enable the sustainable and successful delivery of the MMI and complies with all relevant legal requirements or local laws, maintaining the highest ethical standards, implementing robust social policies, safeguarding and all relevant WWF International and Network policies and standards.
• Drives for financial sustainability, diversification of income, and effective cost recovery for core and programmatic costs.
• Leads staff effectively through the creation of a shared vision, providing clarity that ensures all staff understand their contribution, including the establishment of appropriate organisational structures, policies, processes, and office responsibilities.
• Effectively leads, coordinates, manages, and develops the WWF Mediterranean senior management team and supports them in executing strategies and managing talent and resources in line with the strategic priorities.
• Assists in the management of hosted WWF International positions.
• Builds a culture of performance, positivity, engagement, creativity, professionalism, and work ethic.
• Engages all staff to promote staff engagement and satisfaction, ensuring that the senior management team approve relevant work plans to increase staff engagement, measured through regular surveys conducted by WWF International.

Governance

• Ensures the buy-in, support and leadership of the MMI Board, comprising the WWF offices located around the Mediterranean plus the European Policy Office (EPO), through regular and timely virtual and physical meetings and frequent communication.
• Liaises effectively with and reports to the WWF Mediterranean Foundation Board of Directors, supports the President in convening regular meetings, and ensures compliance with all statutory and legal obligations.
• Liaises and works effectively with WWF International and EUNA regional team colleagues in support of WWF International's strong office goals, policies and procedures.
• Embraces the WWF mission and core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration.
• Performs other duties as requested by the Europe & North Africa Regional Director/President of the Foundation’s Board.

Profile

• At least 10 years of professional experience in marine conservation, deep knowledge of the ocean conservation sector and demonstrated experience in strategy and project design, programme implementation, advocacy with stakeholders, from governments to science, marine resource agencies, fisheries and coastal communities.
• Knowledge of the Mediterranean cultural and socio-economic context, trends and challenges across the Mediterranean Sea and broader Europe and North Africa region.
• At least 10 years’ relevant professional experience in a leadership role, preferably within a Conservation or International Development institution or complex matrix environment.
• Advanced University degree in ocean/ecology/environmental sciences, International Relations, International Development, with additional training or equivalent professional experience in organisation leadership and business administration, with academic training (MBA) being a strong asset.
• Proven track record in successfully developing, leading, and managing large-scale programs and/or institutions in the field of conservation, natural resource management, international development, and/or other related fields.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Excellent team building and management skills.
• Proven ability to manage complex portfolios and ensure programme delivery against agreed targets.
• Excellent understanding of risk-based/quality assurance approaches to managing projects and programs, and proven knowledge and experience of working with local communities and applying relevant social policies and safeguards.
• Successful track record in large-scale fundraising and institutional development.
• Ability to engage professionally and diplomatically with diverse stakeholders from government, multilateral institutions, private sector and local communities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, with additional languages such as Italian, Spanish, French and Arabic an advantage.

Working Relationships

Internal: Reports to the WWF International Europe/North Africa Regional Director in both roles as WWF International line manager and President of WWF Mediterranean Foundation; for the development and implementation of the MMI strategy and PIA, reports to the Chair of the MMI Board.

Interacts regularly with WWF International Europe/North Africa Team, Resource Mobilisation Team, Biodiversity Practice, Conservation Department. Works closely with the MMI Board and its members to generate and orchestrate support for the MMI. Coordinates the wider WWF Mediterranean marine team. Maintain close relations with WWF Oceans Community and other relevant WWF offices and initiatives.

External: Builds relations and works closely with implementing and donor partners (public sector partners, bilateral and multilateral, private sector partners), relevant governmental institutions, Mediterranean resource management and regional governance bodies, non- governmental organisations, as well as the private/business sector.

Terms of Appointment

Permanent contract, 6 months probation.

Role Location

Rome, Italy

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please ensure you complete the Application Form provided below by 28 November 2025 (23:59 hrs, GMT +1). It is essential that you submit your CV in English, specifically in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx), not exceeding 10MB.

Applications in other languages or formats will not be considered.

Rest assured, all information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

SRI Executive is exclusively retained by WWF International to undertake this assignment.