Kenya Country Director

About the Born Free Foundation

Set up initially as Zoo Check in 1984 by Bill Travers, Dame Virginia McKenna, and their eldest son Will Travers, Born Free works tirelessly to protect individual wild animals in need, conserve threatened species and their habitats, engage with communities to reduce human wildlife conflict, and encourage and support sustainability and co-existence.

Inspired by Elsa the lioness, whose journey to freedom in Kenya was depicted in the 1966 film Born Free, the charity works in six key geographical locations, including Kenya, and globally at a policy level.

Established in 2003, Born Free Kenya champions human-wildlife coexistence through hands-on conservation efforts, education, and community initiatives. In Amboseli and Meru National Parks, we monitor lions, giraffes, and elephants, and employ strategies to promote the co-existence of people and wildlife. We also support sustainable livelihoods, provide conservation education, and collaborate with partners to protect people, wildlife, and their habitats.

The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife and conservation charity registered in England and Wales. In 2024, we celebrated our 40th year. Our charitable objects are fulfilled through a combination of directly delivered activities and providing grant funding to partner organisations. We have a branch registered in Kenya that has a head office in Nairobi (11 staff) and field teams in Meru (30 staff) and Amboseli (4 staff). Expenditure via the Kenya branch is c.£ 1m per annum (c. US$1.3/KES 175m), which is currently almost entirely funded from donations raised in the UK. We are recruiting a Kenya Country Director to provide transformational strategic and operational leadership for our programmatic and business support activities delivered by the branch.

Job Summary

We are seeking an exceptional and inspirational leader to be our Kenya Country Director. This critical role will provide transformational strategic and operational leadership for our programmatic and business support activities in Kenya, with responsibility for a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 45 staff and an annual budget in excess of £1m per annum. The Kenya Country Director is a member of the Foundation’s Senior Management Team (SMT) and will act as the senior representative of the charity in Kenya. This role will report to the Executive President.

1. Leadership

• In collaboration with key stakeholders, lead on the development of the Kenya strategy that aligns with the agreed organisational strategy. Contribute to the development and lead the delivery of Kenya’s operations in line with the agreed organisational strategy, ensuring full alignment with Born Free’s mission and values.
• Provide transformational leadership and effective management to inspire a multidisciplinary and multi-location team.
• Develop and nurture a strong senior management team in Kenya.
• Foster a positive, transparent, inclusive, and high-performance work culture with a focus on impact and staff wellbeing.
• Contribute as a member of the SMT and support the strategic considerations and decision making for the Charity as a whole.
• Horizon-scanning – be aware of, comment and advise on all relevant Kenyan and sector-specific policy issues or legislative change, whether programmatic or people related and ensure these are communicated to the EP, EMT and relevant colleagues.

2. Operational and financial management and compliance

• Ensure the efficient delivery of the Kenya enabling functions, including Finance, Administration, HR and IT (some of which are outsourced).
• Oversee the financial planning, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting of approved annual expenditure budgets.
• Ensure compliance with Kenyan laws and organisational policies.
• Maintain effective risk management practices, including staff safety and security protocols.
• Provide regular updates to the EMT on performance, risk, and strategic issues.

3. Programmes, impact and conservation delivery

• Lead the planning, delivery, and monitoring of all agreed programmatic work in Kenya, in alignment with Born Free’s global vision and strategic objectives.
• In close collaboration with Internal Stakeholders, ensure that programme design and delivery are evidence-based and have measurable impact.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and reporting processes in Kenya to demonstrate outcomes, ensure accountability, and deliver impact.

4. External relations, advocacy and partnerships

• Act as the key spokesperson and ambassador for the charity in Kenya, building strong relationships with government agencies, donors, partners, local communities, media and other stakeholders.
• Recommend and support key programmatic and fundraising partnerships in Kenya.
• Represent the charity at advocacy events.
• Along with colleagues, represent the charity in policy development forums to clearly express the agreed policy and vision of the organisation.

5. Income generation and donor stewardship

• Play an active role in supporting the organisation’s fundraising efforts. This includes helping to achieve fundraising targets, overseeing the implementation of fundraising initiatives, proactively identifying and pursuing agreed new funding opportunities, and ensuring timely, accurate, and strategic reporting.
• Building and maintaining linkages with relevant networks and stakeholders to strengthen resource mobilisation efforts.

Key attributes, experience, and skills required for this role:

• Proven 5-7 years of senior leadership experience.
• Demonstrable experience managing large teams with multi-disciplinary skills and significant budgets, and driving a strong engagement and performance culture.
• Experience in conservation, development, or non-profit sectors.
• Track record of working effectively with government, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking and organisational leadership skills.
• Excellent financial and operational management capabilities.
• Outstanding communication, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Understanding of the conservation community development, and policy context in Kenya, and East Africa.
• Values-driven and committed to equity, inclusion, and sustainability.
• Culturally sensitive and able to navigate diverse contexts with respect and understanding.
• Resilient, adaptable, and solutions oriented.
• Empowers others and leads with humility and integrity, while maintaining the necessary authority.

Born Free is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status.

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