Vaga: Senior Project Director

Company Overview: 

Blue Forest Mozambique is leading Africa’s largest mangrove restoration initiative through its  flagship MozBlue project. This transformative restoration spans over 30,000 hectares of degraded  coastline in Zambezia and Sofala provinces, involving more than 350 communities. MozBlue is not  only restoring vital ecosystems but also creating thousands of green jobs and building climate  resilience across Mozambique’s coastal regions. Blue Forest is expanding its team and looking to  hire sectoral experts to bring the ambitious MozBlue project to life.

Role Summary:

Blue Forest is seeking a highly capable Senior Project Director to lead the implementation of  MozBlue Phase 1 which involves mangrove restoration operations across 5,116 hectares in  partnership with our Mozambique-based planting partner. This role will oversee planting execution,  coordinate social programs, led by the Director of Social Programs, and ensure robust monitoring  systems are in place. The Senior Project Director will perform act the operational lead for Phase 1  delivery, ensuring timelines, budgets, and quality standards are met.

The Senior Project Director will serve as the senior most official of Blue Forest in Mozambique,  responsible for the strategic leadership, execution, and oversight of the MozBlue project. This role  demands visionary program design, operational excellence, stakeholder relations, and financial  stewardship to deliver measurable impact at scale. Based in Quelimane, the Director will report  directly to Blue Forest’s leadership team in Dubai and coordinate closely with partners in France.

Key Responsibilities: 

Program design and implementation 

• Lead the design and execution of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in collaboration with  our local and technical partners.
• Manage and support direct reports such as Director of Restoration, Director of Social Programs,  and Monitoring Manager
• Oversee day-to-day implementation of planting operations across 5,116 ha, ensuring alignment  with and implement that meets the agreed SOPs.
• Coordinate with the planting partner’s field teams, logistics coordinators, and planting  specialists to ensure smooth execution.
• Collaborate with the Director of Social Programs to oversee the delivery of social and livelihoods  programs tailored to community needs and to ensure that the local custodians are on board and  support restoration and conservation targets of the project.
• Oversee land delimitation efforts and the establishment of Community Land Associations to  ensure inclusive and transparent governance as well as the turnover of plots which are eligible  for restoration.
• Track progress against monthly KPIs and delivery milestones; prepare reports for internal and  external stakeholders
• Ensure compliance with Blue Forest’s environmental & social safeguards across all operations.

Stakeholder engagement and partnerships 

• Cultivate strong relationships with government agencies, NGOs, and community leaders to  foster trust and collaboration, primarily in Zambezia but also in Sofala and Maputo. • Coordinate with MozBlue stakeholders across land delimitation, mangrove guardian  agreements, planting, monitoring, and finance.
• Provide timely and accurate project reports to be shared with Blue Forest leadership team as  well as our project stakeholders in France.
• Represent Blue Forest at national coordination meetings and with key institutional partners.

Financial, resource and risk management 

• Manage budgets, procurement, and operational risks associated with Phase 1 delivery. This  includes on-time payments to contractors as milestones are met.
• Support project-level funding opportunities, assiting with proposal development and donor  engagement.
• Oversee the collection of the data necessary for the project’s carbon certification, including the  inputs required for the project’s VCS and CCB verification by third-party auditors and Verra.

Team leadership and capacity building 

• As the most senior Blue Forest Mozambique executive, expand, mentor, and manage a high performing team to deliver results across all program components, most notably: seed sourcing  & maintenance, planting, and monitoring.
• Lead capacity-building initiatives for staff and stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability. • Support onboarding and training of field staff and local partners

Monitoring, evaluation, and learning 

• Ensure monitoring systems are deployed effectively, with clear data flows and accountability • Lead monitoring strategy to validate planting activities and ensure by 80% survival rates across  all planting sites and community programs and ensure quality assurance across all operations. • Develop a strong understanding of the Blue Forest monitoring platform to track planting progress  and survival rates.
• Promote data-driven decision-making and adaptive management.
• Document lessons learned to inform future planting plans and species selection.

Skills Required:

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in large-scale project management, preferably in the area  of environmental restoration, agriculture, or rural development, with substantive experience in  Africa, ideally including Mozambique.
• Proven ability to manage complex field operations with multiple stakeholders. • Experience with data systems, monitoring frameworks, and budget oversight. • Exceptional leadership, communication, and project management skills. • Strong problem-solving abilities and cultural sensitivity.
• Collaborative mindset with a commitment to community engagement & environmental impact. • Degree in Development Studies, Economics, Environmental Science, or a related field. • Fluency in Portuguese and English. Basic understanding of Shwabo would be a plus.

How To Apply:

Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and suitability for the role  to info@blueforest.co by Thursday 23 October 2025.

What We Offer 

• Opportunity to lead one of the largest mangrove restoration efforts in the region.
•  Dynamic, mission-driven team with high standards and strong technical support.
• Competitive compensation and travel support.