Programme Officer – Environment Programme, with a focus on global wildlife trafficking and conservation in Brazil and neighbouring countries

Location:  Geneva, Switzerland
Reporting to:  Environment Programme Director
Type of contract:  Permanent
Application deadline:  Monday 12 October 2026, 09:00 CET

About Oak Foundation
Oak Foundation’s mission (www.oakfnd.org) is to contribute to a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world. With offices in Europe, Africa, and North America, Oak Foundation makes grants to organisations around the world.

About the Environment Programme
The Environment Programme focuses on safeguarding our future by restoring our connection to nature. The programme is organised across broad streams of work, including marine systems and livelihoods, conservation, rewilding, regenerative landscapes, and countering wildlife trafficking. We take a systems change approach by aiming to address the sources of the challenges we face as a society to improve the health and strength of communities and our natural environment. This approach allows us to see inter-connections and envision solutions across sectors to achieve multiple social and biodiversity benefits. 

Purpose of the role
The programme officer will work closely with one colleague based in Africa and another based in Chile. Together, they will support organisations that advance a “living landscapes” approach that safeguards biodiversity while considering the livelihoods and wellbeing of people and communities. This is a new role that will manage the global grantmaking portfolio focused on stopping wildlife trade and trafficking. The role will also focus on wildlife and ecosystem conservation opportunities, through an integrated “whole landscape” approach, in Brazil and neighbouring countries, especially in the Pantanal and Atlantic rainforest regions. The role requires periodic international travel and reports to the Environment Programme director.

Main responsibilities

• Manage the international wildlife trafficking grant portfolio, including international and local grantees in other geographies such as Southern Africa.
• In consultation with the Environment Programme director and Lead Trustee, develop a grant-making portfolio that supports the preservation and enhancement of key natural areas in Brazil and neighbouring countries. The initial focus will be the Pantanal and Atlantic rainforest.
• Manage the full grant cycle, from initial enquiry and assessment to final recommendation. This includes monitoring implementation, reporting on and closing grants, evaluating current and past grants, drawing and sharing lessons from projects and groups of grants.
• Carry out site visits, assess capacity-strengthening needs, support grantee effectiveness, and capture and share learning across grants and portfolios.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge exchange among not-for-profit organisations, research institutions, philanthropic organisations, governments, and local communities.
• Contribute to collaboration across the Environment Programme, and share lessons from grantees and regional groups of grants to use as insights informing programme strategy and wider practice.
• Contribute to internal and external reporting, including monthly and annual updates, Advisory Panel materials, and organisation-wide learning.
• Represent Oak Foundation at donor convenings, conferences, workshops, and other external forums.
• Conduct research and analysis to strengthen the portfolio’s priorities and evidence base. This includes staying up to date with relevant scientific and regulatory developments and exploring emerging areas such as agroforestry, sustainable tourism, conservation landholding, security and nature, and the live pet trade, among other issues in Brazil and elsewhere.

Position requirements

• A university degree in an environment-related subject.
• 7–10+ years of professional experience in wildlife trafficking or related areas, such as conservation, natural resource management, agroforestry management, or environmental management.
• Significant professional experience in Brazil or other South American countries, with a strong understanding of the national context and relevant organisations, particularly in community-based natural resource management, and biodiversity challenges and opportunities.
• Proven ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, including not-for-profit organisations, local communities, government agencies, researchers, peer funders, and private-sector partners.
• Strong analytical skills, the ability to assess complex social and environmental contexts, as well as identifying priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, a collaborative working style, clear and concise writing, and confidence in expressing views in open discussions.
• Commitment to efficiency and demonstrated ability to stay organised and meet tight deadlines.
• Understanding of financial reporting and budgeting in not-for-profit or government organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Confidence using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Salesforce, and willingness to learn other tools as needed.
• Experience in grant-making or working closely with philanthropic funders is an advantage.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20–25 per cent of the time.
• Commitment to Oak Foundation’s values.

Please note that EU and non-EU candidates are eligible to apply. Candidates must be residing in Switzerland at the time of employment due to cross-border regulatory requirements and travel obligations.

Additional qualifications

To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV/resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how you fulfil the requirements set out in the job announcement on the Upsall International website.

Please ensure you send your CV and Cover letter in the following format: full_name_CV_org_name_role and full_name_role_CL.

If you have any questions about the role or organisation, please reach out to Zoe Oldham at zoe@upsallinternational.com. Please note: to ensure the security of your application and to ensure that your data complies with GDPR regulations, applications via email will not be accepted.

By submitting your application, you confirm that you have read and understood our job applicant’s data privacy notice. 

Oak Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, as detailed in our child safeguarding policy. We expect all staff to share this commitment. Please note that the successful candidate will undergo reference checks and be required to provide a police record prior to starting employment.