Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (m/f)

The Chief Executive Officer provides visionary leadership to WWF Adria and is accountable for delivering conservation impact, organizational sustainability and compliance, financial growth, and strategic influence across the Adria region. The CEO leads a multi-country regional organization operating across eight countries with differing political, legal, institutional, and economic realities. The role requires balancing regional coherence with national priorities, leveraging opportunities created by ongoing European integration processes, and ensuring WWF remains a trusted and influential partner for governments, donors, civil society, communities, businesses, and the wider WWF Network. Working through a combination of organizational presence, regional platforms, and strategic partnerships, the CEO ensures WWF Adria delivers measurable conservation outcomes, maintains a high-performing organization, and contributes effectively to WWF's global mission and strategic priorities. Key accountabilities: Strategic Leadership and Conservation Impact: - Provide overall leadership for the development and implementation of WWF Adria's regional strategy and ensure delivery of measurable conservation outcomes across the organization's priority programs and geographies. Regional Influence and Policy Engagement: - Position WWF Adria as a leading and credible voice for nature in the region and influence policy, governance, and investment decisions affecting biodiversity, climate resilience, freshwater, marine ecosystems, and sustainable development. Organizational Leadership and Performance: - Lead a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative regional organization, ensuring effective governance, operational excellence, financial sustainability, and staff engagement. Fundraising and Resource Mobilization: - Secure and diversify financial resources from public, private, and philanthropic sources to deliver WWF Adria's conservation ambitions and long-term sustainability. Strategic Partnerships and Network Engagement: - Develop and strengthen strategic partnerships across the region and contribute actively to WWF's regional and global priorities, initiatives, and governance processes. Risk, Compliance, and Safeguarding: - Ensure WWF Adria maintains the highest standards of legal and operational compliance, ethics, safeguarding, transparency, and accountability across all countries and entities. Major duties and responsibilities: Strategic Leadership and Regional Integration: - Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of WWF Adria's Strategic Plan and organizational priorities. - Ensure regional objectives are translated into effective country-level strategies and programs. - Balance regional coherence with country-specific opportunities, challenges, and stakeholder priorities. - Ensure transboundary conservation initiatives extending beyond WWF Adria territories are effectively coordinated with the WWF Network, with clear roles and responsibilities. - Identify and leverage opportunities arising from EU environmental policy, Green Deal implementation, and accession processes to advance conservation objectives across the region. - Ensure organizational resources and investments are aligned with strategic priorities and expected conservation impact. Conservation Impact and Policy Influence: - Ensure WWF Adria delivers high-quality conservation programs that contribute to WWF's global goals and regional priorities. - Champion evidence-based approaches to conservation, sustainable development, and environmental governance. - Position WWF Adria as a trusted source of expertise and thought leadership on biodiversity, freshwater, marine conservation, climate resilience, and nature-positive development. - Influence policy, legislative, and investment processes at national and regional levels to achieve long-term conservation outcomes, and support EU-wide advocacy efforts. - Promote integrated approaches linking conservation, community well-being, and sustainable economic development. Fundraising and Resource Mobilization: - Develop and implement a diversified fundraising strategy covering institutional donors, foundations, corporate partnerships, major donors, and individual giving. - Ensure WWF Adria achieves agreed fundraising and income targets. - Personally cultivate and manage relationships with key donors, funding partners, and prospects. - Identify and secure strategic funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities. - Ensure effective donor stewardship, reporting, and compliance. External Representation and Strategic Partnerships: - Serve as the primary representative and “ambassador” of WWF Adria. - Build and maintain strong relationships with governments, EU institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations, academia, communities, media, businesses, and other key stakeholders throughout the region and internationally. - Position WWF Adria as a regional convener capable of facilitating collaboration on shared environmental challenges across national and regional boundaries. - Represent WWF Adria within WWF Network governance and leadership forums, as well as external regional and international platforms. - Strengthen WWF's visibility, reputation, and credibility and influence throughout the region. Organizational Leadership and People Management: - Lead, inspire, and develop the Senior Management Team as a coherent and aligned leadership body for effective decision-making. - Foster a high-performance organizational culture characterized by accountability, collaboration, inclusion, innovation, and learning. - Ensure effective leadership development, succession planning, and talent management across the organization. - Lead efforts towards high levels of staff engagement and satisfaction, ensuring effective internal communications and follow-up on regular staff surveys. - Promote staff well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion. - Strengthen collaboration across countries, teams, and disciplines to maximize organizational effectiveness and impact. - Model WWF values and expected leadership behaviors, establishing and reinforcing clear standards of conduct and behavioral expectations. Structure, Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management: - Ensure WWF Adria complies with all applicable legal, regulatory, and WWF Network requirements. - Ensure a fit-for-purpose, cost-efficient operating model and structure for WWF Adria which supports effective delivery of the organizational strategy across the region with appropriate shared services. - Maintain effective governance processes and support the work of the relevant governance bodies. - Ensure timely implementation of decisions, recommendations, and governance obligations. - Oversee organizational risk management systems with regular SMT review of the highest risks, and promote a culture of accountability and ethical conduct. - Ensure robust implementation of WWF safeguarding policies, social policies, and environmental and social safeguards. Financial Stewardship: - Ensure the financial sustainability and sound management of WWF Adria's resources. - Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting for local and WWF compliance and management purposes. - Approve and oversee annual budgets, financial plans, and forecasts. - Monitor organizational financial performance and take corrective action where necessary. - Ensure robust financial controls, accountability, and stewardship of donor funds and organizational assets. - Maintain financial resilience through prudent planning and resource allocation. WWF Network Leadership: - Contribute actively to WWF's regional and global leadership forums, initiatives, and governance processes. - Promote collaboration, learning, and knowledge sharing across the WWF Network. - Ensure WWF Adria contributes effectively to WWF's global conservation goals and institutional priorities. - Build and maintain strong relationships with WWF offices, practices, and global initiatives relevant to the region. Other Responsibilities: - Perform other duties consistent with the scope and seniority of the position as assigned by the Regional Director, Europe and North Africa.

Skills and Qualifications: - At least 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience, preferably within international conservation, sustainable development, environmental policy, philanthropy, or similarly complex mission-driven organizations. - Demonstrated success in leading organizations, programs, or partnerships across multiple countries and diverse cultural, political, and institutional contexts. - Strong understanding of the environmental, political, and socio-economic landscape of the Western Balkans and Adria region. - Proven track record of delivering organizational growth, impact, and transformation. - Successful experience in fundraising and resource mobilization from institutional, philanthropic, and private-sector sources. - Demonstrated ability to influence senior decision-makers and build partnerships in complex stakeholder environments where formal authority may be limited. - Proven experience leading multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. - Strong financial, operational, and risk management capabilities. - Good understanding of EU institutions, environmental policy frameworks, and EU accession processes affecting the region. - Advanced university degree in Business Administration, Management, International Relations, International Development, Environmental Sciences, Conservation, or a related field. An MBA or equivalent leadership qualification is an asset. - Excellent communication, negotiation, and representation skills. - Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of one or more languages spoken in the region is highly desirable. Values and Behaviors - Identifies strongly with WWF's values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration. - Acts consistently with WWF's commitment to diversity, inclusion, safeguarding, and ethical conduct and regularly promotes the “One Adria Team". Working relationships: Internal: - Accountable to the WWF Adria governance bodies and reports directly to the Regional Director, Europe and North Africa. Works closely with WWF International leadership, WWF offices and practices across Europe and the Network, the WWF Adria Senior Management Team, and governance bodies of WWF entities in the region. Represents WWF Adria in relevant WWF leadership, governance, and strategic coordination forums. External: - Maintains relationships with governmental institutions, EU bodies, intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, donors, academic institutions, community representatives, media, businesses, and other key stakeholders throughout the region and internationally. Information and procedure: - Deadline for application: August 31, 2026 - All applications, including cover letter and CV, to be received via application link. - Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early. - At WWF, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every individual feels valued and respected. We believe that a diverse workforce will help us to achieve our mission to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to providing fair and unbiased consideration for all candidates regardless of their background. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply and join us in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.