Project Director – Saudi Arabia

Aninver Development Partners SL (www.aninver.com) is looking for a Project Director for a environment consultancy assignment financed by IUCN ROWA Jordan in Saudi Arabia.

Aninver Development Partners is preparing a proposal for an upcoming environment assignment in Saudi Arabia, commissioned by IUCN ROWA Jordan. We are seeking a qualified Project Director to provide strategic leadership and overall management for the development and piloting of a comprehensive ecotourism and sustainable visitor use framework across marine and terrestrial protected areas.

The successful candidate will oversee the design of scientifically sound conservation programmes that integrate ecological, social, and cultural values. This pivotal role ensures effective governance, strong institutional partnerships, and the successful delivery of practical standards, decision-support tools, and management plans in alignment with national priorities and international good practice.

Aninver is preparing a proposal for this assignment. The selected expert will be part of the proposed team; the engagement is conditional on the contract being awarded to Aninver. The full Terms of Reference for the position are shared with shortlisted candidates.

Objectives of the assignment

• Lead the overall project implementation, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outputs in compliance with IUCN and donor standards.
• Coordinate the development of an institutional framework for sustainable visitor use and ecotourism within marine and terrestrial protected areas.
• Facilitate high-level engagement and collaboration with national authorities, key stakeholders, and multidisciplinary expert teams.
• Ensure the integration of biodiversity conservation priorities with sustainable tourism and community development goals.

Scope of work

• Review applicable national policies, legislation, regulations, institutional mandates, strategies, and international good practices.
• Assess existing visitor use, ecological sensitivities, institutional capacity, infrastructure, and management needs within protected areas.
• Develop a national Sustainable Visitor Use and Ecotourism Framework including measurable principles, criteria, standards, and decision tools.
• Conduct formal visitor-use readiness assessments and prepare site-specific Visitor Use Management Plans for designated pilot sites.
• Develop practical standard operating procedures, templates, and monitoring tools for protected-area managers.
• Strengthen the institutional capacity of national authorities and relevant stakeholders through tailored training and workshops.
• Establish robust implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive-management systems.

Your role as Project Director

• Provide overall technical, administrative, and financial management of the project throughout its duration.
• Manage relationships with IUCN ROWA Jordan, national authorities, and key project stakeholders.
• Supervise the multidisciplinary expert team, ensuring seamless coordination across all project tasks and deliverables.
• Lead the inception phase, finalize work programmes, methodologies, stakeholder mapping, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Oversee the situation analysis and baseline reviews covering legal, regulatory, ecological, and socio-economic dimensions.
• Monitor project progress against established indicators, managing risks and implementing adaptive-management measures as needed.
• Ensure the delivery of all contractual outputs, reports, and strategic frameworks to the highest professional standards.

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Environmental Management, Protected Area Management, Biodiversity Conservation, Ecotourism, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of professional experience in leading complex environmental, conservation, or ecotourism development projects.
• Demonstrated experience working with international organizations, donors, and government agencies, preferably in the Middle East region.
• Strong expertise in protected area governance, visitor management frameworks, and biodiversity conservation policies.
• Proven track record in managing multidisciplinary technical teams and delivering large-scale institutional consultancy assignments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and diplomatic skills with fluency in English.

Desirable

• Previous professional experience working in Saudi Arabia or the wider Gulf Cooperation Council region.
• Familiarity with IUCN standards, guidelines, and protected area management categories.
• Working knowledge of the Arabic language.

An experienced Project Director and environmental expert with a strong background in protected area management, strategic leadership, and international conservation initiatives in the region.

Assignment details

• Location: Saudi Arabia
• Financed by: IUCN ROWA Jordan
• Sector: Environment
• Estimated duration: 9 months
• Contract: individual consultancy (conditional on award)

About Aninver Development Partners

Aninver is an international development consulting firm headquartered in Spain. It supports governments, development banks, UN agencies and bilateral donors with feasibility studies, technical assistance, evaluations and capacity building across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific, working with a network of international and national experts.

Why apply

• Join a multidisciplinary team on a IUCN ROWA Jordan-financed project in Saudi Arabia.
• Individual consultancy: flexible, output-based engagement with an experienced proposal team.
• Your CV stays in Aninver's expert network for future assignments that match your profile.

How to apply

Sign in (or create a free account) and upload your CV in English. Add your LinkedIn profile, indicative daily rate and availability to speed up the assessment. Aninver will contact the shortlisted candidates.

Frequently asked questions

Is the position confirmed? The engagement depends on the contract being awarded to Aninver. Shortlisted experts are included in the proposal with their consent.

Can I apply if I am not based in the country? Yes, unless the requirements say otherwise; relevant regional experience is an asset.

What happens with my CV? It is used to assess your fit for this and future positions and is not shared with third parties without your consent.