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Kawau Assistant Project Manager
Island Conservation
Operations
Posted on Apr 28, 2026
Position Title: Assistant Project Manager
Employment Type: Full time
Location: Pacific
Job Grade Level: Island Restoration Specialist
Supervisor: Kawau Project Manager
Leadership Team (LT) Representative: Chief Conservation Officer
About Us
Island Conservation envisions a world filled with vibrant biodiversity, resilient oceans, and thriving island communities. We are the only international non-profit conservation organization with the mission to restore islands for nature and people worldwide. Islands are special places that provide outsized returns on our conservation investments. Island Conservation is committed to holistic island-marine ecosystem restorations that combine efforts to improve community livelihoods and climate resiliency, manage invasive species, and reestablish native animals and plants. Learn more about us at www.islandconservation.org.
Position Overview
The Assistant Project Manager for the Kawau project will be responsible for supporting delivery of the wallaby and possum eradication. Assistant Project Managers help to serve the internal lead with planning and implementing individual projects and are responsible for working with partners, stakeholders and IC staff to achieve the desired outcomes of projects. Effective project management at IC requires:
- technical project management skills (e.g. Trail camera analysis, GIS mapping and data analysis, support with budgeting, fundraising, scheduling, scope identification and management, risk management, contract management and cooperative agreements and decision making)
- eradication acumen (e.g. working knowledge of the principles of eradication and tools used to achieve them, knowledge of compliance and local regulations)
- leadership skills (e.g. interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, problem solving, and team building and leading)
Assistant Project Managers will also support other IC or Partner led projects.
Essential Duties
Assistant Project Managers are involved in every component of the project life cycle. For their assigned projects, APMs are responsible for making sure the right work is done in the right way. Assistant Project Managers typically assist in leading all or parts of the project life cycle, but APM’s must also be able to support other internal and external leads when needed.
60%
Duty: Project Planning, Management, and Implementation
Tasks Include:
- Trail camera network maintenance, GIS mapping and data analysis,
- Scopes project and assesses feasibility
- Project budgeting and works with IC colleagues and project partners to identify, apply for, secure, and report on project funding.
- Assists with project planning and implementation
- Implements steps to establish and maintain the enabling conditions necessary for successful project implementation
- Exemplifies gender equality, disability and social inclusion principles in all decisions and interactions with work colleagues, local communities and stakeholders
- Ensures project scope aligns with the restoration goals for the island and Island Conservation’s strategic vision
- Works with IC and partner staff to identify and secure the compliance requirements for project to proceed.
- Assists in creating budgets for projects, manages spending, and tracks budget performance.
- Assists with logistics of transporting project equipment and resources to Kawau Island.
- Assists with field duties including fencing, camera network maintenance and other general tasks.
- Works with Community Liaison lead planning where hunting operations are to occur prior to implementation.
- Proactively identifies and communicates critical issues and risks to the project, and ensures they are managed in collaboration with the Head of Operations and IC leadership.
- Ensures or directly compiles and analyzes data collected in the field, reports and summarizes data.
- Reports progress on deliverables, financial and non-financial indicators, risks and issues internally and as required by partners and funding sources.
- Helps lead the purchasing and contracting processes for projects in compliance with IC’s policies and those required by individual funding sources
- Leads and supports the planning and implementation of field work. This includes scoping trips, field studies and implementation of eradication activities.
- Complies with all relevant IC policies related to travel, financial approvals, purchasing and contracting, etc.
20%
Duty: Leadership
Tasks Include:
- Assist project leader with organization and leadership of IC teams and partner staff, contractors and volunteers.
- Identifies, establishes and maintains relationships with partners, stakeholders, and communities instrumental to the successful implementation of projects and IC’s mission.
- Demonstrates and ensures a commitment to safe work practices.
- APMs will exemplify gender equality, disability and social inclusion principles in all decisions and interactions with work colleagues, local communities and stakeholders
- Seeks and provides feedback to improve the effectiveness of work
- May include direct supervision of staff
5%
Duty: Strategic Development and Innovation
Tasks Include:
- Contribute to regional and organizational strategy development
- Scans the external environment for information, trends, best practices and innovation
- Brings new ideas and opportunities forward for discussion
- Writes reports, scientific, popular articles, and presents based on project activities, and research and monitoring data
5%
Duty: Organizational Integration
Tasks Include:
- Coordinates with ICEAT to ensure project quality
- Collaborates with Partnership team on partner engagement
- Collaborates with IC’s and Innovation and Impact programs to ensure project scope is defined in alignment with IC’s strategic vision
- Collaborates with IC’s Partnership and Communications teams to maximize opportunities for Island Conservation’s mission
- Collaborates with Communications team share Island Conservation’s story
- Collaborates with other IC conservation staff to share and learn from successes and failures
5%
Duty: Learning and Development
Tasks Include:
- Increasing skills and capacity through stretch assignments, formal training, and peer learning
- Completes required trainings as defined by the organization and project needs
- Supports the development of colleagues, direct reports and partners by providing training, sharing information about projects, etc.
- Sets and reports on goals as defined by organizational processes
5%
Duty: Administration
Tasks Include:
- Completing tasks required to support the function of Island Conservation, including but not limited to timely submission of expense reports and time sheets
Additional Responsibilities
Flexibility Requirement: Approximately 10% of the duties and responsibilities may be adjusted based on the evolving needs of the supervisor and the organization. This may include carrying out tasks outside of or in addition to those outlined in the job description. This flexibility is essential to support a dynamic response to evolving priorities and objectives.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should send their resume and cover letter to kawau@islandconservation.org
Individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Island Conservation is an equal-opportunity employer committed to building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment. We value the cultural diversity of our team, and we encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences.