Impact Lead
Location: Gqeberha, South Africa
Reports to: Head of Impact
About Stewards of Nature
What you’ll do
At Stewards of Nature, we restore ecosystems while powering a cleaner economy. We harvest and manage invasive alien plant species, ensuring a sustainable supply of biomass feedstock to our sister company, Coega Biomass Centre, and other partners. By turning ecological challenges into economic opportunities, we protect biodiversity, create jobs, and help decarbonize South Africa’s energy system.
We’re now looking for an Impact Lead who can act as the local driver of our Impact function in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. This is a mid to senior local role for someone who can combine commercial drive with strong relationship-building in a complex sustainability landscape, and who is ready to deliver tangible results on the ground.
You will work as the local lead on partnerships and impact development in South Africa, closely collaborating with our Head of Impact (who works remotely) and the wider local Stewards of Nature team. While embedded in the local context, you are expected to operate with a high degree of ownership and take the lead in building partnerships, developing opportunities, and driving results on the ground.
Act as the local representative of Stewards of Nature in South Africa, owning relationships and opportunities on the ground.
Develop, secure and maintain local partnerships that contribute financially or operationally to invasive alien plant (IAP) clearing programs.
Generate impact revenue through sales of environmental benefits (e.g., water savings, biodiversity outcomes) to local corporate clients.
Identify and develop new South African clients and revenue streams, taking opportunities from first contact through to closure.
Support the development of strong, locally relevant propositions in collaboration with our Head of Impact and the local team.
Take accountability for revenue generation and partnership outcomes in your area, with clear ownership over targets and commercial progress.
Represent Stewards of Nature in partner meetings and field visits, including helping to coordinate and lead strategic external engagements when needed.
What we’re looking for
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Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or equivalent relevant experience).
At least 5 years of relevant work experience in sustainability, environmental partnerships, water stewardship, corporate sustainability, and/or public-private partnerships.
Strong network or proven experience working with local stakeholders in South Africa, ideally in the Eastern Cape.
Demonstrated track record in impact, sustainability, climate, or environmental partnerships.
Strong commercial mindset with experience in business development, partnerships, or revenue generation.
Ability to operate independently and credibly in front of senior external stakeholders.
Fluency in English.
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Understanding of ecosystem services, including water stewardship and biodiversity markets.
Experience with catchment restoration or invasive alien plant management.
Knowledge of water stewardship frameworks (e.g., Alliance for Water Stewardship).
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Highly results-driven and entrepreneurial.
Strong relationship builder across public, private, and civil society sectors.
Analytical enough to navigate complexity in the sustainability space.
Flexible, energetic, and proactive.
Clear and effective communicator, comfortable working remotely with international teams.
Polished and professional in communication, with the judgment to represent the company well externally.
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Work style
Structured in managing external relationships and pipelines, but flexible in execution.
Independent and self-driven, while staying closely aligned with a remote team.
Collaborative and easy to work with across cultures and functions.