Systemiq is sharing an opportunity for a Head of Forest Protection & Community Impact with a leading tropical forest restoration organisation operating in West Africa.

Head of Forest Protection & Community Impact

Ensuring long-term integrity of restored forest landscapes

Department: Permanence
Reports to: CEO
Location: Ghana (Accra or site-based: Bibiani / Dambai)
Direct Reports: 2 (Social Performance Lead, Livelihoods Lead)
Contract Type: Full-time, permanent
Functional Team: ~50+ (Protection, ESG)

About the Organisation

The organisation is a large-scale tropical forest restoration company operating in West Africa, focused on restoring degraded, biodiverse ecosystems through long-term, community-centred projects.

With operations across multiple countries, a workforce of 1,000+ employees, and thousands of hectares already restored, the organisation is scaling towards 100,000+ hectares under management.

Projects are long-term and aligned with leading international standards (e.g. VERRA VCS, CCB), delivering measurable climate, biodiversity, and socioeconomic outcomes in partnership with global organisations and local communities.

The Role

This is a senior leadership role reporting to the CEO, responsible for ensuring that restored and protected forest areas remain secure and viable over the long term.

Forest Protection is the core focus of this role, requiring the design and leadership of large-scale, field-based protection operations. Alongside this, the role integrates community engagement and livelihood programmes to ensure sustainable, long-term outcomes.

The successful candidate will bring a strong background in land or asset protection and have evolved into a broader operator, capable of working across protection, community engagement, and programme delivery.

You will lead three integrated functions:

• Forest Protection
• Livelihood Restoration
• Social Performance

Key Responsibilities

Forest Protection 

• Design and scale protection systems across all project sites
• Develop SOPs, patrol strategies, zoning, and incident response frameworks
• Lead and grow field protection teams (~50+, expanding significantly)
• Integrate GIS, satellite, and drone data into operational decision-making
• Ensure all protection activities align with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR)
• Build strong working relationships with local authorities and community leaders
• Establish data-driven monitoring systems to track incidents and performance
• Continuously optimise cost-efficiency as protected areas scale

Livelihood Restoration

• Lead programmes that reduce pressure on forest ecosystems
• Oversee agricultural intensification and related initiatives
• Design locally relevant livelihood interventions
• Align programmes with benefit-sharing frameworks
• Track and report socioeconomic impact

Social Performance

• Oversee community engagement, safeguards, and benefit-sharing
• Ensure compliance with IFC Performance Standards
• Lead land access processes, including FPIC
• Manage social impact measurement and reporting
• Maintain strong relationships with community stakeholders

Security & Human Rights (VPSHR)

• Embed VPSHR principles across all protection operations
• Conduct risk assessments and define rules of engagement
• Oversee training, grievance mechanisms, and incident management
• Ensure transparent reporting to leadership and stakeholders

ESG Oversight

• Provide oversight of ESG reporting via the Social Performance function
• Ensure alignment with investor and certification requirements

What Success Looks Like (12–18 Months)

• A scalable, clearly defined forest protection system operating across all sites
• Strong SOPs, patrol models, and incident response frameworks in place
• A high-performing, disciplined protection team with clear leadership structure
• Measurable reduction in encroachment and illegal activity
• Strong, trust-based relationships with local communities and authorities
• Livelihood programmes demonstrably reducing pressure on forest areas

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

• 5+ years leading land or asset protection at scale (1,000+ hectares), ideally in sub-Saharan Africa
• Significant field-based operational experience
• Proven ability to lead and scale teams of 50+ personnel
• Experience implementing VPSHR-aligned protection approaches
• Working knowledge of IFC Performance Standards
• Ability to use spatial tools (GIS, satellite, drones) for operational decision-making
• Strong experience engaging with rural communities and local stakeholders
• Background in conservation, land use, or natural resource management

Ideal Background

• Landscape-scale conservation (e.g. African Parks, WCS, park authorities)
• Large-scale agriculture, forestry, or plantation operations
• Extractive industries with strong ESG and community frameworks

Education

• Degree in relevant field (e.g. conservation, environmental science, security, social sciences); advanced degree preferred

Languages

• English required; French or West African languages advantageous

Personal Qualities

• Strong operator with a bias for execution
• Comfortable working in remote, challenging environments
• Able to build systems and teams from the ground up
• Credible across field teams, communities, and senior stakeholders
• High integrity and commitment to human rights
• Motivated by long-term environmental impact

Location

Based in Ghana (Accra or project sites).
Frequent travel to remote field locations required.

How to Apply

Please submit a CV and brief cover note outlining relevant experience and motivation

How you'll help us achieve it

Wave is now the largest financial institution in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, with millions of users, growing rapidly year-on-year. And, we’re still in the early days of our product roadmap and potential impact on people’s everyday lives.

We’re looking for an experienced security engineer who’s independent, excited about getting things done, and ready to hit the ground running. You'll primarily be responsible for our application security, working with our product teams to work on new systems to enhance our security posture. Our customers trust us with their money, and you’ll be at the forefront of making sure we retain that trust!

This broadly scoped role will allow you to get your hands on many different types of security projects, from direct application security to helping our infrastructure team think about security for our databases. 

Some experience with common industry certifications like ISO-27001 and PCI-DSS would be beneficial, although you won’t be expected to run or oversee audits.

Our to-do list changes constantly, but here are some recent projects and activities:

• Centralise application-level login and permissions enforcement
• Configure and utilise external SIEM solutions to monitor our infrastructure
• Help us increase our posture around secret management
• Security review of our public-facing APIs
• Partner with teams across Wave to define secure guardrails, supporting investigations and incident response
• Work with our IT Team to fix any non-conformities found during audits by central banks and ISO certification

Our stack (prior experience is a strong plus, but not required):

• backend: Python 3 (+ mypy)
• API layer: GraphQL
• android frontend: Kotlin/Jetpack
• iOS frontend: Swift/SwiftUI
• web frontend: TypeScript/React
• database: Postgres/CockroachDB
• infrastructure: GCP/Terraform
• orchestration: Kubernetes

Key Details

• This is a fully remote role. Candidates must be based in one of our talent hub countries (UK, Spain, Kenya and Ghana) or in one of our operating markets in Africa including Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, or Burkina Faso.
• Wave provides a yearly $1,200 stipend to support coworking meetups with teammates.
• Remote team members are expected to travel to our operational markets (e.g. Senegal or Côte d'Ivoire) at least once a year. Exceptions apply, but we’ve found this key to understanding our users and product.
• Our salaries are competitive and are calculated using a transparent formula. For this role, depending on your level and location, we offer a salary of up to $227,900 USD, plus a generous equity package.
• Major benefits:
  • Subsidized health insurance for you and your dependents and retirement contributions (both vary from country to country).
  • 6 months of fully paid parental leave and subsidized fertility assistance.
  • Flexible vacation, with most folks taking between 21-30 days exclusive of statutory holidays.
  • $10,000 annual charitable donation matching.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience with a minimum of 2 years of it spent in a security-related role.
• Strong Experience with Python.
• Fluent English.

You might be a good fit if you

• Are excited about finding the right balance between security and velocity. 
• Push through hard problems without giving up.
• Have experience remediating non-conformities.
• Enjoy helping other engineers understand and implement secure patterns.
• Are not afraid to take on complicated systems.
• Are excited to work on lots of different security-related work, from audits to code refactors. 
• Work to make things easier for the next engineer who will touch your code.
• Always try to improve as a programmer and colleague.
• Are interested in security-focused source code review and penetration testing.
• Have an interest in growing and mentoring a team.

About engineering at Wave

We care about the big picture. We don’t hire engineers to just ship tickets. We hire them to solve problems. That means caring deeply about outcomes, understanding context, and jumping in wherever something’s broken, even if it’s technically “not your area.” When we see problems, inefficiencies, or opportunities to make something better, we act. We dig into operational issues, clarify fuzzy product specs, or step into unfamiliar code to help unblock teammates.

We move as fast as possible. Speed matters. It lets us try things quickly, get feedback early, and course-correct while it’s cheap. So we write small PRs. We aim for MVPs. We leave TODOs and file follow-ups. We don’t over-perfect v1. That said, we’re building a financial product. Some things—like money movement, correctness, or security—deserve more caution.

We like boring technology. We favor tools that are reliable, well-understood, and easy to debug. This keeps us focused on solving meaningful problems instead of wrestling with unpredictable infrastructure. If a new technology helps us move faster, build safer, or solve a real need, we’ll consider it. But we don’t adopt tools just because they’re new—we adopt them because they’re right.

Simplicity is a strategy. It lets us focus our energy where it matters most: serving our users.

#LI-DH1 #LI-REMOTE

We're looking to engage a Marketing Analyst (Ghana) to build and execute localized marketing strategies that drive growth across the region. You'll work cross-functionally, analyze market trends, and leverage multiple channels to grow brand visibility and customer engagement.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Localized Marketing & CRM: Own the strategy and content for localized marketing and CRM campaigns, partnering with the global CRM team on execution and delivery.
• Brand Alignment: Work closely with the global marketing team to ensure regional efforts align with overall brand messaging.
• Social Media & Community: Manage local social channels (X, TikTok) and community platforms (Telegram) creating culturally relevant content.
• User Acquisition: Drive growth through partnerships, integrated campaigns, and community initiatives.
• Content Marketing: Lead local content efforts in collaboration with the global team.
• Integrate Campaign Management: Track campaign performance, analyze data, and optimize for ROI.
• Influencers & Partnerships: Engage key influencers, crypto communities, and strategic partners to amplify brand presence.
• Events & Activations: Plan and execute local events, AMAs, and promotional campaigns.
• Regulatory Compliance: Work with the Operations and Compliance Lead to ensure all marketing materials meet Nigerian regulatory requirements.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• Bachelor's degree
• 3+ years in digital marketing, strategic communications, PR, or brand management - preferably in crypto, fintech, or tech
• Proven multi-channel campaign management experience (agency or client-side)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a talent for compelling storytelling
• Experience across traditional and digital media, including social platforms
• Excellent organizational skills; comfortable in fast-paced environments

COMPENSATION & PERKS

• Competitive compensation with a performance-based bonus
• Opportunity to build and shape institutional client relationships in a high-growth business
• Unlimited vacation policy
• Apple equipment provided
• Hybrid working model
• Work-from-anywhere flexibility aligned with role responsibilities

Role Summary: Group Creative Director (GCD)

The Group Creative Director (GCD) is a strong leader who will manage, inspire, and lead multiple creative teams at various levels. A strong conceptual thinker with a pulse on culture and technology who also demonstrates a thorough understanding of the digital/social landscape. This person also needs to be a great partner to Planning, Strategy, Account and Project Management teams. As well as being an exceptional collaborator with clients actively listening and understanding their true needs but also developing a trusting relationship that allows for the Agency to push for better and more surprising work. As GCD you are expected to understand and contribute to both the visual expression and content of the ideas you put forth.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Creative Vision & Oversight

• Supervise a cross-functional team of multimedia graphic designers, art directors, copywriters, social media experts, photographers/videographers, and project managers in the strategic development of messages and deliverables – as well as external service providers.
• Conduct brainstorming sessions with creative teams, maintaining strategic and creative thinking to develop innovative and actionable creative initiatives in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Review and approve art and copy developed by the team, ensuring deliverables that effectively address marketing goals and challenges.
• Produce fresh, innovative work that translates complex ideas into compelling content and experiences for visually sophisticated audiences.
• Present, or oversee presentation of final concepts, and obtain approvals for deliverables.
• Drive the overall quality of the creative product whilst maintaining accountability to client objectives.
• Ensure quality of work is maintained/improved under your leadership.
• Spearhead and manage content strategy for both small-scale and large-scale projects, harnessing strategy, digital and brand design, compelling content, and technology.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide feedback, clear, focused feedback to your creative teams regarding improvements that could be made to the work, the department and the agency.
• Attract top talent and retain best creative and strategic staff.
• Be responsible for your reporting lines and the effective management and the growth of your staff. This includes all HR requirements.
• Champion a culture of creative ambition, motivating teams to pursue work that meets international award standards.
• Disseminate learning to improve the outputs of the agency.
• Promote a culture of “solutions” within the agency.

Client & Project Collaboration

• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Prioritize work and resources across engagements based on short- and long-term needs, establishing production schedules by collaborating with cross-functional teams and production or web departments.
• Work with account teams to understand the clients’ brand and manage projects in a way that will support the delivery of the brand idea.
• Actively support and involve cross-functional team members at the appropriate time to resolve issues, and successfully deliver an excellent product from ideation through to flawless execution.

Industry & Market Acumen

• Possess in-depth knowledge and experience in developing and building brands.
• Ability to keep up to date with industry trends and standards in order to ensure that work is always fresh, world-class and original.
• Ability to be current with the latest trends of technology and visual influences across the entertainment and tech industries.
• Keep up to date with consumer engagement technologies and utility.
• Fast thinker: The Group Creative Director must be able to think fast, particularly during critical or stressful times and keep the team aligned and on track.
• He/she must have the ability to work independently and should be a self-starter.
• Good knowledge of required ecommerce best practices.
• Analyze campaign results and identifying opportunities for clear and motivating creative strategies.
• Analyze brand tracking, market trends, consumer need, and the competitive landscape to drive relevant creative product excellence.

Awards & Agency Reputation

• Lead the development of compelling creative award cases, ensuring that the agency’s best work is strategically positioned for regional and global recognition.
• Oversee the end-to-end process of awards entries, from identifying eligible work to crafting persuasive submissions and managing deadlines.
• Collaborate with creative and account teams to ensure that award-worthy ideas are nurtured from inception through execution.
• Maintain a repository of case studies and supporting materials to streamline future award submissions.
• Collaborate across the agency to help all aspects of our business thrive.
• Build the agency’s reputation both externally and internally.
• Concern yourself with the wellbeing of the agency’s culture, people and clients. Lead by example.
• Devise an award drive to produce better proactive work and ensure that this drive is efficiently run to create communication or utility “solutions”.
• Set and monitor KPIs related to awards entries and wins, making creative recognition a core measure of success for the department.
• Regularly review industry award calendars and proactively identify opportunities for the agency to participate and excel.
• Share learnings from award juries and past entries to continuously raise the standard of creative output across the agency.
• Represent the agency at key industry events, award shows, and juries, building relationships that enhance the agency’s profile and influence.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Number of award entries submitted annually (with targets for regional and global shows).
• Number of shortlists and wins achieved per year.
• Quality and impact of award case submissions, as measured by jury feedback or benchmarking against industry best practice.

Professional, Technical Skill and Previous Experience Required

Skills

• Strong creative vision with an understanding of business objectives for clients and the agency.
• Highly skilled with leading a team of creative talent.
• Exceptional layout, typography composition, and production skills.
• Good communication, negotiations, and presentations skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to make use of market research to influence strategic marketing and advertisements.
• Strong ability to multi-task.
• Great in digital and video disciplines.

Experience

• 10 years of related experience with 5+ years of creative direction in an agency.
• Prior experience with copywriting, design, or production.
• Prior project management experience, with a focus on creative direction.
• Understanding and past experience creating integrated content across all marketing channels including broadcast, digital, social media, paid media, mobile, print, outdoor, in-store and experiential.
• Proven experience with concept development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in digital design or writing (or a portfolio that shows competent skills).

Ogilvy Africa: Company Overview

Ogilvy Africa is the largest network agency on the continent catering to 40 countries with a team of ~900 people across Central, East and West Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi - Kenya, Ogilvy Africa manages a portfolio of over 100 brands for clients such as AB Inbev, Airtel, Africa CDC, Bill & Melinda Gates, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Distell, Equity Bank, Exxon Mobil, Kenya Airways, Mastercard Foundation, Mondelez, NCBA, Nestle, Philips, PWC, SAB Miller, Sanlam, Standard Chartered, Total, Tullow, UNICEF, Unilever, Visa, Vodafone and WWF amongst others.

We offer services across the full spectrum of marketing domains including advertising (on and offline), Customer Engagement & Commerce, Digital Transformation, Shopper Marketing, Media, PR & Influence; all under one unified setup. We’ve also created proprietary marketing products in areas such as real-time marketing, social intelligence, virtual experiences, influencer management, e-commerce enablement and content hubs. Our unique operating model, One Ogilvy, allows clients and brands to cut the complexity of agency structures and create seamless omni-channel experiences for their consumers, across touchpoints. Fuelled by the holy trinity of content, data and technology; Ogilvy Africa strives to be the best-practice agency model, for Developing & Emerging markets.

In our 20+ years in Africa, we have won the highest number of regional and global awards for the region including Cannes Lions, Clio awards, Dubai Lynx Festival, SABRE Awards (Global and Africa); to name a few.

Ogilvy is a leading global creative network of WPP. Launched by David Ogilvy over 70 years ago, it’s referred-to as the Agency of Giants, by several industry experts.

Ogilvy Africa Beliefs

• People need regular OS upgrades: Even the best OS will be obsolete tomorrow unless its constantly upgraded. Same is true for people.
• We need more cows than milk men: We are a culture of practitioners, not managers. We contribute before we comment.
• Creative about creativity: Creativity is, and will always be, our differentiator. Creativity now includes holy trinity of Data -Content -Tech.
• Diversity is a competitive advantage: New profiles, new skills, new styles of leadership make us a stronger company.
• Collaborative advantage > Competitive advantage: Find partners who are on top of their game at the skillset we need. It’s the only way to scale at the speed without pretending to have all the answers.
• Team > Individual: You get a lot more done when everyone stops worrying about who gets credit at the end. Teams Succeed; individuals fail.
• Fail often, fail fast: We see entrepreneurs in all our people and encourage a culture of pilots. Test, succeed and scale; or fail-fast learn, learn from the failure, and start something new.