Sustainable Finance Program Director

Company: Conservation International
Location: Arlington
Posted on: November 22, 2022

Job Description:

Sustainable Finance Program Director

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a global challenge. Due to the fluidity of the situation, we periodically reassess our plans to reopen our offices. For the safety of our employees, our approach is tailored to the situation in each of the 30 countries we operate in. Travel is only conducted when absolutely necessary and safe to do so. Hiring managers will provide guidance on flexible work arrangements in accordance with country-specific safety policies.

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sustainable Finance Program Director position will lead CI's work on the investment phase of the Forest Finance Investment Incubator (FFII), a Department of State-funded Cooperative grant agreement. The main responsibility will be supporting the development of a diverse set of potential investments which have already been identified in sustainable climate and Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) business models in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. This will include 1) preparing an inventory of domestic and international resources to facilitate such investments, 2) refining country-specific strategies for facilitating investment, including investment readiness, and 3) facilitating identified/prioritized investment opportunities.

The ideal candidate will possess deep knowledge of a broad range of concessional and commercial investors, have experience in developing investment strategies, will be fluent in fundamental financial analysis techniques using both qualitative and quantitative methods, and will have demonstrated experience supporting the design, execution, and evaluation of financial transactions and models involving the public, private and blended financing in a climate and AFOLU and/or sustainable development context, including carbon markets.

The role will contribute directly toward the design, development, and execution of (a) carbon market and other financing strategies that support an expanded pipeline of Nature-based carbon projects in priority regions; and (b) assisting in the design of novel financial mechanisms that advance conservation and carbon goals under national climate policy towards achieving Paris Agreement commitments, in particular national NDC's.

RESPONSIBILITIES

* Inventory of Potential Domestic and International Resources to Facilitate Investment. Manage the preparation of an inventory of domestic and international resources to facilitate climate and AFOLU investments for Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The inventory will cover potential financing sources, platforms, or initiatives designed to connect funders to project opportunities, investment accelerators and/or incubators, technical assistance facilities, and other relevant initiatives to improve preparedness and/or enabling conditions for investment in the climate and AFOLU sector and use advances from previous FFII project stages as a departing point.
* Targeted Strategies to Facilitate Funding Opportunities and Investment Readiness. Support CI's work with relevant national and subnational government authorities, AFOLU sector stakeholders, and identified resources for facilitating investment, to refine country-specific strategies for facilitating investment, including investment readiness and improving enabling conditions, which are complementary to existing Action Plans and Finance and Investment Plans (FIPs) for each country in consistency with current NDC's.
* Identifying Needs for Specific Funding Opportunities. Manage CI's work with partners and national experts as appropriate, to identify: 1) opportunities for potential investees to share prospective investment summaries in an approved format with potential financing resources; 2) technical assistance needs of potential financing opportunities; 3) potential need to develop, adapt, and/or implement model financial transaction structures, as appropriate, and other related tools, to facilitate investment; and 4) capacity-building needs of public and private sector stakeholders to implement best practices, including carbon-trading approaches.
* Delivery of Technical Assistance. Manage the provision of technical assistance by CI or local licensed and qualified experts to qualifying projects, e.g., to support impact assessments or support investment readiness including the development of carbon project documents.
* Model Financial Transaction Structures. Manage engagement with relevant government officials, prospective funders, and others, as appropriate to develop, adapt, refine, and/or implement model financial transaction structures and other related tools.

Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

WORKING CONDITIONS

* This position is based in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, or United States.
* This position may require domestic and international travel 20% or more of employee time, sometimes in difficult travel conditions.
* For the health and safety of our employees, their families, and our community, all US-based Conservation International staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This mandatory vaccine requirement applies to all staff working remotely, in a hybrid work arrangement, and on-site in CI US offices. CI follows CDC recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. Requests for reasonable accommodations or exceptions related to medical or religious reasons will be considered. Candidates are NOT required to state their COVID-19 vaccine status in their application.
* Expected to be a 15-month assignment.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

Education & Experience:

Combination of education and experience equivalent to an undergraduate degree plus 7 or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in project management, management consulting, business, finance, natural resource economics, or related discipline(s) with a specific concentration in the following areas:

* Project/Program Management. Demonstrated ability to manage and successfully execute programs, projects, initiatives, and workstreams with varying degrees of complexity and at multiple scales. Knowledge and skill in project/program performance assessment, measurement, and reporting.
* Development & Conservation Finance. Fluency in conservation and/or development finance approaches, strategies, and trends relevant across geographies and asset classes. Knowledge of common public and private sector investment structures and mechanisms (e.g. blended financing, credit enhancements, concessional financing tools, etc.) relevant to development financing.
* Business Planning Analysis. Experience in the analysis and evaluation of business plans, including investment and capital budgeting decisions in development finance and/or corporate finance contexts. Demonstrated proficiency in the interpretation and testing of advanced financial models, and other quantitative analytical models using Excel.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

* Leadership & Collaboration. Demonstrated ability to lead, engage and collaborate within highly matrixed, cross-disciplinary, and geographically and culturally diverse teams and/or organizations to achieve shared goals.
* Analytical Skills & Abilities. Strong analytical and conceptual skills, and demonstrated ability to understand, evaluate, and interpret a broad range of economic, financial, scientific, and non-technical information used in economic decision-making. Demonstrated ability to translate complex and ambiguous information into actionable strategies and plans.
* Communication Skills. Superior written, oral and interpersonal communication and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to interpret and communicate complex analytical data and information to technical, and non-technical audiences.

Preferred

* Carbon Finance: Familiarity with verification, certification, and registration standards and methodologies relevant to natural climate solution (NCS) carbon crediting.
* Real Assets; Natural Resource Investment: Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of natural resources and other real asset investment attributes, risk-return characteristics, and market dynamics. Experience with analysis, structuring, and valuation of natural resources and/or other real asset investments.
* Developing Market Contexts: Experience working in emerging, developing market contexts.
* Language Skills: Spanish and/or Portuguese language skills.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: November 30, 2022 (11:49 PM EST)

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Vets/Disabled

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