Senior Director, Nature Fund Advisory 

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 - This position is based in Arlington-VA, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Belgium, United Kingdom (remote) or Germany (remote). This role offers remote or hybrid work flexibility.

Amid growing consensus that the protection, restoration, and improved management of ecosystems can provide at least 30% of the climate mitigation needed to limit warming to 1.5 °C, Conservation International (CI) has set ambitious targets to realize the potential of these Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). A key mechanism for unlocking this potential is driving investments to NCS projects that generate meaningful climate impact and financial returns, including improved forest management of working natural and plantation forests (climate-smart forestry; CSF), among other NCS types.

The Nature Fund Advisory team acts as impact advisors to private and public investors looking to deploy return-seeking capital into NCS projects in ways that deliver tangible climate, community, and ecological outcomes. The team works to establish ESG and impact criteria for these investment vehicles, conducts due diligence on potential investments, and carries out annual impact monitoring for our client partners.

The Senior Director leads a technical team that identifies, designs, and diligence third-party projects globally for compliance against climate, biodiversity, social, financial, and governance safeguards. They directly supervise highly technical staff and lead a broader NCS Impact Advisory Technical team with expertise in carbon, implementation, safeguards, conservation finance, and other disciplines.

To be successful, the Senior Director needs extensive knowledge and experience in forestry (both plantation and natural forest management), climate change, carbon markets, social safeguards, and natural resource management, as well as experience with the processes of conservation finance. The Senior Director must work productively with external private sector, government, and civil society partners. They must be able to articulate an actionable plan for developing, diligencing, and monitoring performance of an investable pipeline of high-quality NCS projects at scale, including both new and existing projects. They must be comfortable sharing and driving that vision with Conservation International staff and leadership, in high-level forums, with potential funding partners, and with the implementing programs and partners to drive ongoing buy-in, resourcing, and execution. The role will require a breadth of skills across various topics, including business management, project management, finance, timberland investment, carbon crediting practices and methodologies, science, policy, markets, and technology.

The Senior Director reports to the Senior Vice President, Nature Fund Advisory within the Nature Finance Group, and works closely with colleagues in the Moore Center of Science, and with field programs across CI geographies as well as other relevant Conservation International partners.

The Senior Director provides strategic and programmatic leadership for all technical aspects of nature-based solutions impact advisory at CI. They are responsible for senior-level program management and ensuring that program strategies, initiatives, and outcomes advance Conservation International’s (CI’s) human development and conservation priorities. The Senior Director provides broad programmatic, project, monitoring, and technical oversight and continuously engages key internal and external partners critical to program success. They ensure compliance with CI policies, program, and funding agreements, and local requirements.

They continuously represent CI, manage key relationships with outside partners, and leverage alliances to engage and influence key external stakeholders, including government and NGO officials, as well as other parties that are critical to program success.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead cross-divisional technical team to deliver impact advisory on NCS investments with partners and third-party fund managers

CI, with private (and non-profit) partners, has developed and closed on a series of funds focused on NCS and aimed at investing in high-quality forestry & ecosystem assets as well as asset managers developing innovative NCS strategies globally. CI’s role varies among funds but spans activities including fund investment criteria establishment, project diligence, project planning, and annual monitoring. CI diligence or oversees the diligence of managers and projects with the potential to apply new NCS strategies in important ecosystems worldwide.

The Senior Director is a critical part of our impact advisory technical delivery team. Working alongside another Senior Director, their specific responsibilities include the following:

• Coordinate and project manage a cross-divisional team with expertise in NCS, ESG (environmental, social, governance), carbon, monitoring, finance, and other relevant skills to achieve desired outcomes.
• Oversee the delivery of high-quality due diligence results and related investment memos in coordination with partners.
• Define functional processes, protocols, and formats, and continually iterate fund- and project-level best practices, to ensure robust due diligence and underwriting that results in an accurate understanding of the risks and opportunities presented by diverse investment opportunities, and promotes CI’s objectives of driving resources to high-quality NCS with speed and scale.
• Provide investment recommendations to CI’s investment committee representative, in cases where CI participates in fund governance.
• Develop program strategies, objectives, work plans, and performance metrics.
• Monitor, measure, interpret, and share results on a regular basis.
• Develop a cadre of qualified third-party professionals with the appropriate, field-tested experience to conduct accurate due diligence on innovative forest management systems in challenging contexts worldwide.
• Directly oversee and ensure program compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements.
• Articulate needs for technical capacity and manage, resource, and recruit the team as necessary to achieve desired outcomes.
• Position CI as a recognized and sought-after subject-matter expert.
• Hold conferences and learning events to share CI’s expertise, best practices, and amplify success with key audiences.
• Serve as a trusted and visible point of contact for CI.
• Champion opportunities for program and staff growth and development.

Support fundraising and external engagement

The Senior Director engages in and contributes to CI's fundraising efforts to support the full implementation of CI's impact advising strategy, communicates with strategic private sector partners, and links NCS projects with external partners. Specific responsibilities include the following, all working with and in support of the VP, Nature Fund Advisory, who leads on fundraising:

• Support the development of major public (GEF, GCF) fundraising proposals and advise on public funding programs with substantial return-seeking NBS project components.
• Provide strategic thought leadership, including engagement at international forums, engagement with government, and serving as an external spokesperson for CI.
• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with key external partners, including NGOs, local communities, and private developers; identify and engage a network of forestry and agricultural companies, technical partners, and local and international NGOs; facilitate monitoring and verification, high-quality technical standards, and appropriate community engagement and other safeguards that contribute to a robust NCS investment framework.

People and Resource Management Responsibilities

• Directly supervise program and project staff, including overseeing the work of external partners.
• Manage proposals and budgets, and ensure that activities performed by team staff are compensated in budgets with funds and partners.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and CI policies.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This is a full-time position
• Local and/or international travel of 30% or more, often to remote locations and in difficult travel and working conditions.
• Flexibility in work schedule required to accommodate time-zone differences between the Arlington, VA office, and international field offices located in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.
• Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in forestry, ecosystem management, environmental science, or another relevant field.
• 10 or more years of professional experience, including program and project management experience, and 5 or more years supervising multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of forestry and other nature-based climate solutions.
• Experience with sustainability and environmental programs and certification standards that address carbon, energy, water, biodiversity, social, and sustainable forest management, e.g., Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC), Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard, Climate Community and Biodiversity (CCB).
• Demonstrated experience with carbon standards for ARR and REDD+ projects, e.g., VCS, Goldstandard, Art Trees.
• Knowledge of international climate mitigation policies and programs, e.g. Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• Expertise and understanding of proper management of greenfield and brownfield forestry and other NCS investments.
• Evidence of a focus on collaboration and a strong network of individuals and institutions in NCS and forestry, including experience in convening and coordinating a broad range of individuals.
• Experience with social and environmental safeguards and their application in the forestry sector.
• Demonstrated track record of working effectively with multicultural, multidisciplinary teams to produce concrete results, including a strong capacity to navigate diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges and opportunities.
• Ability to build and maintain strong and positive relationships across the organization.
• Ability to manage and organize multiple projects with competing priorities and different timelines.
• Excellent oral and written skills in English.
• Superb technical and analytical skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, commitment to delivering products to exacting quality standards, organization, and time management skills.
• Proven leadership skills and success in effectively inspiring and engaging diverse work groups in a multicultural environment.
• Proven ability to multitask, meet priorities, and work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities with limited supervision.
• Clear understanding of when and how to involve leadership and other programs to resolve challenges and achieve results.

Preferred

• Graduate degree
• Ability to communicate in any one of the following: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Bahasa, or Mandarin.

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

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.