World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Senior Director, Community Bioeconomy Finance Strategy.

Major Function

Improving the livelihoods of Indigenous people and communities in and around protected and conserved areas, including indigenous territories, is an essential element for delivering equitable, inclusive, and durable conservation results. The Senior Director will develop strategies that promote sustainable use of biodiversity, mobilize private and public, domestic and international biodiversity-related funding to finance nature-based enterprises, including blended finance structures, public-private partnerships, and impact investments.

Strategy

• Designs inclusive, just, and fit-for-purpose access to finance strategies and financing mechanisms for priority landscapes and seascapes.
• Creates capacity building strategies to equip Indigenous Peoples and community organizations to achieve their economic and conservation objectives.

Financial mechanisms execution

• Executes on-the-ground feasibility and enabling conditions assessments, value chain assessments, and financial opportunity mappings.
• Structures financing mechanisms including blended finance, impact investments, public-private partnerships, and other innovative approaches that support Indigenous Peoples and communities’ and country-level conservation strategies.
• Negotiates and closes agreements for financing mechanisms with foreign governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), impact investors, investment banks, multi-lateral organizations, and NGOs.

Advise nature-based enterprises’ incubation and financial sustainability

• Leads co-creation of business models with indigenous peoples and communities.
• Develops financial models, profit and loss, and cashflow statements and projections with limited information.
• Facilitates connection to national and international markets for bioeconomy products and services.
• Provides strategic advice to Indigenous Peoples and community-based organizations to execute their business models, understanding culture and practices and ensuring direct linkages to conservation outcomes.

Partnerships for success

• Develops and nurtures relationships with key external stakeholders including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, foreign governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), impact investors, investment banks, multi-lateral organizations, and NGOs.
• Collaborates and works closely with other WWF teams including relationship managers, human rights and safeguards specialists, place-based program staff, and those working financial instruments.
• Engages and mobilizes private investors and philanthropists to support the program of work.

• At least 12 years relevant experience in development finance, impact investment, project finance and working at the intersection of conservation and community economic development.
• An advanced degree in economic development, finance, economics, or management.
• Technical expertise in micro, small and medium enterprise, or rural business development; microfinance; developing blended finance structures; value chain assessments strongly desired.
• Practical experience with terrestrial and ocean-related nature-based enterprises in developing countries.
• Strong stakeholder and partner relationship management skills, with abilities to engage justly and inclusively with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, NGO partners and government stakeholders.
• Strong facilitation skills, excellent communication skills in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (written and verbal); proficiency in other languages is desirable.
• A creative thinker with problem-solving and positive attitude, including a strong level of emotional intelligence, financial and quantitative skills.
• Ability to work in ambiguous, challenging, and dynamic entrepreneurial contexts and the agility to respond to emerging opportunities.
• Practical hands-on experience in designing and executing human-centered approaches in developing countries with rural and coastal populations with low levels of formal education.
• Strong program management skills including program design, people management, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement
  • Makes conscious effort to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #24027
• Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.