Conservation Finance Officer at Conservation Alpha

The Conservation Finance Officer will report to and support the Performance Lead and work closely with the broader team. The Conservation Finance Officer may also support Conservation Alpha on a range of other projects as needed. The position will require occasional travel related to each project and to engage with the market during the design of products. The position offers the opportunity for career and skill development dependent upon the competencies and interests of the successful candidate. This position is based remotely, preferably within South Africa or Kenya.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively with the Conservation Alpha team, our partners and clients to perform this role Support the identification and analysis of conservation centred sustainable financing solutions
• Support the structuring and design of fit-for-purpose sustainable financing solutions
• Support the research and design of impact financing mechanisms, including the development of investment strategies, business cases, and investment plans that link ecological outcomes to financial returns
• Support the development of processes to understand the potential impacts and the estimated costs to deliver programmes
• Assist with data collection, analysis, and presentation of financial and conservation metrics
• Work with our network of market partners and subject experts to develop and test impact finance structures, investment strategies and impact measurement approaches.
• Prepare clear, high-quality reports, presentations, and investment briefs
• Support stakeholder engagement processes, including workshops with conservation NGOs, government, investors, and community partners
• Conduct market research into sustainable finance trends, revenue models, and investment opportunities aligned with biodiversity outcomes

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Environmental Finance or related field (Masters preferable but not mandatory)
• 5 years' experience in financial modelling, business analysis, investment planning, and/or due diligence assessments, ideally with exposure to the sustainability or conservation sectors
• Strong analytical and data management skills, with proficiency in Excel (financial modelling) and the ability to interpret and present complex data and technical information concisely
• Experience in writing professional business and/or investment plans and building presentations
• Proven ability to think creatively and generate, research, design and deliver new ideas in a dynamic environment
• The ability to effectively communicate complex financial concepts to a range of technical and non- technical stakeholders, including conservation practitioners, community leaders, investors, market representatives, and colleagues
• Right to work in country of residence

NECESSARY COMPETENCIES

• Experience in the development of impact-based investment strategies preferable
• Strong conservation interest and experience in the conservation sector
• Good knowledge of the sustainable finance sector and market, with a clear understanding of impact investing, biodiversity-based outcomes products (bonds) and blended finance mechanisms
• Understanding and familiarity with the policies and frameworks governing the African conservation finance landscape
• Passion for impactful nature conservation and sustainability
• Experience working with diverse stakeholder groups, across both the conservation and finance sectors
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work effectively within an internal and external team
• Strong project management skills to deliver projects on time and within budget
• Organised, with exceptional attention to detail, especially when working across multiple workstreams
• Self-motivation, capacity to learn new skills, and the ability to work independently