Regional Conservation Finance Specialist (Full-Time/Part-Time)

Employment Type:                WCS will consider both full-time and part-time options to fill this post.

Reports to:                             WCS Regional Director, Southeast Asian Archipelago (SEAA) and WCS Conservation Solutions Executive Director

Location:                                Singapore

Hiring Package:                      National package

Country Program/Sector:      WCS Southeast Asian Archipelago (SEAA) Region

Internal liaison:                      WCS Regional Director SEAA, WCS Indonesia Deputy Country Director, WCS Conservation Solutions Executive Director, WCS Indonesia Conservation Finance Specialist, WCS Indonesia Marine Leadership.

Expected travel:                     Approximately 20-30%; as required within the region and to donor/technical/business meetings as needed

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

WCS’s Southeast Asian Archipelago (SEAA) region holds globally important expanses of tropical forests, contains three of the world’s megadiverse countries (Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines) and incorporates the Coral Triangle; an area identified as the global epicentre of marine biodiversity.   WCS’s SEAA regional office is based in Singapore, and plays a critical strategic role in leveraging private sector partnerships and collaborations in support of WCS’s conservation activities in the region and globally.

WCS implements a range of marine conservation programs within the region, including the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs) and ecosystem approaches to fisheries management (EAFM), with a focus on small-scale fisheries livelihoods.  WCS actively supports the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF)  providing direct technical assistance on fisheries management, marine protected areas.  WCS supports its marine conservation portfolio  with innovative conservation finance strategies and private sector engagement.

WCS’s regional portfolio of terrestrial conservation projects includes forest and landscape-level conservation, and dedicated programs to tackle wildlife crime and conserve critically endangered species.  WCS works to address key drivers of deforestation by working with governments and communities to develop protected area and forest management frameworks,  and improve policy and enforcement.  We facilitate partnerships with the private sector to help mitigate impacts of forestry and agriculture and generate new funding sources to support conservation.  We are continually innovating in the field of conservation finance to ensure that conservation outcomes are sustainable, and that benefits are shared equitably.

WCS’s Southeast Asian Archipelago regional office is now seeking a dynamic, experienced individual to help implement and grow WCS’s efforts in Conservation Finance across the region and globally.                      

Job Summary:

Based in Singapore, this new position will drive a regional program of conservation finance initiatives and partnerships and work in close coordination with global conservation program (GCP) colleagues.  The incumbent will provide strategic direction and technical assistance to country programs and strategic partners (including the CTI-CFF) in the region.  S/he will work closely with WCS GCP colleagues and implementing partners to ensure the successful delivery of flagship conservation finance projects and pilots.  S/he will also be responsible for devising strategies and actions to strengthen regional capacity for conservation finance, and improve regional coordination. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Devise and manage an annual workplan focused on regional conservation finance initiatives, in partnership with WCS GCP, regional / country programs and strategic partners.
• Work closely with the WCS Indonesia conservation finance specialist - and coordinate the conservation finance partners involved in WCS’s EU/KfW funded regional marine project - to ensure successful delivery of related project activities and outcomes.
• Support the CTI-CFF to build regional capacities for sustainable finance planning and implementation, and deliver an annual business forum and other finance-related events.
• Build WCS SEAA region / country program capacity in sustainable financing approaches.
• Innovate with partners in the finance sector (including banks, finance sector, stock exchanges and commodity supply chains) in order to develop new approaches to conservation financing
• Coordinate the delivery of a portfolio of conservation finance projects in the region including financing assessments, new conservation financing agreements, business planning, capacity building and policy initiatives in support of WCS’s conservation programs
• Develop a portfolio of partnerships with sustainability leaders in the private sector that can drive WCS in-country programs of conservation finance and private sector engagement
• Develop new relationships and strategies to unlock carbon and climate-related finance opportunities (including carbon offsets, REDD, Blue Carbon, PES, and adaptation finance)
• Elevate WCS’s presence in Singapore and the region through participation in events, forums and networks
• Working with country program directors, facilitate engagement with governments in the region to enhance coordination of conservation financing initiatives, and sharing of successful lessons, models and approaches
• Foster and maintain internal dialogue related to conservation finance within WCS (between global, regional and national teams) and contribute to relevant WCS strategies
• Lead and support donor proposals to further advance conservation financing mechanisms.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree in Business, Economics, Law  or a related discipline
• Minimum of five-year experience with the private sector, non-profits or, governments on conservation finance, business planning, investment analyses, carbon offsets, conservation, philanthropy and/or private sector engagement
• A passion for innovation, and working with a mission-driven organisation, with a solid knowledge of conservation challenges in the region.
• High level of comfort working in complex and uncertain environments
• Strong ability to build relationships with relevant national authorities such as conservation agencies, multi-national companies and financial institutions
• Demonstrated capacity to independently establish and drive new programs and initiatives, with clear indicators of success
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a variety of partners and stakeholders, and to complex issues that involve multiple actors and/or interest areas
• Demonstrated strong project management experience (including appropriate software)
• Demonstrated experience developing external communications materials
• Professional proficiency in English, with proficiency in either Bahasa Indonesia an advantage

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by sending an application letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to globalrecruitment@wcs.org OR via WCS main career site at https://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers at the soonest possible time.

We will start our pre-screening by the end of April 2020.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process.

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview.