Senior Advisor Financing Green

Do you want to work together with inspired colleagues to create a world in which nature and people thrive? And help build a ‘nature positive’ impact in biodiverse priority landscapes around the world by unlocking finance for nature and people? That is what you will do when you work within the Green Finance Team of WWF Netherlands (WWF-NL).

WWF-NL is a professional and dynamic organisation with an informal working culture based in Zeist, the Netherlands. The organisation consists of four departments: Conservation, Engagement, Organization & Talent Development and Finance & Operations. The Green Finance team within the Conservation department at WWF-NL is looking for a Senior Advisor Financing Green.

This position will report to the Head of System Drivers & Solutions.

Green Finance Team

The Green Finance Team in WWF-NL aims to drive a meaningful shift in finance to achieve WWF’s conservation goals and Global Goals on climate, nature and development. This involves greening finance to reduce investment in activities which drive climate change and nature loss, and scaling sustainable finance as a key enabler that accelerates WWF’s overall conservation mission. WWF-NL is uniquely positioned to work with governments, key financial organizations, global initiatives and many different stakeholders as the world moves from commitments to action. WWF will seek to catalyze implementation and provide expertise to mobilize sustainable financing and to help close climate and biodiversity funding gaps.

To achieve our mission, the Green Finance team has two main pillars:

1. Financing Green: This pillar works on accelerating finance mobilization from all sources to scale private sector action and to support the closing of funding gaps, including by embedding finance in our conservation work on the ground.
2. Greening Finance: This pillar works on influencing global, regional and national financial systems to align with and enable the delivery of WWF’s conservation goals.

The role of Senior Advisor Financing Green

As Senior Advisor Financing Green, you play a central role in scaling WWF NL’s impact by mobilising finance for nature and climate. You lead and shape the Financing Green pillar across the organisation, with a clear focus on two complementary angles. On the one hand, accelerating finance for priority landscapes where WWF works, supporting long term conservation outcomes at scale. On the other hand, advancing green financial solutions that mobilise capital towards nature positive companies, projects, and programmes. Working at the intersection of conservation impact, financial innovation, and strategic partnerships, you help accelerate nature positive investments and position WWF NL as a trusted and influential partner in the green and impact finance space.

Responsibilities

• Act as technical expert to identify, develop and/or support opportunities around various green finance instruments such as blended finance facilities, Bankable Nature Solutions (BNS), Green / blue / species bonds, carbon financing, Project Finance for Permanence (PFPs), and guarantee facilities.
• Build organisational capacity and develop programmes and proposals that involve Green Finance together with WWF-NL's Food, Nature Based Solutions and Biomes teams, as well as other WWF offices.
• Develop and strengthen the Green Finance strategy together with senior colleagues, build shared strategic understanding and alignment. Identify priority areas where Financing Green and Greening Finance opportunities can be developed in synergy, including within WWF-NLs transformational partnerships with key Dutch financial institutions.
• Integrate Financing Green leverage opportunities in the development and implementation of the new 2030 WWF-NL strategy. Ensure that WWF-NL remains a network leader within the Financing Green space, liaise with the WWF network and the Finance Practice.
• Support the investable or bankable project identification, due diligence, derisking and investor matchmaking activities, and provide the various program managers with technical expertise to achieve their outcomes.
• Represent WWF-NL in the WWF Bankable Nature Solutions network that brings together all the financing green programs of the WWF network, and manage the BNS Network Coordinator who is based in the Netherlands.
• Continue to build and maintain a network of organisations relevant to delivering on our Financing Green strategy. Grow WWF's external recognition and position WWF-NL as a strong partner.

Who are you?

We are looking for someone who brings a combination of green finance expertise and project management experience.

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelors or Master’s degree in the field of Economics, Finance or Business.
• Minimum of 7 years experience in business development, sustainable economic development, landscape finance, conservation finance, project and/or corporate finance and/or impact investment.
• Strong financial and budgeting experience.
• Fluent in English.
• Preferably experience with (development) financial institutions, building bankable or investible pipelines and/or market-based mechanisms for conservation.

Desired Skills and Competencies

• Analytical, strategic; sees the big picture.
• Experience working in the Global South.
• Proven organizational, diplomatic and negotiating skills that yield positive results on the sustainability agenda, especially as it relates to the finance and business world.
• Strong ability to lead the development or implementation of large-sized initiatives, including working with and coordinating funding partners, third parties and users.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member with a wide range of individuals across cultures and time zones and ability to develop strong relationships with stakeholders and partners.
• Independent worker, pro-active in thinking about opportunities to further improve the work.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Strong interest in nature conservation and the mission of WWF.
• Prior experience in assessing financial institutions and climate risks would be an advantage.

What do we offer?

• You will be able to work in a sustainable office surrounded by nature.
• Fun colleagues and the chance to build up an international network.
• Vegetarian lunches in our canteen and free after work drinks every other Thursday.
• An employment contract of 32-40 hours. Initially, a fixed-term employment contract of one year with a one-month probation period will be offered.
• Staff receive a personal budget that is made up of 8% holiday allowance and 2,08% flexible budget, and receive 6 weeks of holiday per year (based on a 40-hour contract).
• We stimulate flexible working arrangements, the use of public transport and bike for work related travel. Employees receive an NS Business Card for 2nd class travel to and from work.
• We also have a hybrid working model, so staff can alternate working from home and from the office.

Please note that in order to work for WWF-NL, you need a valid work permit.

We consider the safety and protection of our colleagues as important. The successful candidate is therefore required to complete an integrity statement and supply a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag). We may also ask for references.