Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth? Working with WWF could be your opportunity of a lifetime:
All around the world, people are waking up to the deepening crisis of nature loss. A growing realization that nature is our life-support system. And that nobody will be spared from the impacts of its loss. Here at WWF, we are helping to tackle this enormous global challenge.
Our people come from hugely diverse backgrounds and with a variety of expertise, ranging from HR and finance to advocacy and conservation science. We welcome applications from anyone who believes they can help us create a better future for people and wildlife.
What we do:
We are an independent conservation organization, striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. From individuals and communities to business and government, we are part of a growing coalition calling on world leaders to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. Together, we seek to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable.
For our Country Programme Office in Republic of Congo, we are looking for a dynamic and committed TRIDOM Senior Climate Finance Adviser.
Reports to:
Reports to: TRIDOM Landscape Manager
Supervises: None, consultants when necessary
Location: Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Duration: two (02) years, renewal depending on funding
Mission of the Department:
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the largest independent conservation organizations in the world. An international NGO committed to environmental protection active in almost 100 countries, WWF has operated in the Congo Basin in Central Africa since 1978. In the heart of the Congo Basin, the Tri-National Dja-Odzala-Minkebe (TRIDOM) Landscape covers nearly 10% of the rainforests (178,000 km²) in Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo-Brazzaville, and currently includes 11 protected areas (in total 42,319 km² or 24% of TRIDOM). This is a priority landscape for WWF as it holds the largest elephant population in the Congo Basin and harbors most of the biodiversity typically found in central Africa’s rainforests. TRIDOM is sparsely populated with an estimated 250,000 inhabitants and is highly important for the Baka indigenous people.
Carbon stocks in TRIDOM are very high and part of the Congo peatlands can be found in TRIDOM. The WWF 2030 Vision for the TRIDOM transboundary tropical forest landscape is “to provide a safe home to healthy populations of forest elephants and great apes and a wealth of biodiversity, supported by empowered local communities while contributing to the sustainable economic development aspirations of Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo”.
Key to achieving both the visions is to ensure that financial flows into the landscape support sustainable activities and to generate new finance for achieving conservation goals. There is currently a fast-growing field of funding streams and opportunities for carbon and climate funding for the Congo Basin. WWF is seeking a TRIDOM Senior Climate Finance Adviser to lead the engagement of WWF with these international funding entities to complement the already existing WWF capacity on engagement with national governments and stakeholders.
This position works with the WWF offices in Cameroon, Gabon and ROC. WWF Netherlands will act as key donor while specialized consultancies and wider WWF Network provide technical support. The position will engage WWF partners, investors, donors, financial institutions, agricultural and forest commodity manufacturers and traders, sustainable finance platforms, industry advisory groups, consultants, governments and science-based organizations.
Major Functions:
The TRIDOM senior Climate Finance Adviser will lead the engagement of the TRIDOM Climate Finance team with international funding entities and in collaboration with the TRIDOM Landscape Finance Manager attract large-scale Carbon and Climate investment from public and private sources into the TRIDOM landscape to achieve the core conservation outcomes of the TRIDOM Conservation Plan.
Major duties and responsibilities
The TRIDOM senior Climate Finance adviser will be tasked with delivering on the elements of the TRIDOM Landscape Strategy as follows:
- Support TRIDOM team to capitalize on fast-growing field of funding streams and opportunities for carbon and climate funding and biodiversity crediting for the Congo Basin through training of WWF staff and partners on Carbon and Climate funding.
- Create an overview of Carbon stocks and fluxes in the TRIDOM landscape
- Create an overview of carbon funding and biodiversity crediting certification systems and their compliance with WWF standards and policies
- Liaise with the WWF network on strategies and principles for engaging with Climate and Carbon Finance and biodiversity crediting entities.
- Analyze and keep up-to-date with relevant carbon market standards and methodologies as well as trends in the carbon markets; as well as with emerging standards, methodologies and trends around biodiversity crediting frameworks.
- Analyze opportunities to mobilize private sector impact investments into sustainable commodity production in the TRIDOM area, in line with corresponding certification schemes.
- Analyze opportunities to mobilize private sector grants into the TRIDOM area, in particular as part of corporates’ CSR engagements.
- Identify and help structure concrete opportunities and partnerships to mobilize private sector investments for WWF conservation priorities in TRIDOM through the carbon markets, biodiversity crediting frameworks, impact investments and corporate CSR engagement.
- Establish and maintain a database on potential Carbon and biodiversity investors and entities.
- Support TRIDOM team to capitalize on funding and partnership opportunities through program development.
- Provide advice and mentoring to WWF colleagues in the Congo Basin landscape finance team related to carbon accounting and biodiversity crediting.
- Preparation and production of Project Design Documents and similar project proposal documents, that include choosing an appropriate methodology, and calculating Emission Reductions over the timeline of the individual projects.
- Preparing position documents on carbon policies affecting Congo Basin countries
- Contribute to communications about Carbon and Biodiversity finance in TRIDOM.
- Other tasks as directed by the supervisor.
Required Qualifications, Skills and Competencies:
Required qualifications and experience:
- At least a Master degree or equivalent in natural resource management, Forest, Agriculture or related fields.
- At least 5 years’ experience in climate finance, forest/biodiversity conservation and finance, natural resource management, forest or agriculture sectors. Ideally in Central Africa.
- Skilled communicator (fluent in English and French).
- Ability to analyze and prioritize information and work across disciplines.
- Strong MS Office skills, including Word and Excel.
- Ability to command the confidence of people at all levels of seniority.
- An enthusiastic team player, with experience of collaborative working.
Required Skills and Competencies:
- Economics analysis skills and ideally carbon analysis, climate finance, business plan development etc.
- Proven experience in climate change mitigation project development, financing, implementation and monitoring.
- Proven track record in writing concepts and winning proposals.
- Ability and proven track record in establishing contacts and maintaining relationships with partners and donors.
- interpersonal skills and ability to deal with multiple teams located in multiple locations (virtual teams).
- Proven track record in raising and mobilizing funding.
- Oral and written communication and presentation skills in French and English.
- Excellent negotiation, diplomacy and lobbying skills.
Values & Behaviors:
- Identifies and aligns with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Collaboration, Respect & Integrity.
- Demonstrates WWF behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.
- Act with integrity, responsibility and transparency.
Working Relationships:
Internal - Interacts with WWF staff on a daily basis; Co-ordinates and interacts with WWF-International and other WWF Network staff as appropriate.
External - Interacts as required with partner NGOs, private sector and donors.
This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.
How to apply
How to apply?
Apply through the link:
https://cameroon.panda.org/apply_to_a_job/apply_for_a_job/ .
Deadline for applications: 17th September 2023.
Thank you in advance for your interest in this position. Please note that only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted for follow up.
WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.