Nature Bonds Strategy Lead

The Nature Bonds program is a priority initiative within The Nature Conservancy that works to generate new funding and new commitments by governments for conservation and nature-based climate action that drive biodiversity conservation resilience nature-compatible employment and sustainable economies such as the recent Ecuador Nature Bond.

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Nature Bonds Strategy Lead oversees the Nature Bonds project portfolio both future projects and the implementation of closed transactions and guides our strategy to secure durable conservation and climate outcomes through sovereign debt solutions. The Strategy Lead provides strategic direction and management for the programs outcomes and establishes the overall conservation priorities aligned with TNCs 2030 Goals. They are responsible for overall program funding resources and budget. The Nature Bonds strategy is co-led meaning it is a close partnership between TNCs Protect NatureVest and Regional teams and is overseen by a multi-division Steering Committee. The Strategy Lead works with workstream leads to identify and resolve internal and external bottlenecks and barriers mitigate risks and identify pathways for adaptive management of individual projects and for the strategy as a whole. They also elevate and address issues as necessary to the Strategys Steering Committee.

The Nature Bonds Strategy Lead supports regional TNC Business Units in closing and implementing a targeted portfolio of prospective projects and an existing portfolio of closed projects by appropriately allocating technical and financial resources across the portfolio to successfully deliver our long-term conservation and nature-based climate outcomes. These outcomes include achieving effective and durable 30x30 protections addressing climate mitigation and adaptation through nature-based solutions and advancing nature and climate outcomes through sustainable bioeconomy initiatives.

The position directly oversees a small and able team of Global Protect staff who support and/or lead the conservation planning and outcomes monitoring and evaluation implementation administration and/or cross-organizational coordination. This team works closely with a much larger disbursed team in local business units and global programs to effectively deliver on the goals and projects under the Nature Bonds strategy.

As such the Lead will need to manage and oversee the strategy in a way that closely collaborates with and leverages the strength of the organization across direct and indirect reporting lines and will act as a leader facilitator and mediator to bring the team together under a shared vision culture and goals. The Strategy Lead demonstrates a proven track record of and commitment to radical collaboration and co-leadership of complex programs. They work in close partnership with their counterpart in NatureVest (TNCs impact finance wing) to advance the Strategy and deliver a successful portfolio and its outcomes for nature. They inspire a One Conservancy culture with leadership and staff from The Nature Conservancys Impact Finance and Markets Division Regional Programs Public Policy and Funding and Protect Provide and Climate programs.

They are responsible for engaging key internal and external partners from cultivating and stewarding donors and engaging with philanthropy teams to elevating strategic communications internally and externally and engaging governments and private sector stakeholders. They also serve as one of the primary points of contact and liaison for The Nature Conservancys involvement with the Debt for Nature Coalition and evaluate how TNC can support the broader partnership portfolio to advance high-quality debt projects to achieve more conservation and climate outcomes through radical collaboration with others.

This position is part of the Global Protect Lands Waters and Oceans Business Unit and reports to the Global Managing Director Global Protect with oversight from the Nature Bonds Strategy Steering Committee comprised of executive leadership from the different units that comprise the Nature Bonds strategy at TNC. The position has deep connections with teams across the Conservancy including our experts from Country Programs and Regional Teams External Affairs Impact Finance and Markets and Climate Change.

The location for this position is flexible within countries where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an already established office. This position is not eligible for relocation or immigration assistance. This position may require frequent travel (30-50%) and evening and weekend hours.

Were Looking for You:

Our Nature Bonds team consists of a dedicated group who are leading the conservation effort on multiple fronts across the globe and who expertly bring strategy and action together. Were looking for an experienced strategy leader and strong manager with conservation and climate experience who wants to make a difference for nature and people around the world.

What Youll Bring:

Desired Qualifications

• Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Masters degree and 12-15 years experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of
• Experience with matrix management empowering and delegating to a large distributed team with direct and indirect lines of authority; demonstrated experience with motivating teams and individuals and adapting to shifting demands.
• Possess strong interpersonal skills and political savvy. Must be a team player.
• Experience designing closing and/or implementing large scale financing for conservation and/or climate. Experience prioritizing and sequencing a portfolio of high-profile conservation projects.
• Experience with strategic (long-term) and operational (short-term) planning based on measurable goals. Ability to track against plan and proactively adapt.
• Experience with purposeful communication with high-level contacts in government environment and finance sectors.
• Experience developing managing and stewarding complex partnerships and collaborative initiatives with non-profit partners Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and/or government agencies.
• Experience working in and with low- and lower-middle-income countries.
• Experience developing and implementing conservation policy and plans.
• Experience with start-up organizations and programs building new teams and/or scaling up programs.
• Knowledge of politics economics rights-based approach and society with respect to environmental policy and initiatives.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet time sensitive deadlines.
• Strong communication skills; communicates clearly via written spoken and graphical means in English and other languages French and/or Spanish highly desirable.
• Experience in linking science policy and practice to achieve tangible conservation and policy outcomes in freshwater terrestrial and/or marine environments.
  

Salary Information: