Sustainable Investment for Climate and Nature Lead
Bonn
- Organization: CIFOR - Center for International Forestry Research
- Location: Bonn
- Grade: Senior level - Senior
-
Occupational Groups:
- Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
- Banking and Finance
- Environment
- Meteorology, Geology and Geography
- Climate Change
- Managerial positions
- Impact investing, Social venture capital
- Closing Date: 2025-08-07
Reference number: 100106
Job status: In-progress
Job category: Global Position
Duty station: Bonn, Germany
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CIFOR-ICRAF
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) envision a more equitable world where trees in all landscapes, from drylands to the humid tropics, enhance the environment and well-being for all. CIFOR and ICRAF are non-profit science institutions that build and apply evidence to today’s most pressing challenges, including energy insecurity and the climate and biodiversity crises. Over a combined total of 65 years, we have built vast knowledge on forests and trees outside of forests in agricultural landscapes (agroforestry). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we seek to improve lives and to protect and restore ecosystems. Our work focuses on innovative research, partnering for impact, and engaging with stakeholders on policies and practices to benefit people and the planet. Founded in 1993 and 1978, CIFOR and ICRAF are members of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.
Sustainable Investment for Climate and Nature Lead
Overview
The primary responsibility of the Sustainable Investment for Climate and Nature Lead is to shape CIFOR-ICRAF’s transition from research to implementation by driving investment partnerships and scalable finance solutions.Duties and responsibilities
·Designing
and steering the sustainable investment research and delivery agenda in line
with our renewed strategy.
·Providing
strategic leadership and coordination for CIFOR-ICRAF’s work on sustainable climate
and nature finance, bridging science, finance and policy to support investments
into resilient landscapes.
·Aligning
and integrating finance-focused work across CIFOR-ICRAF, GLF and Resilient
Landscapes.
·Developing
and fostering a community of practice focused on innovative climate and nature
finance solutions across CIFOR- ICRAF regions and projects, ensuring quality,
efficiency and effectiveness across the CIFOR-ICRAF portfolio.
·Working closely with the CIFOR-ICRAF
Quality for Impact unit to establish KPIs to track financial performance and
environmental impact of blended finance programmes.
·Contributing
to the organization’s system thinking and delivery by conducting emergent
analysis over a two-year period, identifying key trends and strategic insights
to enhance overall performance.
Blended finance programme
design and implementation
·Developing
financial structures that combine public, private and philanthropic funding to
de-risk investments in sustainable agriculture and forestry.
·Designing
first-loss capital mechanisms, guarantees, concessional finance and
risk-sharing models to attract investors.
·Working
with donors, development banks and impact investors to structure sustainable
finance mechanisms that align with climate, biodiversity and rural development
goals.
·Conducting
financial feasibility assessments to ensure the viability of investment
projects.
·Working
closely with CIFOR-ICRAF teams to design and advise on performance-based
payment options and instruments such as payments for ecosystem services and ecological
compensation.
Stakeholder engagement
and capacity building
·Leveraging
the GLF Investment Case partnerships and networks to cultivate relationships
with financial institutions, development banks, impact investors, philanthropic
actors and government agencies.
·Building
the capacity within CIFOR-ICRAF science teams to translate science and
landscape knowledge into actionable investment insights.
·In
collaboration with the CIFOR-ICRAF Capacity Development and Education Hub and
the GLF Investment Case, identifying community-of-practice activities,
sustainable finance blended learning tools and learning exchanges.
·Overseeing
the development of knowledge products (e.g., investment guides, financial
models, policy briefs) to build awareness across the financial sector (including
MFIs, commercial banks, national development bank(s), etc.) about
nature-related financial risks and opportunities in conservation of primary
forests and the restoration of semi-natural forests at the landscape level.
·Representing CIFOR-ICRAF in
global events, especially the GLF Investment Case and UNFCCC COPs.
Regional innovation and business
development
·Under the
leadership of the Director of Europe, identifying, supporting and pursuing
innovation and new business opportunities.
·Together
with CIFOR-ICRAF country teams, developing opportunities for technical advisory
roles, including feasibility assessments, due diligence, environmental and
social safeguard reviews, concept pilots and business model development.
·Supporting the
design and implementation of innovative regional projects aligned with the
thematic area.
·Collaborating with
the Director of Europe, theme leaders, the Resource Mobilization Team, and regional
and country leads to identify and pursue new business opportunities.
·Aligning thematic
contributions to regional strategic goals and client priorities.
·Participating in
proposal development and donor and client engagement efforts in Europe, with
specific emphasis on agencies based in Brussels, Luxembourg and Germany.
·In collaboration
with the Communications, Outreach and Engagement Team and other research theme
leaders and scientists, ensuring that information about CIFOR-ICRAF and the
outcomes of its work are effectively conveyed to partners and target audiences.
Education, knowledge and experience
•A master’s degree in finance, economics, development finance, sustainable investment, or related field.Terms and conditions
•This is a Globally Recruited Staff (GRS) position. CIFOR?ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in USD currency commensurate with skills and experience.•The duty station will be in Bonn, Germany.
Application process
The application deadline is 07 Aug 2025We will acknowledge all applications, but will contact only short-listed candidates.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.