About the job
The USAID/Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA) Partnerships for Green Investment (PAGI) Activity will accelerate the transition in the land use sector across Southeast Asia to greater emissions reductions, climate resilience, biodiversity protection, inclusiveness, and benefit sharing. The Activity will advance systemic change in agricultural, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) systems in the region to reduce carbon emissions at meaningful scale through inclusive and sustainable approaches, enabling the regional transition to net zero climate-resilient economies. The three objectives of PAGI are to: 1) increase sustainable and scalable investments in low emission land use, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience in AFOLU supply chains; 2) adopt and/or implement credible environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards for low emission, biodiversity conservation, and resilient investments; and 3) enhance inclusive and equitable benefit sharing to local communities and smallholders. Partner countries include Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Senior Green Finance Advisor will oversee Objective 1 and 2 activities to increase sustainable climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity investments across the full spectrum of prospective investors and support the use of credible ESG standards for PAGI-supported investments. In collaboration with the Chief of Party and PAGI technical team members, the Advisor will develop and lead the strategy to mobilize $200 million, including $25 million in benefit-sharing arrangements, in new finance from public, private, philanthropy, and/or blended finance sources to support mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience in the land use sector for PAGI target countries, landscapes, and supply chains.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Provide advisory support to develop Financing Action Plans to identify appropriate finance arrangements in line with project/enterprise/ portfolio needs.
- Lead discussions with multinational corporations (MNCs), financial institutions (FIs) and investors regarding applicable ESG standards and reporting metrics for PAGI supported investments and negotiate for improved standards and metrics as necessary.
- Oversee and coordinate a team of regional and international specialists and short-term technical assistance environmental and social (E&S) experts to support public and private actors in building institutional capacity and operational changes required to conform to credible ESG standards.
- Oversee identification and management of a transaction advisor network that will help PAGI close climate financing in support of sustainable supply chains. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Identifying specific investment support needs.
- Developing scopes of work.
- Supporting procurement and management of service providers and/or consultants to deliver quality services.
- Build capacity of private sector companies, banks, and funds to improve and standardize ESG guidelines, standards, and systems.
- Coordinate with ASEAN Capital Markets Forum, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and/or other leading ESG standard developers to identify opportunities for PAGI to support efforts to widen uptake among financial institutions and MNCs.
- Identify, establish, and nurture investor/financial partnerships to increase the scale of investments in low-emission commodity production and nature-positive practices in select commodity chains to meet PAGI’s goals and objectives.
- Contribute to the development and/or enhancement of innovative finance tools and services accessible to all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs).
- Manage a small team and collaborate with team members and partners to ensure that relevant stakeholders are effectively included in investment plans and projects.
- Contribute to project planning, reporting and communication requirements as directed by the Chief of Party.
- Develop and deliver public presentations and/or client presentations as required.
- QualificatioNS
- Degree in finance, investment, business administration, international development, or related fields. Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum 12 years of diverse experience in the finance industry facilitating transactions, building partnerships, managing investment advisory services, leading or directing Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and/or E&S due diligence audits, overseeing debt management, and/or designing sustainable finance deals.
- Experience in conservation finance, supply chain finance, carbon markets, and/or impact fund management required.
- Demonstrated experience mobilizing public, private, and philanthropic investments, and other private entities operating in the development finance investment space to support mitigation, biodiversity and/or climate resilience.
- Experience in evaluating, applying and/or monitoring environment and social safeguards and standards for investments in the land use sector.
- Demonstrated understanding of internationally accepted and credible ESG standards and frameworks, such as TNFD, Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, ISSB, and Global Reporting Initiative.
- Working knowledge of supply chain finance/biodiversity investment models.
- Experience in international development projects in Asia; Southeast Asia experience preferred.
- Advanced skills in addressing factors that maximize gender and social inclusion including addressing barriers faced by women and disadvantaged communities in being competitive and expanding their businesses.
- Strong writing, analysis, and presentation skills.
- Ability to work in and manage a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
