Fresh Jobs at Conservation International

• The Economic Incentives Policy Manager is responsible for managing the financial incentives and taxes Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) under this program. The overarching goal of this four-year investment is to strengthen the financial stability of Africa’s KPAs by mobilizing at least USD $100 million in conservation finance through innovative mechanisms and enabling policy reform. This position will be a member of the Center for Policy and Incentives team and will report to the Africa Regional Policy Lead.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the implementation of the Fiscal Incentives and Tax Technical Assistance Facility, including overseeing and advancing the scoping of targeted policy opportunities and then focusing on securing public policies that will support positive incentives for protected areas.
• Research and synthesize national and subnational laws, regulations, and policies and prepare focused policy assessments of public policies that could deliver sustainable financing for Keyston Protected Areas in Africa.
• Collaborate with a cross divisional team to execute workplans and deliverables for the fiscal taxes and incentives technical assistance facility, ensure integration and complementarity with other technical assistance facilities within the project.
• Develop materials, reports, policy recommendations and other written products that will inform on how to use policies to create new incentives/financial mechanisms to encourage sustainable protected areas and landscape models (e.g. Payment for Ecosystem services for regenerative agriculture, fiscal transfers, tax and other fiscal instruments, transition support, market incentives) and to create new funding opportunities for conservation, in line with Conservation International’s communication and reporting standards.
• Collaborate with other CI experts to conduct desktop estimates of economic potential for policies for creating or shifting economic incentives for sustainable production and sustainable management, in terrestrial protected areas in Africa.
• Provide technical leadership and support to project teams and country offices in advancing, establishing or piloting policies at the national or subnational level that shift incentives and support CI’s objectives which will include providing extensive support to two or more government in engaging with various stakeholders in shaping the policy and legal framework related to fiscal incentives and taxes.
• Support liaison efforts between Conservation International and the governments, ensuring effective communication and collaboration throughout the development and implementation of fiscal incentives and taxes that can contribute to protected areas financing and revenue.
• Facilitate workshops, meetings, and stakeholder consultations as necessary to gather input and foster collaboration fiscal incentives and taxes policy development process, as part of Conservation International's engagement efforts.
• Support donor reporting requirements, including drafting regular progress reports.
• Collaborate with the project team, Africa Field Division, Country Programmes and Center for Policy and Incentives team members to ensure that the objectives of the project work are met and to support the broader mission of Conservation International in conserving nature and securing a sustainable future.

Additional responsibilities

• Contribute to global policy initiatives; provide technical input to cross-divisional projects; support knowledge sharing. as required. 
• People and resource management responsibilities
• This job does not have the authority to allocate resources or approve budget expenditures.
• This job does not manage staff or direct the work of others.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is performed in a typical office environment.  
• Some international travel expected (25%).
• May be asked to work outside of conventional office hours (8am – 5pm).
• This role is a fixed-term assignment.
• Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in economics and at least 4 to 6 years of relevant experience working on policy and incentives.
• Proven record of contributing to the development and execution of applied economic policy or agricultural policies, especially with policies regarding economic incentives.
• Understanding of biodiversity, climate change and environmental topics with demonstrated experience with policy analysis.
• Strong administrative skills with examples of successful logistical and planning efforts in complex settings related to environmental policy projects.
• Courteous, tactful, and a proven ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, conservation organizations, and local communities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks related to policy development and implementation, ensuring that work is completed in a timely and organized manner.
• Has excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong attention to detail, including the ability to thoroughly review and analyze policy documents and reports for accuracy and compliance with global standards.
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team framework, especially in the context of policy development, while building effective working relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Has excellent project management skills and is adept working with a dispersed team.
• Can manage and complete tasks according to provided timeline framework.
• Ability to work well under pressure, multitask, set priorities, and deliver quality results.
• Flexibility to work across many time zones where CI operates.
• Proficiency in database operations, Microsoft Office applications, and relevant software tools used in policy analysis and reporting.

Preferred

• Experience working in a government finance ministry or economic policy think tank with specific focus on Africa.

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• One of the key roles in achieving this effort is the Director of the Protected Area Finance (PAF) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF). This individual will lead the facility which will design, strengthen, and implement long-term, sustainable financing platforms, such as Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) and multi-stakeholder conservation finance deals, to ensure the lasting protection of KPAs. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of protected area finance at scale, working at the intersection of conservation, finance, and policy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct rapid assessments of enabling conditions (policy, funding flows, debt burdens, institutional capacity) to determine readiness of new conservation finance platforms.
• Lead the design and implementation of long-term financing mechanisms, including Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) and multi-stakeholder conservation finance initiatives.
• Evaluate existing conservation finance efforts (e.g., CAFÉ) and identify opportunities for collaboration or scaling.
• Monitor, measure, and report on facility performance, financial flows, and conservation outcomes.
• Identify opportunities for facility innovation and expansion across Africa’s protected area finance landscape.
• Support knowledge sharing and capacity building through CI-supported CTFs (e.g., BIOFUND, Madagascar Biodiversity Fund) and external stakeholder engagements.
• Identify and manage facility risks, working closely with compliance and audit teams.
• Collaborate and align with other program facilities to align with CI’s conservation and organizational priorities.
• Ensure compliance with CI policies, donor agreements, and local regulations.
• Build and manage partnerships with governments, donors, NGOs, peer organizations, and local communities.
• Organize and support workshops, conferences, and learning events to disseminate best practices and lessons learned.
• Support fundraising, proposal development, and donor engagement to ensure financial sustainability.
• Collaborate with Finance to manage budgets and resource allocation.
• Represent CI externally as a visible leader in conservation finance and a trusted partner.
• Perform other related duties as needed

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Local and/or international travel of 50% or more time, often in difficult travel conditions.
• Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
• This position follows a hybrid work structure, working some days from the office and some remotely. Guidance will be shared during the interview process.
• This role will be a 2-year fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin in February 2026 and end in February 2028. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree (Commerce preferred). 
• 7 or more years of related work experience.
• 2 or more years of supervisory experience. 
• Strong program/project management experience
• Financial literacy. Experience in a financial institution preferred.
• Excellent technical and analytical skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Experience supervising others, including multi-disciplinary teams.
• Team player and able to work effectively with diverse workgroups in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A record of success in influencing and partnering with a diverse group of key stakeholders and in raising funds.
• Proven ability to multitask and meet priorities. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required.

Preferred

• Advanced degree
• Experience leading, managing, designing, and implementing long-term finance projects/programs.
• Experience with a large global consulting firm is advantageous.
• Fluency in written and spoken Portuguese.
• Fluency in written and spoken French.

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Conservation International (CI) is optimistic about the potential for nature markets and is seeking to a Director, Nature Markets to support implementation of our strategy and oversee the development and facilitation of nature market opportunities, knowledge generation and policy development with a focus in Africa. Reporting to the Senior Director Nature Markets, this role will support two exciting initiatives:

• Keystone Protected Areas, Africa: an ambitious new initiative launched to close the finance gap for conservation and protected areas across Africa. This will be achieved through distinct technical assistance facilities that will: develop conservation finance capacity, and the conducive enabling environment, at the global, national and Keystone Protected Area (KPA) level (defined by African Parks as “…existing protected areas in Africa that have the potential to collectively make a disproportionately large contribution to biodiversity conservation”); and originate, develop, and execute conservation finance transactions, resulting in financial flows to KPAs.
• Nature Markets Accelerator (NMA): The overarching objective of the NMA is to accelerate high-integrity, equitable nature (credit) markets that deliver new finance and positive, lasting outcomes for nature and its stewards. This will be enabled through 3 core objectives: high-integrity supply-side pilot incubation, demand stimulation through capacity building and transaction facilitation; and market development and scale through shared learning/advocacy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support assessment of nature market opportunities (project and policy related), using agreed criteria and available data sources.
• Provide advisory support in the development of high-integrity nature market project opportunities.
• Support government capacity building, nature market enabling policies.
• Monitor, measure, and report on performance and progress toward agreed milestones.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and alignment with other CI initiatives to amplify impact.
• Identify and manage risks, working closely with compliance and audit teams.
• Collaborate and align with other programs to align with CI’s conservation and organizational priorities.
• Ensure compliance with CI policies, donor agreements, and local regulations.
• Build and manage partnerships with governments, donors, NGOs, peer organizations, and local communities.
• Promote knowledge sharing and capacity building through workshops, conferences, and external stakeholder engagement.
• Support fundraising, proposal development, and donor engagement to ensure financial sustainability.
• Collaborate with Finance to manage budgets and resource allocation.
• Perform other related duties as needed.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Local and/or international travel of 30% or more time, often in difficult travel conditions.
• Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
• This position follows a hybrid work structure, working some days from the office and some remotely. Guidance will be shared during the interview process.
• This role will be a fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin in February 2026 and end in February 2028. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Relevant Bachelor’s Degree.
• 7 or more years of related work experience in Nature (Biodiversity) Markets and/or related area, including Carbon Markets, Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), or Water.
• Strong strategic thinking and financial literacy.
• Experience and understanding of environmental markets and/or carbon crediting methodologies and policy.
• Program/project management experience.
• Excellent technical and analytical skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Team player and able to work effectively with diverse workgroups in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A record of success in influencing and partnering with a diverse group of key stakeholders and in raising funds.
• Proven ability to multitask and meet priorities. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required.

Preferred

• Advanced degree
• Experience with policy formulation.
• Related private sector experience.