USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Vacancy for Private Sector Partnerships and Investment Director

Base of Operations: Kathmandu, Nepal

Position reports to: Chief of Party (CoP)

USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will conserve nature, enhance human well-being, and safeguard Nepal’s biodiversity to improve the health of ecosystems, fight environmental crime, and improve the ability of communities to prepare for and adapt to impacts caused by climate change and natural disasters. USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will achieve measurable conservation targets within the biodiversity-rich, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems in and around the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Kailash Sacred Landscape, Terai Arc Landscape, and the proposed Karnali Conservation Landscape while increasing resilience to climate change and contributing to the inclusive and sustainable development of the Nepali people. To accomplish this, USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will implement activities aligned with three mutually interrelated and reinforcing objectives: Improve the health of ecosystems (Objective 1), Strengthen environmental crime control and natural resource safeguards (Objective 2), and enhance the climate resilience of natural and human systems, including catalyzing $8 million of climate adaptation finance (Objective 3).

1.     Objectives of the assignment

The Private Sector Partnerships and Investment (PSPI) Director will assist the CoP to implement a subset of technical activities in the USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Action Plan and Annual Work Plan in an efficient and compliant manner, with a particular focus on private sector engagement, partnership development and securing climate finance investment activities. The Director will help develop engagement strategies, update, and execute work plan activities, serve as a relationship manager to key private sector stakeholders, including both business organizations and financial institutions, provide support for developing SOWs for technical support as necessary, and other core tasks as needed and related to successful engagement of the private sector and investors. The PSPI Director will lead the PSE Team, which is composed of Kathmandu-based PSE Specialists and regional Enterprise Development Officers. The Director will closely coordinate with the DCOP, Regional Landscape Leads, the Senior Grants Manager, the M&E Manager, and external expert advisors. They will be responsible to ensure that activities demonstrate measurable impact towards achieving the high-level project goals (i.e. investment leveraged, jobs created, etc.). The Director will also provide ongoing Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) for technical reports and communications products, ensuring clarity of messages, program contributions, and impacts that result from program activities which involve the private sector and investment partners. 

2.     Tasks & Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical lead for activities related to developing and managing partnerships with the private sector; this includes managing strategic relationships with key counterparts such as business associations (i.e., Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Nepal Banking Association) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (i.e., Development Finance Corporation (DFC), International Finance Corporation (IFC), private sector investors (i.e., Karnali Conservation Trust), commercial banks, large multinationals (i.e. Unilever), and investor platforms (i.e. Invest for Impact Nepal).

• Advance activities to secure climate adaptation finance, including developing necessary partnerships with both private sector, government, and other key stakeholders, crafting project proposals to meet investment criteria, and managing process for securing climate adaptation finance.

• Work closely with the CoP and grants team to develop innovative use of project grant mechanism to reduce investment risks.

• Assess, identify and support private sector engagement and investment models which can be advanced and/or replicated by subcontractors. 

• Support and coordinate with USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) PSE Specialists and landscape teams for engagement with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises MSMEs/SMEs as part of broader investment potential for commercial and private investors.  

• Oversee USAID Biodiversity’s (Jal Jangal) activities to expand and replicate successful Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) models.

• Package and present complex technical activities related to climate finance to Jal Jangal management, USAID, the Nepali government, and other key stakeholders in a clear, concise, and actionable manner.

• Develop work plan activities, technical scopes of work, activity budgets, and provide ongoing feedback to USAID Biodiversity’s (Jal Jangal) consultants, subcontractors, and grantees as appropriate and required by the CoP.

• Contribute to ‘telling the story’ Of USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) private sector and climate finance activities by working with the communications team to develop both written case studies as well as explainer videos that highlight climate adaptation finance activities and opportunities.

• Work with PSE Specialists and with the M&E team to ensure ongoing data collection, monitoring, and evaluation of private sector activities to enable the USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) team to measure and communicate impact. 

• Lead by example in adherence to DAI's high ethical standards and ensure high compliance, contributing to a positive work environment.

• The Director will report to the CoP and supervise the PSE Specialists and Enterprise Development Officers.

3.    Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field required; advanced degree preferred.

• Relevant professional experience in access to finance and/or investment required with a minimum of 3 years of experience in climate finance preferably with international donor-funded organization. For a candidate with a master’s, 13 years of professional work experience is required. For a candidate with a bachelor’s, 15 years of relevant technical experience is required. (Subtract one year of relevant experience—12 years with MA or 14 years with BA—for persons of excluded groups)

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple concurrent tasks.

• Ability to take initiative, problem solve, implement (and improve as needed) systems for management and monitoring of activities.

• Excellent communications/presentation and personnel management skills and ability to relate to people at all levels of an organization and of various cultural backgrounds.

• Demonstrated ability to lead professional conversations and develop partnership opportunities with private sector stakeholders, including banks, investors, and corporations.

• Fluency in Nepali and English (reading and writing) is required.

Application link

https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/lxkveno0pw/index

Application instructions:

Please select the position and location for which you are interested in applying for, fill out the required information and upload your CV. Only shortlisted applicants will receive notifications on the next steps.

Interested candidates should submit their application no later than June 5, 2024. 

Women and persons from excluded groups are encouraged to apply.

Consistent with DAI’s commitment to attracting and retaining staff from all races, ethnicities, castes, and backgrounds, DAI may adjust eligibility requirements to allow for applicants from excluded groups.  In these cases, the Scope of Work and vacancy announcement will indicate the minimum requirements according to the Country Compensation Plan as well as the revised minimum requirements for applicants representing an excluded group. DAI promotes workforce diversity and in Nepal, DAI considers excluded groups to be women, Dalits, indigenous, ethnic minority groups, Madhesi, Muslims, persons with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and sexual and gender minorities.