Climate Finance Specialist

What We Can Achieve Together:The TNC-GCF Climate Finance Specialist provides sophisticated business, financial and economic expertise to address conservation challenges. The TNC-GCF Climate Finance Specialist will support a key strategic initiative within The Nature Conservancy by sourcing, developing, and guiding the structuring of non-grant instruments financed by the Green Climate Fund in support of some of our most ambitious climate and conservation efforts.This role will serve as an important nexus between two TNC programs: NatureVest and our Policy and Public Funding Division. NatureVest is the impact investing and sustainable finance unit of The Nature Conservancy. NatureVest’s vision is a world where financial markets value and integrate natural capital into business and investment decisions as part of creating a sustainable, equitable and more efficient economy. NatureVest is part of TNC’s Impact Finance and Markets (IFM) Division, which also includes TNC’s Corporate Engagement and Carbon Markets teams. The Policy and Public Funding (PPF) team expands what is possible through transformational policies and funding mobilization that achieve equitable climate and conservation outcomes for people and nature at scale.This is a two-year funded position with opportunities for extension based on budget and performance.We're Looking for You:The TNC-GCF Climate Finance Specialist will be instrumental in developing climate change mitigation and adaptation projects using non-grant instruments to meet country priorities, TNC’s 2030 goals and GCF’s objectives. The Nature Conservancy is an Accredited Entity of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which allows TNC to collaborate with developing countries and other partners to design and implement transformative climate adaptation and mitigation projects.The Specialist is primarily responsible for developing the non-grant instrument (NGI) components of GCF project proposals, creating the enabling conditions to successfully deliver GCF projects with NGIs. For the purposes of TNC’s GCF projects, NGIs can include concessional and commercial rate debt and equity, both as direct or intermediated investments, with a primary focus on concessional debt products and risk-mitigation mechanisms.The Specialist reports to the Managing Director, Nature Finance within NatureVest, and works in close collaboration with the lead of TNC’s GCF unit. In addition, they will leverage effective relationships with a wide range of colleagues, including TNC regional and country programs, global strategy teams, senior management and impact investing staff, legal teams, project implementation partners, and the GCF.The Specialist supports the strategic priorities of the TNC-GCF Unit by working with broader TNC teams to originate, scope, and conduct diligence on prospective NGIs and integrating NGIs into idea notes, concept notes and funding proposals. To succeed, the Specialist will need to deeply understand the climate adaptation and mitigation objectives of a given project and then identify opportunities for non-grant sources of revenue to help achieve those objectives.This position will include international travel, calls before/after regular working hours, and occasionally require working long hours and weekends. This is a remote position available to candidates where TNC is a registered NGO and has an established office. Schedule and part of core hours must align with that of the East Coast of the United States.RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPEIf you’re a motivated professional looking for a career where you can find meaning and purpose, come join our team as TNC-GCF Climate Finance Specialist! You will operate with considerable independence, navigate complex political dynamics, and lead project management functions with matrixed teams. This position will allow you to:Develop the non-grant-based components of GCF projects, primarily focused on debt and risk mitigation mechanisms. This includes deal sourcing, drafting of Idea Notes, Concept Notes, applications for Project Preparation Facility funding, and Funding Proposals. It encompasses supporting the development of the feasibility studies, economic and financial analysis, Theory of Change (ToC), safeguards, logical framework, budget and other components of the funding proposal. Hire and oversee consultants contracted to support the project development process.Draft or supervise the drafting of key deal documents, including financial models, term sheets, and lending and on-lending agreements.Advise and build capacity in TNC country programs, government counterparts, and other partners on innovative financing structures for GCF projects, including the funding process and compliance rules. Guide and support potential Executing Entities throughout project development and implementation.Provide project management for NGI development workstreams and lead or support training, capacity building and other workshops, consultations and country visits with relevant