B4Life 2.0 Key expert 4: Senior Finance Expert in Biodiversity Finance Modalities

Belgium-Brussels: EU technical facility for biodiversity and ecosystems services (B4Life 2.0)

Position: Key expert 4: Senior Sustainable Finance Expert 
Start of assignment : November /December 2023
Duration: 48 months

Duty station: intervention worldwide, Brussels

Status: Tender

Project Description

The scheduled project consists of setting up and running a Technical Assistance Facility to provide support and expertise in the sector of biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural resources management to EU staff in Headquarters (from

DG INTPA and DG NEAR) and in Delegations, as well as to partner countries, to be called the “EU Technical Facility for biodiversity and ecosystem services” or the “B4life 2.0 Facility”. It will succeed to the former B4Life Facility, which has run from September 2015 to March 2023.

This new facility is part of the European Green Deal Knowledge Hub, which aims at establishing several technical assistance facilities in the different sectors covered by the European Green Deal.
The setting up of these facilities aims at supporting the implementation of the external dimension of the European Green Deal in partner countries, in line with the relevant sectoral strategies and policies and cooperation agenda.

Considering the complexity of the matters at stake, the sound implementation of the external dimension of the Green Deal will depend on the availability of robust knowledge and innovations, and require conducive policies developments, experience-sharing and effective coordination of efforts. This includes dealing with innovative financial products and packages in order to contribute addressing the biodiversity funding gap and harnessing opportunities offered by the European Fund

for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) and the permanent dialogue the EU holds with IFIs and MDBs.

The Green Deal Knowledge Hub will mobilise the best available international expertise in required areas to provide advisory services, knowledge development and sharing, and capacity development to partner countries, EU Delegations and EU services in Headquarters. It will aim at supporting the EU’ contribution to international policy and normative work, as well as supporting the design, management and implementation of EU cooperation programmes at global, regional and country

levels and at all the stages of the project cycle (programming, identification, formulation, implementation and evaluation), through the dissemination of lessons and best practices and the facilitation of coordination and exchange of experiences between actors.
It will also support the implementation of DG INTPA and DG NEAR plans for strategic communication, to increase the visibility of the EU’s external action.

Outputs to be achieved

·       Output 1 (technical backstopping for biodiversity interventions):

This output deals with the volume and quality of interventions focused on the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems services, and the promotion of integrated landscapes approaches as well as innovative approaches in areas rich in biodiversity or where the EU wants to advance the protection, restoration of sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems. It concerns at all stages of the project cycle (identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and programming) though a specific attention should be given to the design of new interventions, to ensure alignment with EU strategies. Through this process attention will also be given to supporting the implementation of the Gender Action Plan of the Convention on Biological Biodiversity5 and promoting a Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), as well as the identification and exploitation of synergies between the biodiversity and climate change agendas

·       Output 2: (biodiversity mainstreaming):

This output deals with the mainstreaming of biodiversity and the promotion of nature positive solutions (nature-based solutions, ecosystem services, etc) in operations that focus on other sectors of intervention, with the objective to enhance their positive contribution to nature (in a “do more good” principle) and at least ensure that they do not generate any negative impact to the ecosystems ("do no harm” principle, in line with article 8 of NDICI regulations).
This will be carried out in close collaboration with the Greening Facility which has the overall responsibility for improving the integration of environment, biodiversity, climate change and Disaster Risk Reduction (EBCD) aspects in EU supported policies, programmes and investments. In this regard, the Greening Facility conducts a systematic screening of all documents submitted for quality review (SSC fiches, Action Documents, etc) and mobilizes the support of other specialized facilities to improve the quality and impact of future interventions according to needs. Efforts will be deployed to ensure that environmental concerns are taken into consideration at the earliest stage possible. 

·                      Output 3: (knowledge and capacity building)

- In close collaboration with other facilities, develop training material and deliver trainings (in person and/or virtual, as per needs) and other capacity development support for EU staff and partners (possible needs include: innovative finance for biodiversity; gender and biodiversity and guidance on sex disaggregated indicators for biodiversity operations; HRBA and biodiversity, including social safeguards and approaches to protecting the rights of IPLCs; linkages between biodiversity/ecosystem services and other development-relevant themes such as economic growth, security and peace-building, governance, biodiversity and climate change action).

- Organize and facilitate meetings for DG INTPA and DG NEAR staff and with selected partners and beneficiaries, for knowledge and experience sharing, stock taking and lessons learning, including on innovative finance with DFIs and relevant stakeholders, including as relevant private sector.

- Manage and animate knowledge sharing networks/community of practice on biodiversity and biodiversity mainstreaming in other (non-green) cooperation sectors, on Capacity4Dev or similar (online knowledge sharing and collaboration platform set up by DG INTPA). Activities foreseen are, among others, preparing blog posts to inform members, animate discussions among members of the groups, comments on events and publications, etc. To be done on a regular basis.

- Produce and make available knowledge products (e.g. technical papers, factsheets, best practices, briefings, case studies, webpages, newsletter articles) based on the outcomes of EU external operations, good practices in the EU or third countries, scientific advancement or technological innovation, for internal use (and incidentally the wider development community);

- In close collaboration with the Greening Facility, follow and contribute to the evolution of the donor community’s reflections and practices on the marking methodology for Rio tracker for biodiversity (in relation with EU Member States, OECD/DAC, etc);

- Carry out a continuous monitoring of relevant information and scientific knowledge generated through other initiatives (funded by other EU instruments or donors) and dissemination within DG INTPA and DG NEAR community of practice (via Capacity4Dev or other knowledge sharing activities).

·                      Output 4: (policy, coherence and visibility):

- Support the preparation of strategies, action plans, briefs or positions papers in support to policy work and policy dialogue related to biodiversity and ecosystems conservation objectives;

- Prepare inputs, events or material to support the EU participation to and visibility at important regional and international workshops and conferences in relation to biodiversity and ecosystems protection;

- In collaboration with INTPA.02 and NEAR A1, design and produce communication materials to showcase the EU’s commitment in support to global biodiversity and ecosystems conservation;

- Develop knowledge sharing products for lessons learning based on the EU experience in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, including mainstreaming of biodiversity and innovative approaches, for the benefit of the wider development community;

- Support coordination and exchange of information between the EU and its Member States, and in particular the shaping and operationalization of the NaturAfrica flagship and other similar joint initiatives in support to biodiversity and ecosystems conservation or sustainable use-

Job description

The Senior Sustainable Finance Expert will be responsible for the delivery of output 1 technical backstopping for biodiversity interventions,
output 3 knowledge and capacity building and 4 policy, coherence and visibility. In particular, the Senior Sustainable Finance Expert will be responsible for monitoring and sharing information on the development of innovative financial products for biodiversity and ecosystems protection, advising the formulation of interventions supporting resource mobilization for biodiversity and ecosystems through innovative schemes, assessing the quality of such proposals. S/he will also contribute to the internal discussions on the development of green finance, as well as exchanges on this topic with EU Members State, Financial Institutions and other relevant Development Partners

Qualifications and skills

·       Master’s degree (or equivalent diploma) in environmental economics, sustainable finance, sustainable development, international finance, business management, or related disciplines; 

·    Fluency (C1 level) in written and spoken English;Fluency (C1 level) in written and spoken English;

·       Good understanding of French (B2 level at minimum);

·       Additional knowledge of Spanish (B2 level at minimum) would be an asset.

General professional experience

·       At least 5 years of professional experience, in project management consultancies in the context of development cooperation. An experience covering all steps of the project cycle (i.e. programming, identification, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation) and a diversity of aid delivery modalities (project, budget support, blending, etc) would be an asset.

Specific professional experience

·       At least 3 years of professional experience in structuring of biodiversity-related financial products (bonds, loans or equity), identification and development of pipelines of biodiversity-positive investments, or advisory services for biodiversity-related financial mechanisms (conservation trust funds, debt-for-nature-swaps, biodiversity-positive carbon credits, biodiversity compensation schemes) in or for developing countries;

·       Experience in participatory and consultative processes, including interacting with governments, the financial and private sectors, facilitating workshops, stakeholder consultations, and policy reform processes.

·       A previous professional experience with EU development cooperation is an asset.

Application

Interested candidates should send their CV by email to Ms Heike Mainusch Mainusch@gfa-group.de until 19. July 2023.

Please note that we can only reply to short-listed candidates, meeting the requirements as set out in the job description. Thank you for your understanding.