Senior Director, Nature Fund Advisory

Senior Director, Nature Fund Advisory

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

Amid growing consensus that the protection, restoration, and improved management of ecosystems can provide at least 30% of the climate mitigation needed to limit warming to 1.5 °C, Conservation International (CI) has set ambitious targets to realize the potential of these Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). A key mechanism for unlocking this potential is driving investments to NCS projects that generate meaningful climate impact and financial returns, including improved forest management of working natural and plantation forests (climate‑smart forestry;

CSF), among other NCS types.

The Nature Fund Advisory team acts as impact advisors to private and public investors looking to deploy return‑seeking capital into NCS projects in ways that deliver tangible climate, community, and ecological outcomes. The team works to establish ESG and impact criteria for these investment vehicles, conducts due diligence on potential investments, and carries out annual impact monitoring for our client partners.

The Senior Director leads a technical team that identifies, designs, and diligences third‑party projects globally for compliance against climate, biodiversity, social, financial, and governance safeguards. They directly supervise highly technical staff and lead a broader NCS Impact Advisory Technical team with expertise in carbon, implementation, safeguards, conservation finance, and other disciplines.

To be successful, the Senior Director needs extensive knowledge and experience in forestry (both plantation and natural forest management), climate change, carbon markets, social safeguards, and natural resource management, as well as experience with the processes of conservation finance. The Senior Director must work productively with external private sector, government, and civil society partners. They must be able to articulate an actionable plan for developing, diligencing, and monitoring performance of an investable pipeline of high‑quality NCS projects at scale, including both new and existing projects.

They must be comfortable sharing and driving that vision with Conservation International staff and leadership, in high‑level forums, with potential funding partners, and with the implementing programs and partners to drive ongoing buy‑in, resourcing, and execution. The role will require a breadth of skills across various topics, including business management, project management, finance, timberland investment, carbon crediting practices and methodologies, science, policy, markets, and technology.

The Senior Director reports to the Senior Vice President, Nature Fund Advisory within the Nature Finance Group, and works closely with colleagues in the Moore Center of Science, and with field programs across CI geographies as well as other relevant Conservation International partners.

The Senior Director provides strategic and programmatic leadership for all technical aspects of nature‑based solutions impact advisory y are responsible for senior‑level program management and ensuring that program strategies, initiatives, and outcomes advance Conservation International’s (CI’s) human development and conservation priorities. The Senior Director provides broad programmatic, project, monitoring, and technical oversight and continuously engages key internal and external partners critical to program success.

They ensure compliance with CI policies, program, and funding agreements, and local requirements.

They continuously represent CI, manage key relationships with outside partners, and leverage…