Overview
The Biodiversity Finance Specialist will lead the production of the Biodiversity Expenditure Review, the Financial Needs Assessment, and support the development of the Biodiversity Finance Plan.
Key Responsibilities
- Support and advise the Policy Manager in developing an inventory of existing Biodiversity Financing Mechanisms in the country.
- Support the Policy Manager in reviewing existing economic valuation studies relevant to the BIOFIN process.
- Carry out a desk review to map existing studies/information/databases on biodiversity expenditures.
- Develop a proposed national definition for “biodiversity expenditures”.
- Develop a workplan for the Biodiversity Expenditure Review.
- Determine a target list of organizations to include in the analysis.
- Collect data for the desk review.
- Establish a system to tag biodiversity expenses into categories and a system of coefficients/attribution.
- Gather data from targeted organizations to conduct the expenditure review.
- Develop tools or Excel tools to analyze total biodiversity-related expenditures.
- Coordinate the compilation of relevant data and liaise with relevant Ministries and partners.
- Complete all BIOFIN data entry sheets for the BER.
- Support the organization of bilateral consultation meetings/interviews/discussions.
- Estimate future funding baseline under a “Business-As-Usual Scenario”.
- Develop and implement a specific strategy for data collection of the private sector.
- Organize dedicated consultation meetings with private sector stakeholders.
- Develop the draft BIOFIN Biodiversity Expenditure Review.
- Develop the final Biodiversity Expenditure Review.
- Review available methodologies, examples from other countries, the latest NBSAP and National Biodiversity Reports to develop an initial workplan and outline for the FNA.
- Consult with the NBSAP team and government entities.
- Review the scope of the NBSAP, its alignment with other national policies, and identify policy areas and activities not covered.
- Review activities listed in the NBSAP and other key strategic documents to assess if they are detailed and quantified enough for their budgets to be estimated.
- Define clearly the NBSAP actions so that they can be budgeted.
- Coordinate the compilation of relevant data and liaise with relevant Ministries and partners.
- Organize a national consultation workshop to define the financial needs of all major biodiversity programmes.
- Develop detailed calculations and complete all datasheets related to the national biodiversity finance needs.
- Organize a workshop to validate the cost assumptions and models.
- Support the comparison of the results of the BER future projections with the FNA.
- Produce an estimate of the financing gap.
- Lead the development of a draft report for the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment.
- Support the Production of the final report of the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment.
- Support the Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead) in the conception and preparation of the BFP.
- Support detailed feasibility analysis on a range of financing mechanisms.
- Preparation of workshops, meetings, networking and presentations.
- Provide substantive comments and feedback on how to improve existing methodologies.
- Document decisions and assumptions made.
- Document lessons learned.
- Prepare reports and case studies.
Required Experience
- At least 2 years’ experience (master’s degree) or 4 years’ experience (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in environmental finance, accounting, economics, management or related field.
- Proven experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions.
- Proven previous experience in drafting reports on environment related policies writing and communication skills.
- Proven ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations.
- Proven ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
- Exposure to environmental issues or biodiversity is desirable.
- Previous experience with expenditure reviews would be an asset.
- Familiarity with the government is strongly desired.
Qualifications
- Advanced degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Business Management or a closely related field, preferably with an environment / biodiversity focus.
- OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in above-mentioned fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience.
