Agri Finance Specialist

Agri-Food Finance Specialist

Full time - Consultancy - Dec 2024

Senior level – Technical Specialist

Salary: 180,000 - 185,000 Brazilian real

Please note we only accept applications that are in written in English.

About Climate Bonds Initiative

The Climate Bonds Initiative started in 2009 as a project of the Network for Sustainable Financial Markets (NSFM), an international network of finance sector professionals, academics and others dedicated to improving financial market integrity and efficiency. Climate Bonds is now the world’s leading organization working to mobilize the largest capital market of all, the $100 trillion global bond market, for climate change solutions. It is an investor-focused, not-for-profit organization, whose outputs are an open source public good.

Our primary work streams include green bonds standard development and certification, green bond data and market analysis, and policy advisory services. We have been providing support for green bond market development in various regions/countries including Europe, US, China, India and Brazil.

Climate Bonds is a fast growing, dynamic NGO driven by a big mission. You will be working within an organisation that is leading the development of innovative international climate finance solutions.

The Role

The Agri-Food Transitions Programme is a key pillar of CBI’s flagship Transitions Programme. The overarching goal of the Transitions Programme is to mobilise global capital for financing the transition of key sectors of the economy to align with a net-zero, resilient, and sustainable future and ensuring deforestation and conversion free agri-food production.

At the core of the Agri-food System Transitions Programme is the following premise: Green fiscal, trade, and financial policies, as well as structural reform measures used successfully to spur green transitions in other markets, such as energy, can be deployed in agri-food systems and markets to arrive at more sustainable production and healthier diets and reap the ensuing economic, social, and planetary gains.

Job Summary:

Climate Bonds Initiative is looking for an Agri-Food Finance Lead to strengthen our Agri-Food Systems Transitions team and support the project's engagement with banks, investors, sovereign bond issuers and trade bodies on agri-food transition pathways, biodiversity, metrics, and investment opportunities in targeted regions.

The Finance Lead will support and implement the objective to deepen relationships with the private sector, particularly banks and other financial institutions such as development banks and asset managers, as well as government actors working in the sovereign bond space. The goal is to build the capacity of market actors to understand and implement sustainable agri food finance frameworks and practices within their organisation and recognise transition investment opportunities.

The successful candidate will play an essential role in driving market adoption of sustainable agri-food systems by identifying opportunities, cultivating strategic partnerships, and providing technical support to key stakeholders across the value chain.

The Finance engagement lead will be responsible for supporting a strategic finance sector stakeholder engagement plan that considers existing corporate engagement plans, developing and managing relationships in the targeted regions (Brazil, Europe and China). This position will collaborate closely with the Head of Transitions, ASTP Programme Manager, Partnerships Team, Technical Assistance team, Standards Team, Regional/country leads, and different teams within the Transitions Programme.

Responsibilities:

• Support the development and roll out of training and technical assistance (TA) to financial institutions, particularly banks and trade finance bodies, to support uptake of transition agri food trade finance instruments.
• Establish and deepen relationships with private sector partners, asset owners and managers, and development partners in order to further the objectives of the project. Actively promote and socialise opportunities to invest in agri-food system transitions and biodiversity, particularly in sovereign and sub-sovereign bonds
• Maintain up to date knowledge of market and finance trends in the agri food system, proactively undertaking research to analyze market trends, challenges, and opportunities related to the transition towards sustainable agri-food systems in order to identify levers for change and engagement.
• Translate complex scientific and technical concepts and criteria into easily understandable products for finance actors to use and develop novel and innovative financial instruments that support a credible agri food transition to net zero.
• Prepare reports and updates on market engagement activities, industry trends, and stakeholder insights for internal and external stakeholders

Requirements

Essential

• Excellent oral and written skills in English, able to translate complex issues into engaging and understandable materials and use these tools to build effective relationships.
• Substantial experience working in debt finance and / or banking, with a focus on food and agriculture sectors and a good understanding of sovereign bonds.
• Experience in green finance, able to assess credibility of green claims against established climate frameworks.
• Good understating of climate and sustainability (particularly biodiversity) related issues, able to communicate confidently and clearly on the need for transition in the agriculture sector and the primary drivers of emissions and emission mitigation.
• Relevant knowledge of or interest in climate and biodiversity policy, trade policy and regulations, and climate finance and ability to stay abreast of emerging research and events
• Established network and contacts within the targeted regions (Brazil, Europe and China) in the private sector (including non-financial corporates, financial institutions, trading and industry bodies)
• Substantial experience of stakeholder and partner relationship management / technical assistance / training / advisory services with private sector actors, ideally in the agri food sector and in sustainability issues

Desirable

• Demonstrated experience collaborating with and influencing public and private financial institutions and Government entities in targeted regions.
• Industry-relevant connections with a network of potential clients, collaborators, and other relevant stakeholders such as governments, development finance institutions, development agencies, and other public or private donors/stakeholders, particularly in the EU, China, and Brazil
• Experience working and/or promoting green finance schemes and market-based climate finance instruments for Agri-Food Systems
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced international and remote environment

Benefits

What’s in it for you?

• Impactful responsibilities from the day you join with responsibility for your own learning curve, the role is what you make of it and the possibilities depend on you.
• Amazing opportunities for career progression and structured career development – we’ll work with you to explore your learning development and career potential

• We offer a structured and bespoke induction programme specifically suited to the team you’ll be joining and the specific role you’ll be doing. During your first few months, you’ll be given all the training you need to succeed in your role.
• Opportunity to attend a series of Lunch and Learns, delivered by internal subject matter experts and external guest speakers

• An international and diverse work atmosphere

• The chance to be part of our rapid growth and play a key role in the next exciting phase of Climate Bonds Initiative journey

• Everyone that joins us is given the opportunity to undertake our signature Green Bond training, which is recognised and certified by CPD.