CGIAR Recruitment 2021

Job Title: Sustainable Finance Originator

The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), one of the 15 research centers of CGIAR. We bring together the world’s best researchers in agricultural, climate, and earth science to deliver innovative research-based solutions that catalyze positive change towards low-carbon and climate-resilient food systems.

CCAFS considers sustainable finance as a key lever for change in the sustainability agenda and a crucial driver to support the transition to sustainable and climate-resilient food systems and landscapes. Greater engagement on sustainable finance will contribute to reducing poverty, improvements in food and nutrition security, and protection and regeneration of natural resources and ecosystem services. To that end, we work with governments, international financial institutions, asset owners, asset managers, and corporates to help reorient and leverage capital flows towards innovative investments in sustainable food systems.

This is a key growth area for CCAFS, as we receive greater demand from public and private investors for our cutting-edge research, advisory services, global operational capacity and innovation focus. We focus on providing innovative science-based solutions that drive sustainable economic growth while delivering positive climate and development outcomes. Our main areas of work on sustainable finance focus on:

• Develop innovative investment solutions for sustainable food systems
• Provide advisory services to ensure that investments in food systems achieve sustainable development and positive climate impact
• Develop cutting-edge research on the intersection between sustainable finance and sustainable food systems

CCAFS is looking for a talented, creative, and dynamic sustainable finance professional who is highly driven and has the skills and network required to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our food systems and related water and land systems. The Sustainable Finance Originator will play a crucial role in supporting the implementation and growth of CCAFS’s sustainable finance work.

As part of on-going advisory work, we are looking for an individual consultant with an investment and finance background to assist with market research and pipeline building in Ghana for investment opportunities in sustainable land use agricultural systems. This consultancy could have the opportunity to turn into a full-time investment officer role to support our work with other investment mandates in the region.

Specifically, she/he will focus on:

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support CCAFS to develop a pipeline of potential investees that can be matched to impact investors by sourcing investment opportunities, developing business cases and preparing investment memorandums for sustainable land use agricultural investments
• Support project teams to disaggregate problems and provide innovative solutions through close collaboration with the project team by diagnosing bottlenecks in value chains that could present opportunities for value creation through the investments
• Overview of the private sector actors most active at landscape level in sustainable and climate resilient agriculture in Ghana, including detailed analysis of company size, stage, turnover, sector focus, social orientation, investment needs, preferred instruments, etc.
• Validation (or refutation) of investment strategy (i.e. if there is a market need for the investment instruments envisioned and sufficient demand)
• Validation (or refutation) of the impact thesis (i.e. is there a potential for a substantial and measurable impact with the envisioned investment strategy)
• Long-list of potential investments (20-30 enterprises), complimented with a ‘Deal Book’ of ~5-10 that match the thesis of the proposed project
• Develop and cultivate strategic relationships with key public (donors, DFIs, climate funds, etc.) and private investors (asset owners, asset managers, corporates, etc.) to accelerate investments in sustainable food systems and related land and water resources
• Contribute to develop cutting-edge research on sustainable finance and ESG related issues for agricultural systems
• Support the uptake at scale of the cutting-edge research and innovations generated by CCAFS and CGIAR

• Keep abreast of latest innovations on sustainable finance and sustainable food systems

The analysis will be summarized in a final deliverable in the form of a final report, complemented by a database of potential investees and a ‘Deal Book’ of the most promising investment opportunities.

THE CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced degree in Economics, Finance or Business Administration required
• Minimum 7 years working experience at the international level in the area of sustainable finance, climate finance, and/or impact investing or in the commercial sector closely related to the topic
• Minimum 3 years working experience in the Ghanaian finance and/or investment sector, with direct experience advising/working for an impact investor/asset manager in a deal origination role strongly preferred
• Strong understanding or interest in impact investments, including for low-carbon and climate-resilient food systems in Ghana
• Sound experience working with asset owners, asset managers, corporates, public & private donors etc.
• Solid knowledge of innovative financial instruments in sustainable land use and climate-smart food systems
• Good understanding of agricultural systems and climate-related challenges in developing countries, and how environmental and social issues related to business risks and opportunities
• Intellectually curious and business-driven to deliver innovative and high impact results to clients
• Critical thinker able to analyse complex information and produce high-quality work products in an easy-to-understand manner
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative and decentralized environment, and operate under tight deadlines
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office, with advanced PowerPoint/presentation skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; a second language (French or another local language) is strongly preferred