CLEF sits at the intersection of conservation, community rights, and financial systems — working to ensure that the financial architecture surrounding natural climate solutions, biodiversity, and climate action actually reaches and is governed by the people who steward the world’s most critical ecosystems. We need someone who can think across financial instruments with rigor and creativity, while keeping community self-determination at the center of every design choice.

You bring deep expertise in conservation or development finance and have worked directly with or in service to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. You understand mechanisms like PES, conservation trust funds, IP&LC-led funds, green finance, and social protection instruments — and you know how to reform them so communities aren’t just beneficiaries but decision-makers. You’re comfortable managing a distributed portfolio across multiple geographies, coordinating with partners you don’t supervise, and translating technical finance into language that moves people to action.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategy & Technical Leadership

• Advance and co-develop the team’s strategic approach to community-led finance in collaboration with regional, local, and global teams — grounded in Indigenous rights, self-determination, and equitable governance principles.

• Provide thought partnership on how financial mechanisms — including PES, conservation trust funds, IP&LC-led funds, green and blended finance, and social protection instruments — can be reformed or redesigned to center community voice and decision-making.

• Identify emerging opportunities in global conservation finance (e.g., biodiversity funds, debt-for-nature mechanisms, climate finance facilities), evaluate the enabling conditions required for these mechanisms to work for IP&LCs, and advise on how to ensure access, governance roles, and benefit-sharing.

• Advance financial inclusion strategies that connect community enterprises to savings, credit, and banking instruments, including village savings and loan models and sustainable lending partnerships.

Portfolio Management

• Shape and prioritize a portfolio of finance initiatives across multiple regions and conservation activity stages, in collaboration with regional, local, and global teams.

• Develop terms of reference, manage contracts, review deliverables, and advise on consultancy design for priority initiatives.

  Coordinate with responsible teams to define how the portfolio measures results and success, linking initiatives to TNC’s 2030 Goals and the institution-wide project portfolio.

Cross-Team Contribution & Knowledge Sharing

• Coordinate across Equitable Conservation to ensure coherence and embed community-led finance perspectives into broader divisional strategy.

• Co-develop with local, regional, and global teams replicable frameworks, guidance documents, and evidence products that capture place-based innovation, and facilitate cross-regional learning — ensuring that models developed in one geography inform and strengthen approaches elsewhere.

• Collaborate with adjacent TNC teams — including Impact Finance & Markets, Tackle Climate Change, and regional finance leads — to embed community-led finance approaches into broader organizational strategies so that natural climate solutions and conservation outcomes are supported by financial systems that center community participation and governance.

• Contribute financial and economic analysis to the team’s markets and economies work, including investment pathway design, financial viability assessments for value chains, and cost-benefit analyses for scaling decisions.

External Engagement

• Build and manage partnerships with external organizations — including multilateral development banks, research institutions, peer conservation organizations, and IP&LC-led networks — in support of shared financing objectives.

• Represent the team’s work at multilateral events and policy platforms (e.g., COP, Climate Week, regional forums) where community-led finance perspectives can influence conservation and climate finance agendas.

• Support fundraising and donor cultivation by co-designing fundable platforms, shaping narratives grounded in evidence and community voice, and contributing technical content to proposals.

• Bachelor’s degree in development economics, public finance, conservation finance, international development, or a related field, and a minimum of 6 years of related experience — gained through formal training, professional practice, and/or lived experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience in community finance, conservation finance, development economics, or related practice areas, with demonstrated depth in one or more of: IP&LC-led fund design, PES or results-based mechanisms, conservation trust funds, blended or impact finance, microfinance/community banking, or social protection instruments.

• Experience working directly with or in service to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, or community-based organizations — not solely in advisory roles external to those communities.

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, Indigenous rights, self-determination, and community governance in both process and outcomes of financial and development work.

• Experience managing complex projects across multiple geographies and coordinating with partners and teams over whom there is no direct supervisory authority.

• Strong analytical, quantitative, and communication skills, including the ability to translate technical finance concepts into language accessible to non-specialist audiences.

• Cross-cultural work experience, including in low- and middle-income countries.

• Written and oral fluency in English.

• Willingness to travel internationally approximately 20–25%, including occasional evenings or weekends to accommodate field visits and cross-time-zone collaboration.

Desired qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field.

• Experience working for or with grassroots IP&LC organizations, Indigenous-led funds, or community-led financial institutions.

• Familiarity with global conservation finance architecture, including mechanisms such as the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, Tropical Forest Forever Facility, debt-for-nature conversions, and climate finance facilities.

• Experience with Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and rights-based approaches to financial design.

• Experience with blended finance platforms, green inclusive finance mobilization strategies, or similar innovative financing approaches.

• Multisectoral experience spanning private, public, and non-profit sectors.

• Proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese; additional languages spoken in TNC focal geographies (French, Bahasa Indonesia, Swahili) are valued.

• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfort working in an evolving, unstructured environment where approaches are being co-created with partners.

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $83,760 -124,200. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

What We Bring:

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Employees must submit their application by logging into Workday and applying via the Jobs Hub.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.