Development of Sustainable Ocean Financial Mechanisms as part of the Caribbean Sustainable Blue Finance (BluEFin) Project Consultancy

About the career opportunity:

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) seeks a consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts who will work directly with the Senior Conservation Finance Consultancy to pilot and roll out sustainable finance mechanisms, promoting collaboration with the private and productive sectors to advance sustainable blue economy initiatives in the Caribbean. This consultancy is open to consultancy firms, consortia, or a group of individual experts. The consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts will focus on the piloting and rolling out of the financial mechanisms identified in Component 1: Blue Carbon Sequestration Schemes, Virtual Payment of Protected Areas Access, and the development of a Blue Credit Card. The specialist will collaborate with identified stakeholders, including the financial sector, to implement these mechanisms, provide technical assistance, and conduct training sessions for stakeholders on their utilization.

Expected Deliverables:

Comprehensive Policy Review Report: Detailed review and gap analysis of existing sustainable finance policies and regulations.
Policy Recommendations: Documentation of proposed policy recommendations and regulatory frameworks.
Piloting and Roll Out Reports: Regular reports on the performance and impact of piloted financial instruments, including recommendations for improvement.
Training and Workshops: Conduct workshops and training sessions with relevant stakeholders, providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to engage in sustainable finance practices.
Monitoring and Evaluation Reports: Regular reports on the performance and impact of implemented financial instruments, including recommendations for improvement.

Budget:

The specific budget line allocated for this role is budget line 1202, with the following allocations: Year 1 and Year 2: USD 132,000

Minimum qualifications:

A team of experts and professionals with technical acumen in conservation finance, sustainable financial mechanisms, environmental policy, environment law and legislative analysis, financial analytic and assessment skills, including knowledge of innovative financing mechanisms:

Key Expert 1:

1. Team Leader with a minimum of 8 years of proven experience in sustainable finance, preferably in the context of conservation or environmental projects.
2. Advanced Degree in Finance, Economics, Environmental Management, or a related field from a recognized university.
3. Strong understanding of sustainable finance principles, instruments, and regulatory frameworks.
4. Proven experience in policy development and stakeholder engagement.
5. Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills.
6. Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
7. Exemplary verbal and written skills in English; proficiency in Spanish is a strong asset.

The other team members should possess at minimum undergraduate degrees in the following:

1. natural resource management, environmental science and policy, political science, environmental management biology, environmental legal science, financial management, or other closely related discipline, from a recognized university is required.
2. The firm or the individual experts should have at least 5 years of experience in executing similar consultancies in the Caribbean region, working with regional organizations, small island governments, Caribbean governments and stakeholders, local stakeholders, CSOs, NGOs
3. Exemplary verbal and written skills in English. Spanish knowledge (conversational, reading and writing) will be considered a strong asset.

Technical Skills:

Sustainable Finance Expertise:

Deep understanding of sustainable finance principles, including green bonds, blue bonds, climate finance, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria.
Experience in developing and implementing financial mechanisms tailored to sustainability goals, particularly within the blue economy context.

Policy and Regulatory Knowledge:

Proficient in analyzing and developing policies and regulatory frameworks that support sustainable finance and blue economy initiatives.
Familiarity with international and regional regulatory environments affecting the Caribbean’s ocean resources and financial systems.

Financial Instruments and Mechanisms:

Expertise in designing innovative financial instruments that cater to sustainable investments, such as eco-loans, impact investing, and blended finance models.
Ability to pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of new financial products in real-world scenarios.

Economic and Financial Analysis:

Strong skills in conducting economic and financial analyses to assess the viability and impact of sustainable finance projects.
Proficiency in using financial modeling tools and techniques to predict outcomes and optimize investment strategies.

Stakeholder Engagement and Management:

Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including government bodies, financial institutions, private sector entities, and community organizations.
Skilled in facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops, negotiations, and consultations to gather inputs and build consensus.

Capacity Building and Training:

Capability to develop and deliver training programs and workshops aimed at enhancing stakeholders’ understanding of sustainable finance and blue economy principles.
Experience in creating educational materials and resources to support ongoing capacity-building efforts.

Project Management:

Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting.
Ability to manage multiple tasks, adhere to timelines, and deliver high-quality outputs under pressure.

Research and Data Analysis:

Proficiency in conducting qualitative and quantitative research to inform policy recommendations and financial strategies.
Experience in data collection, analysis, and interpretation to support decision-making processes.

Communication and Presentation Skills:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey complex concepts to a diverse audience.
Ability to prepare detailed reports, policy briefs, and presentations that are clear, concise, and compelling.

Technical Software Proficiency:

Proficient in using financial analysis software, project management tools, and data visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau).
Familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS) and other relevant software tools for environmental and economic analysis.

Other Skills:

Leadership: High capacity to establish a successful vision for the tasks at hand and deliver results within a specific time frame.
Interpersonal and communication skills: Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, and the ability to work with diverse groups and organisations.
Ethics, gender and harassment: Applies principles of ethics, transparency and non-discrimination displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability, treats all people fairly without favouritism and fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.