Director, Protected Areas Finance Facility

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

POSITION SUMMARY - This position is based in Kenya or South Africa

CI is launching an initiative to strengthen the financial stability of Africa’s Keystone Protected Areas (KPAs). These KPAs are critical for biodiversity conservation and serve as the core of larger ecological systems in landscapes. This will be achieved through technical assistance facilities/ workstreams that will develop conservation finance capacity (at the global, national, and KPA level). CI will lead the strategy and management of the program, while working in partnership with co-management partners and local stakeholders to develop, execute, and mobilize conservation finance transactions, resulting in financial flows to targeted KPAs during the project period.

One of the key roles in achieving this effort is the Director of the Protected Area Finance (PAF) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF). This individual will lead the facility which will design, strengthen, and implement long-term, sustainable financing platforms, such as Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) and multi-stakeholder conservation finance deals, to ensure the lasting protection of KPAs. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of protected area finance at scale, working at the intersection of conservation, finance, and policy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct rapid assessments of enabling conditions (policy, funding flows, debt burdens, institutional capacity) to determine readiness of new conservation finance platforms.
• Lead the design and implementation of long-term financing mechanisms, including Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) and multi-stakeholder conservation finance initiatives.
• Evaluate existing conservation finance efforts (e.g., CAFÉ) and identify opportunities for collaboration or scaling.
• Monitor, measure, and report on facility performance, financial flows, and conservation outcomes.
• Identify opportunities for facility innovation and expansion across Africa’s protected area finance landscape.
• Support knowledge sharing and capacity building through CI-supported CTFs (e.g., BIOFUND, Madagascar Biodiversity Fund) and external stakeholder engagements.
• Identify and manage facility risks, working closely with compliance and audit teams.
• Collaborate and align with other program facilities to align with CI’s conservation and organizational priorities.
• Ensure compliance with CI policies, donor agreements, and local regulations.
• Build and manage partnerships with governments, donors, NGOs, peer organizations, and local communities.
• Organize and support workshops, conferences, and learning events to disseminate best practices and lessons learned.
• Support fundraising, proposal development, and donor engagement to ensure financial sustainability.
• Collaborate with Finance to manage budgets and resource allocation.
• Represent CI externally as a visible leader in conservation finance and a trusted partner.
• Perform other related duties as needed

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Local and/or international travel of 50% or more time, often in difficult travel conditions.
• Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
• This position follows a hybrid work structure, working some days from the office and some remotely. Guidance will be shared during the interview process.
• This role will be a 2-year fixed-term assignment, anticipated to begin in February 2026 and end in February 2028.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree (Commerce preferred).
• 7 or more years of related work experience.
• 2 or more years of supervisory experience.
• Strong program/project management experience
• Financial literacy. Experience in a financial institution preferred.
• Excellent technical and analytical skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Experience supervising others, including multi-disciplinary teams.
• Team player and able to work effectively with diverse workgroups in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A record of success in influencing and partnering with a diverse group of key stakeholders and in raising funds.
• Proven ability to multitask and meet priorities. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
• ·Fluency in written and spoken English required.

Preferred

• Advanced degree
• Experience leading, managing, designing, and implementing long-term finance projects/programs.
• Experience with a large global consulting firm is advantageous.
• Fluency in written and spoken Portuguese.
• Fluency in written and spoken French.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: December 5, 2025 (11:49 PM EST)

See all Conservation International Career Opportunities HERE

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.