We are looking for a Thematic expert Business and Finance

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Tropenbos International (TBI) envisions a future in which forests are used sustainably for the benefit of people and the global community. We work to improve the livelihoods of local communities as well as bring significant benefits to global society through climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. In 2017 we became a global network of independent members, working in more than 10 countries in the Global South. With tropical forests again high on the international agenda to help counter climate change and biodiversity loss, Tropenbos International’s work is more relevant than ever. Over the past five years, the organisation has grown significantly. In its new strategy, the network sets the ambitious goal to double its current impact.

To support TBI network in its development and growth, we are now recruiting a thematic expert Business and Finance to further develop this crosscutting theme.

Your role

Your thematic expertise is on business and finance and you have the capacity and oversight to effectively bring together the realities of communities and small holders, financial institutions, (local) governments and NGOs in the landscapes to help develop inclusive and equitable financing models for our Impact Areas of agroforestry, community forestry and conservation as well as restoration and conservation.

You will be a key member of an international small business and finance network team, which provides you ample opportunities for initiative and development. You will closely collaborate with our impact areas experts in communities of practice working on agroforestry, community forestry and conservation as well as participatory restoration.

You have a sharp eye for the political economic context to help develop interventions that have a significant and lasting impact. Apart from being an expert in business and finance, you also bring in solid experience and appropriate skills to facilitate and/or influence multistakeholder dialogues, build partnerships and develop on- and offline collaborative social learning spaces and capacity development for collective action.

You collaborate with network partners, partnerships, and impact area experts to bring the business and finance perspective into strategy implementation as well as proposal development for resource mobilisation. You will advise partner offices and their partnerships on content related matters and occasional provide backstopping. You are able and willing to travel occasionally.

Key tasks and deliverables:

1. Support the communities of practice, develop knowledge products, help build partnerships and lead on proposals for resource mobilisation.
2. Provide thought leadership on business and finance to the network and link the network’s field work to international dialogues and conventions as well as (financial) mechanisms for scaling and help to make them relevant to support locally owned solutions at landscape levels.
3. Support the development of enabling conditions for financing agroforestry, community forestry and conservation as well as for restoration initiatives and occasionally provide backstopping.
4. Guide knowledge management, capacity strengthening and collaborative processes (on and offline) with multiple stakeholders for locally owned solutions.
5. Strengthen and expand TBI's business and finance network.
6. Assume the secretariat’s liaison and support coordination of one or several countries offices and/or programme partners, preferably in the African region.

Experience and technical skills

1. Relevant academic background and 5-10 years of working experience of which at least 3 in a similar position or role, preferably in Asia and/or Africa
2. Developing and facilitating innovative multistakeholder learning and co-creation processes
3. Fluent in English and French, preferably also Spanish and excellent writing skills
4. Proven state of art knowledge on (on- and offline) participatory approaches
5. Strong analytical capacities and proven interest, especially in terms of political economy and systems analysis and able to translate findings into the design of interventions and strategies that lead to a lasting impact
6. An entrepreneurial spirit

We offer

1. A one-year contract for 32-36 hours per week with the prospect of extension
2. Depending on your experience the full-time salary will be between €4.000 - €5.800 gross p/m
3. Appropriate terms of employment, including a year-end bonus of 8,3%
4.  A 10% non-contributary pension
5. 208 leave hours based on a 36-hour workweek
6. We offer a good working environment in Ede; other location arrangements are negotiable
7. Flexibility in working from home and in the office
8. Room for initiative and professional development in a strongly mission driven organization

Ready to participate in sustainable development and growth?

Then send your motivation and resume in PDF f.a.o. Joost van Montfort, Executive Director to joost.vanmontfort@tropenbos.org. The closing date is 15 January 2023.

1. The procedure consists of two interviews in January.
2. We are aiming for a start date no later than March 2023.
3. If you have any questions, please, send an e-mail to joost.vanmontfort@tropenbos.org. Due to the Holidays, it might take a little longer to get a response.
4. For positions based in Ede a valid work permit for the EU is required.

When you apply, you agree that references can be taken during the procedure. Applications will be processed according to GDPR-legislation.