Join in the Livelihoods Funds’ adventure to build more resilient rural communities and ecosystems, as well as sustainable businesses. We develop concrete, impactful, replicable solutions for efficient, sustainable farming and land use in emerging economies (Africa, Asia and Central/South America).
Livelihoods Venture is a social business that brings into play the appropriate skills to select, develop and implement the projects in which Livelihoods Funds invest. Its 20-odd, and growing, multi-disciplinary team identifies promising projects with strong environmental, economic and social impact and deploys these programs together with local partners (private companies, NGOs, public institutions) and rural communities. Livelihoods Venture coordinates all stakeholders to deliver the tangible outputs expected by the investors in the Livelihoods Funds, such as secured raw material supply, enhanced livelihoods for farmers, carbon credits with high social and environmental value, water and biodiversity conservation.
Job Description
The position is an exciting opportunity to take a senior role in the management and delivery of core service areas within Livelihoods Venture, and respond to the rapidly growing demand for impactful projects in the area of sustainable agricultural commodities and carbon assets.
The purpose of the post is to leverage the commitments of Livelihoods Funds member companies by accessing grant finance to expand the portfolio and invest in project feasibility, design, implementation monitoring, evaluation…
In this new and permanent position based in Paris (with travels up to c.30%), you will be responsible for coordinating all critical steps of Livelihoods Funds’ fund raising with private and public donors at both project and cross-cutting levels.
In line with this role, you will be expected to fulfil the following assignments:
- Build and maintain a steady stream of new donor prospects;
- Interact with Livelihoods Venture’s project teams, as well as other stakeholders’ teams (project developers, investors, local partners etc.) to contribute to the projects and build successful grant-raising strategies;
- Lead the work among the above teams from need identification, to lead identification up until grant signature;
- Write concept notes and provide guidance to the rest of the team to write successful applications;
- Build, grow and entertain an effective network of relationships within local and global donors (Headquarters and regional offices);
- Be able to secure agreements with large, mainstream organizations as well as with under-the-radar, local organizations in countries of operations;
- Be able to structure proposals to donors on a project per project basis as well as on a topic per topic basis (e.g. gender, climate, youth, soil, biodiversity etc.) and on a fund per fund basis (carbon fund, fund for family farming).
- Also participate in debt and/or equity fund-raising, in particular from multilateral institutional donors.
- Be a commercial-oriented person with a passion to win and the ability to build ties with counterparts in donor organizations;
- Be able to sell the organization, its funds and projects, around a clear commercial rationale;
- Be knowledgeable about Sustainable Development Goals;
Occasional work as required on other related projects.
The Successful Applicant
You are a self-motivated professional dedicated to drive sustainable change for agriculture and natural resources. Passionate about creating social, environmental and economic value with a result-oriented mind, you are a proactive and audacious individual with outstanding negotiation and deal-making skills and resilience under pressure.
Strong leadership and project management skills (including excellent time-management, problem-solving and organizational abilities). Highly developed interpersonal and team working skills, as well as proven ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment and with flexibility. You are committed to ongoing professional learning and development.
Educated to a master degree level. Experience of working with institutions in emerging economies is mandatory (Africa, Asia or Central/South America).
You have an already-existing, vast network of working relationships in international and local public & private donor agencies, with which you have a proven track-record of achievements. You have a minimum of ten-year (10) proven experience in negotiating complex and long-term partnerships, securing grants and other potential forms of support from public and private donors (corporate, foundations, …), at both international and local levels.
Finally, you are bilingual in English; Good French & Spanish speaking and writing skills are a plus.
Salary commensurate with experience.