Livelihoods Venture is looking for a highly motivated and passionate Senior Business Development Officer. In this permanent position based in Paris (with travels up to c.30%), your main duties will be to source new projects, especially in responsible sourcing, and finalize the whole origination / structuring / contracting process. You will namely lead the key relationships and financials aspects of our deals with private entities and donors.
Livelihoods Venture is the dynamic service company that advises three funds from its Paris office:
- two Livelihoods Carbon Funds, created in 2011 and 2017, with a current portfolio of nine projects and total combined planned investments of €140m over a twenty-year span,
- the Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F), created in 2015, with an objective of 40 agricultural projects with c.200,000 smallholder farmers for a total investment of €120m over a ten-year span.
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
In line with this role, you will be expected to fulfill the following assignments:
- Identify & assess the business rationale for private entities (suppliers of our investors, new off-takers) to partner with L3F, in close cooperation with the sustainability and procurement of our investor-companies,
- Prepare business plans, draft project documentation and conduct negotiations with decision makers in countries where projects will be implemented,
- Work in tandem with our Technical department during the early project phases,
- Contribute to the creation of internal knowledge, tools and processes in order to maintain cost efficient and trustful partnerships,
- Participate to the company’s strategic thinking, propose and implement development ideas,
- Be accountable for the choices made and actions implemented.
Occasional work as required on other related topics.
As all other positions in the company, the Senior Development Officer shall adhere to and work in strict compliance with the company’s Charter (view the charter).
The Successful Applicant
You are a proactive deal-maker dedicated to drive sustainable change for agriculture and natural resources. You have a strong Interest for and exposure to developing world, ideally to its rural/ agricultural component. You are financially literate: net present value, business plan etc. 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. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish; French would be a plus. You are committed to ongoing professional learning and development.
You have a 10-year experience in:
- A procurement / sales position in relation with agro-commodities in an international context,
- Designing deals that fit the long-term needs of businesses,
- Generating and finalizing complex deals with private entities,
- Contract drafting,
- Managing multi-actor coalitions over time (5 to 10 years),
An operational experience of business sustainability is a plus (social audits, sustainable sourcing …).
Academic background required:
- Completion of a Master’s degree in a reputed university, business or engineer school.
- Dual education in business/ finance and a field related to the organization’s activity a plus (agronomy, development economics, forestry, ethnology etc.).
Salary commensurate with experience.
Send your cover letter and CV
Job Application
Key steps for a sustainable sourcing project with smallholder farmers
What is the process to set up a project with multiple stakeholders and 3,000 family farms? Hatim Issoufaly, Senior Project Coordinator, and Jérémie de Charentenay, Business Manager, at Livelihoods Venture, the social business which advises the Livelihoods Funds, take us behind the scenes for a glimpse at how this project was designed.