Conservation International’s (CI) Conservation Finance Department (CFD) is looking for an experienced Forester to support our due diligence and project development work on Climate Smart Forestry (CSF) Investments throughout Latin America and to a lesser degree, globally. This work will help impact investors achieve the Paris climate agreement of keeping global temperatures well below 2 °C through the allocation of capital to private enterprises focused on forest protection, restoration, reforestation, improved natural forest management, and integration of trees into agricultural systems. The position will assess the silvicultural, operational, financial, and environmental viability of potential investees. The Forester will work closely with a diverse team of CI staff members from around the world to apply certification and investment performance standards, scientific knowledge, research results, and standard tools (GIS, satellite imagery analysis, inventory sampling methods) to evaluate the impacts of investment opportunities that can change paradigms in the forestry sector by optimizing carbon, timber, and non-timber production systems. The successful candidate is expected to be able to apply their experience in forestry to proposed investments to ensure robust rationale and likelihood for success.  The successful candidate may also support other projects involving CI’s mission and fill other roles as needed for the team’s success, such as project management and coordination, communications, and managing partnerships.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Implementation and Technical Support:

• Apply standard and innovative approaches to evaluate the viability of the actual and proposed management of native forests and tree plantations for wood production and carbon sequestration with commensurate climate-related benefits.
• Provide inputs to assist in the implementation, and monitoring, of relevant forestry projects with local communities, governments, and the private sector.
• Provide scientific and technical advice to various fund managers and projects across CI, such as synthesizing relevant findings and developing guidelines/tools based on best practices for forest carbon projects.
• Participate in, and lead field-level Due Diligence (DD) of investment opportunities with a multi-disciplinary team of CI staff and consultants usually in remote locations and under demanding physical conditions across CI’s field programs.
• Use remote sensing and field inventory data (from primary and secondary sources) for growth & yield, harvest scheduling, forest carbon estimations, and reporting.

Project and Partnership Management:

• Build and support relationships with other institutions and the private sector to assess opportunities for innovative interventions.
• Proactively assist in the management of highly visible, complex technical investments and partnerships within, and outside of, CI that includes preparation of reports and oral presentations for non-technical audiences.
• Manage external partner relationships to accelerate delivery of the above workstreams.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.