Colombia: Sustainable Agrobusiness Specialist

Aug 30, 2015 | Finance in Motion
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Finance in Motion is an asset management firm focused on sustainable development finance. On behalf of public and private institutional investors as well as international financial institutions, we develop and advise alternative investment vehicles. Our 135 professionals in 14 offices cover a broad spectrum of development finance, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, microfinance and natural resource protection. Our four funds with an investment portfolio of USD 1.7 billion are active in Southeast Europe, Caucasus, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America.

About the fund: The eco.business Fund aims at promoting sustainable businesses that contribute to a more efficient use and preservation of natural resources. The Fund will provide funding to financial institutions for on lending to such businesses in four sectors – agriculture, forestry, fishery/aquaculture and tourism – as well as undertake direct high-impact investments in such businesses. Eligibility is based on two main criteria: (i) certified businesses that are in compliance with an eligible voluntary sustainability standard (e.g. Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, FSC) and (ii) businesses that undertake specific investments that have a positive effect regarding the Fund’s mission. In addition to the provision of financing, the Fund will also provide technical assistance through its Development Facility.

Main Responsibilities:

• Designing green credit lines to be channeled through local financial institutions
• Supporting the investment team in the preparation of new investments
• Analyzing the sustainable agriculture loan portfolio of local financial institutions
• Contributing to identify technical assistance needs for financial institutions and their customers
• Developing monitoring mechanisms and methodologies to measure the impact of investments
• Conducting market research on sustainable production methods and its interaction with funding sources
• Becoming the main technical reference in sustainability for the Finance in Motion team
• Promoting eco.business fund activities at conferences and technical forums

Knowledge and experience:

• Excellent knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices in a wide variety of crops in Latin America (including new production techniques and technologies)
• Experience with certification programs (UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, FSC, MSC / ASC) and sectoral initiatives (ISEAL, IFOAM, etc.)
• Ability to develop attractive financing solutions for local financial institutions
• Degree in environmental studies, engineering, agronomy or similar
• Relevant experience in Latin America (5-10 years)
• Experience in the financial sector and / or financial institutions for development (IDB, IFC or similar) is desired
• Experience with portfolio analysis of financial institutions is desired
• Excellent command of English and Spanish (written and oral). Portuguese is an advantage
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to adapt to multicultural environments
• Willingness to travel internationally on a regular basis

What we offer:

• International and dynamic team
• Diverse company culture and dedication to development finance
• Flat organizational structure
• Open, knowledge-sharing environment and fast-track learning opportunity
• Innovative investments with high environmental impact throughout Latin America

If you are interested, please submit your full application along with a cover letter electronically to:AgribusinessSpecialist.latam@finance-in-motion.com

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.