Conservation International is an American nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Its goal is to protect nature as a source of food, fresh water, livelihoods and a stable climate.
The role of the Senior Director, Tourism Finance focuses on developing and scaling sustainable financial solutions for ecotourism within key conservation priority areas (KPAs). This strategic position is crucial for leveraging tourism finance to achieve CI’s conservation goals, particularly across East and Southern Africa, requiring deep financial structuring expertise and environmental understanding.
Responsibilities
- Conduct rapid assessments of priority KPAs to identify and determine viable ecotourism opportunities.
- Perform gap analysis for KPAs with viable tourism potential (policy, infrastructure, biodiversity, access to capital) to identify specific funding needs and develop a roadmap to implementation.
- Lead the design and implementation of an ecotourism financing facility.
- Collaborate and align with other program facilities to align with CI’s conservation and organizational priorities.
- Responsible for the development and scale-up of CI Africa’s concessional lending program for protected areas (CI Ventures), including deal and pipeline management of new and existing tourism-linked transactions.
- In collaboration with the Structured Nature Finance lead, structuring of structured financial transactions and management of internal approval processes, including risk assessments.
- Development of alternative, innovative funding strategies for the tourism finance facility.
- Ensure compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements.
- Effectively engage stakeholders, including tourism partners, protected area managers, government and NGOs, technical colleagues, funders, and other partners important to program success.
- Represent the organization externally and serve as a trusted point of contact for CI.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
Working Conditions
- Typical office environment.
- Local and/or international travel of 30% or more time, often in difficult travel conditions.
- Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
- This position follows a hybrid work structure, working some days from the office and some remotely. Guidance will be shared during the interview process.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in (Conservation) Finance.
- 10 or more years of working experience in the ecotourism sector, (conservation) finance, or a related field.
- Experience working and/or traveling in diverse geographies, including East and Southern Africa.
- Business development and client management track record.
- Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
- Strong financial skills with in-depth knowledge of and experience with various financial product offerings, incl. debt, equity, and the design of innovative financing structures.
- Demonstrated understanding of the complexities around the challenges of ecotourism as a contributor to conservation, including potential unintended consequences in specific ecosystems, as well as the involvement of a multitude of stakeholders.
- Team player and able to work effectively with diverse work groups in a multicultural environment.
- Strong stakeholder management and coordination skills.
- Proven ability to multitask and meet priorities.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Fluency in English required.
