Programme Developer - Building with Nature Asia

PROGRAMME DEVELOPER - BUILDING WITH NATURE ASIA

Netherlands based

About us

Wetlands International is active in a network of international public and private partners, currently developing Building with Nature Asia (BwN Asia). This is a ground-breaking initiative that promotes large-scale adoption of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in water engineering across Asia. With government partners from 5 target countries, we are developing dedicated national programmes, as well as regional thematic work packages on science, policy, communications and capacity building. The initiative addresses barriers to adoption of NbS and stimulates multi-billion euro investment in tangible landscape-scale propositions for Building with Nature.

Building with Nature will be part of the Building with Nature innovation programme coordinated by the EcoShape foundation. This public-private partnership (PPP) has stimulated large-scale implementation of NbS across the world, based on inspiring demonstration projects in the field.

Your role

You will develop the BwN Asia programme together with the multi-party teams that are operating in each country, adding energy, expertise and ideas. You will also support resource mobilisation for the initiative, working with Resource Development staff towards reaching a fundraising target of 30-50 million EUR for a five-to-seven-year programme phase. As Programme Developer, you represent the BwN Asia programme towards relevant donor and finance institutions ensuring engagement and buy-in from BwN Asia partners.

Job offer

• Full time (36 hours - 5 days per week).
• Gross monthly salary max. EUR 7,592 excl. 8% holiday pay.
• Contract duration: One year, with expectation of extension.
• Location: Global Office in Ede-Wageningen, the Netherlands (2 days per week).

Responsibilities and tasks (and estimated % of your time)

• Strategic development of the BwN Asia programme, including for individual geographic and thematic programme components; work in a participative design process with public and private partners; formalise partnership arrangements (40%).
• Materialise a network with bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, financial and investment institutions (Asia and global) with an interest in green infrastructure. Organise dialogues with donors and investors from the public and private sectors to pitch the BwN Asia programme, nurturing invitations for proposals for different components of the BwN Asia programme (e.g. knowledge development, demonstration projects, training programmes (40%).
• Ensure donor and investor relationship management throughout the process. Oversee and drive proposal development processes, ensuring buy-in among core partners. Track and identify relevant open calls for proposals and invitations to tender and ensure follow up as appropriate (20%).

Your profile

You are an entrepreneurial matchmaker, with extensive working experience in Asia, excellent networking, donor and partner stewardship and representational skills and a demonstrated track record for securing multimillion euro budgets for innovative projects in the environmental, development and/or engineering domains. You have an established, active network among donor agencies and investors and you bring expertise in the development of business cases, fundraising strategies and subsequent acquisition among public and private donors and investors. An excellent relationship manager, you are able to develop, share and inspire people around a common vision for NbS with experience in the coordination of processes in complex partnerships that span across cultures and disciplines. This role requires regular travel.

Education, skills and experience

• MSc qualification in a relevant discipline with 10 years’ experience and positive track record in business development, programme development and PPP set-up.
• Extensive, active network of bi- and multilateral donor agencies (national foreign aid departments, climate funds, private foundations) and investors (development banks, private finance) and a proven track record of successful acquisitions.
• Up to date knowledge and insights on key developments in development, climate finance and investment in the infrastructure sector.
• Good working knowledge of Building with Nature/NbS, including on implementation models, barriers and enablers to mainstreaming and upscaling of the approach.
• Experienced advocate who can confidently pitch the Building with Nature vision and programme to different target audiences. Excellent interpersonal skills and experience with working in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments. Outstanding English.
• Experience in Asia, knowledge of the socio-economic, political and cultural context of the region.

How to apply

Please send a 2-page CV and motivation letter to Jozefa van der Veen, HR Officer to hr@wetlands.org no later than 27 March 2024, with the subject: “Application – Programme Developer BwN Asia”.

In this procedure, we work with Sustainability Works. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact annelies.pijnenburg@sustainabilityworks.eu.

First round video call interviews will take place on 8 and 9 April 2024; second round interviews on 16 and 17 April 2024 (in person).