NFG Legal Assistant

CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL•Arlington, VA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

NFG Legal Assistant Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. POSITION SUMMARY - This position is based in Arlington, VA The position provides support as needed to the Nature Finance (NFG) legal team within the General Counsel’s Office (GCO). NFG is the division at CI that provides financing to support field-level conservation and ensure economic benefits to local communities. NFG operates through a number of programs, including Conservation International Ventures, Long-Term Finance (LTF), Nature Fund Advisory, and Carbon Finance. LTF finances the creation, expansion, and long-term management of priority areas for conservation. Current initiatives include support for the Blue Nature Alliance, a multi-stakeholder partnership to advance large-scale ocean conservation. Conservation International Ventures is an impact investment program that will provide support to enterprises whose business activities have the potential for environmental impact. Carbon Finance works with CI country programs and partners to develop and manage projects offering natural solutions to climate change, while generating revenue from the generation of carbon credits. Nature Fund Advisory provides impact advisory services to private and public investors, facilitating the deployment of capital into Nature-Based Solutions (NCS) like forest and wetland restoration.

Requirements

2 to 4 years of relevant work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Proficiency with MS Office Suite.
Strong writing and proofreading skills.
Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.
Attention to detail and problem-solving skills are essential.
Ability to keep track of documents and track the progress of project activity.
Strong organizational and planning skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Spanish proficiency (speaking and writing).
Ability to juggle and prioritize several tasks, flexibility, and a friendly personality.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree
French and/or Portuguese language skills.
Demonstrated interest in nature conservation, human development, or conservation finance.
Interest in pursuing a legal career.

Responsibilities

Support the work of NFG legal advisors.
Preparing, reviewing, proofreading, and editing non-disclosure agreements, grants, loans, and other transaction documents.
Assisting with both internal and external processes for the closing of transactions.
Conducting legal research.
Organizing and taking accurate minutes of certain meetings.
Conducting legal due diligence on borrowers and related projects for Conservation International Ventures.
Conducting legal due diligence on partners and environmental fund managers for the Long-Term Finance team.
Conducting legal due diligence on partners and carbon rights for the Carbon Finance program.
Conduct legal due diligence on the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle.
Preparing initial drafts of certain carbon credit legal transaction documents.
Assisting with the contracting of vendors and leading the disbursements to vendors as needed.
Maintaining contact with other CI departments, local counsel, and grantees.
Providing support in the retention of local counsel (researching local firms, drafting requests for proposals, drafting requests for proposal charts to compare the various firms).
Providing administrative support to the legal team (assist with expense reports, travel arrangements, organize workshops and meetings, etc.).
Coordinating technical reporting and deliverables for LTF projects and CIV/NFG investments.
Assisting with Know Your Customer (KTC) due diligence requests.
Handling sensitive information in a confidential manner.
Researching topics related to conservation finance.
Ad-hoc project assignments.