Managing Director, WWF Impact

World Wildlife Fund, Inc. • Washington, DC

8d • $181,000 - $260,200 • Hybrid

About The Position

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Managing Director, WWF Impact. WWF Impact is a dedicated investment function effort that sits within the Nature Finance and Investment (NFI) team. The Managing Director will oversee all of WWF Impact’s activities, which include initiating and managing partnerships with external sustainable investment asset managers and managing an evolving portfolio of direct equity investments into start-ups that further our conservation mission. The Managing Director will manage a highly skilled team of conservation investment professionals in pursuit of successful high impact partnerships and private investment opportunities. The Managing Director will serve on the leadership team of the broader NFI team and will have primary responsibility for managing WWF Impact’s relationships, internally and externally in the market.

Requirements

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in the financial services sector, including private equity, venture capital, impact investing, conservation finance, environmental and conservation-based investing.
• Advanced degree from a relevant field, such as finance, business administration, economics, international relations, or political science.
• Demonstrated experience developing and evaluating investment strategies, conducting due diligence, assessing investment opportunities, portfolio management, deal structuring, and the use of capital instruments.
• Experience working within or alongside multilateral and bilateral finance institutions, including development finance institutions and development banks, in support of investment structuring, partnerships, or capital mobilization initiatives.
• Awareness of key components of sustainable investment, including investment instruments, term sheets, blended finance techniques, deal structuring, etc.
• Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Financial modeling skills and fluency with Microsoft Excel. Able to review, analyze, and evaluate financial models, financial projections, company valuations, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems and to effectively communicate solutions to others.
• Strong coordination and teamwork and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to manage and deliver against multiple time sensitive priorities.
• A dynamic, creative, and outgoing personality with a commitment to nature conservation.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: COURAGE, INTEGRITY, RESPECT, COLLABORATION.

Nice To Haves

• Strong preference for candidates who have worked with or in the field of emerging market private equity in environmental sectors, and have a track record of designing and executing multi-party blended finance solutions.
• Sector expertise in one or more of WWF’s priority areas (e.g., regenerative agriculture and food systems, blue economy/aquaculture, sustainable infrastructure, or carbon markets), with experience working in Latin America, Africa, Asia, or other emerging markets preferred.
• Competency in a second language (ideally Spanish or Portuguese) a significant plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead WWF Impact, the dedicated team within NFI where we pursue both direct early stage (catalytic) investing opportunities as well as external partnerships with asset manager partnerships in which WWF serves the role of impact advisor.
• Oversee the process to forge new asset manager partnership opportunities through effective partner identification, collaboration, diligence, and project / fund development. Work with the WWF Impact team, NFI Management, and WWF programmatic teams to pursue and close high potential asset management partnerships in priority sectors (regenerative agriculture, blue oceans, sustainable infrastructure, circular economy, carbon finance, etc.). Play lead role in negotiating partnerships with potential partners.
• Oversee the early-stage direct investment portfolio (catalytic investing), including opportunity pipeline review, investment analysis, due diligence / legal process management. Ensure that investment memorandums are well-prepared and uphold a rigorous standard for investment and impact analyses. Lead the investment team in presentations and deliberations in internal governance processes.
• Develop, maintain and advance key internal and external relationships for partnership success. This includes funding partnerships with partners (philanthropic & investment), WWF programmatic goal team and global network relationship management, asset manager relationship management, and portfolio company relationships.
• Oversee a growing team of professionals within the WWF Impact team. Manage WWF Impact’s budget and build capacity of both WWF US and Country Office staff in support of NFI’s goal of significant capital mobilization to conservation finance.
• Represent WWF Impact and NFI at external events, conferences, and workshops. Travel domestically and internationally (up to 25%), to priority landscape regions in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
• Collaborate and develop partnerships across geographies and work closely with WWF’s conservation goal teams, country offices, and private sector engagement and development / capital raising teams to advance integrated nature finance strategies.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• International and domestic relocation assistance may be offered based on available budget.
• Relocation may be considered for this position.
• Paid Relocation: International

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive