Aquaculture Impact Investing Specialist - 25039

Overview

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks an Aquaculture Impact Investing Senior Specialist.

Location: DC preferred with remote possible under specific circumstances.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Vice President, Impact Investing.

Position Length: This is an open-ended position.

Major Function:

WWF Impact brings investment capital to innovations for the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. We see a compelling opportunity in several high priority sectors such as food systems, forestry, oceans, and freshwater, among others. Our team believes that business innovations can support and accelerate WWF’s conservation efforts. The Aquaculture Impact Investing Senior Specialist will be a core member of this initiative and play a critical role in the success and scale up of the aquaculture portfolio. This individual will have a keen interest in environmental conservation and financial markets with a particular focus on aquaculture and other marine sustainability issues.

Building on the initial launch of the aquaculture portfolio, the Senior Specialist will execute the next stage of impact investing in aquaculture under the recently acquired grant from The Builders Initiative. The Senior Specialist will lead in completing critical analysis, financial modeling, and research on impact investment opportunities at both the aquaculture sector and investment level. The Senior Specialist will support the daily operations of the strategy, manage an existing portfolio of aquaculture startups, and take steps to help grow this initiative. The individual will also work closely with and support the Vice President of Impact Investing and Ecosystems Services, Aquaculture.

Salary: The expected compensation range for this position is $67,000 to $83,600

ResponsibilitiesKey Competencies

• Analytical Thinking - Demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems and to effectively communicate solutions to others
• Interpersonal Collaboration - Strong coordination, teamwork, and interpersonal skills
• Time Management - Proven ability to manage and deliver against multiple time sensitive priorities
• Communication - Strong written, verbal and presentation skills

Required Skills and Experience

• Pipeline Development: Support prospective investment pipeline development
  • Bring, refine, and maintain a deep understanding of seaweed and shellfish sector dynamics to assist with pipeline development
  • Identify potential investments through sector event attendance, company visits, and network collaboration
  • Create and maintain a prioritized database (the pipeline) of prospective investments
• Due Diligence: Support the creation of investment recommendations that are presented to WWF Impact senior management and Investment Advisory Panel for approval
  • Leverage seaweed and shellfish market expertise to develop draft investment recommendations
  • Coordinate due diligence schedule and internal and external due diligence team member deliverables for prospective investment companies
  • Analyze company pro forma and financial models
  • Test the veracity of company claims and assumptions
• Portfolio Management: Monitor, evaluate, and report on portfolio company performance
  • Create and maintain a database of portfolio company quarterly and annual reports
  • Evaluate company performance vs impact objectives
  • Lead the data collection and drafting of WWF Impact’s annual portfolio review for aquaculture portfolio companies
• Next-stage Strategy Development: Lead the preparation of a dedicated and commercial aquaculture investment vehicle to be launched in 2026
  • Generate a landscape scan of potential partner organizations
  • Identify relevant aquaculture markets and verticals as candidates for future impact investment portfolios
  • Develop impact and financial investment theses to advance WWF’s conservations goals within the aquaculture sector
• Budget Management and Reporting: Support WWF Impact management to ensure that portfolio and financial reporting is accurate, timely, and that expenses are within budget guidelines
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and/or Graduate degree in finance, accounting, or economics OR Bachelors and/or Graduate degree in marine sciences with a focus on aquaculture, ocean sustainability, or the Blue Economy
• 5+ years of experience of combined experince in Early stage investing, start-ups, Venture Capital, Private Equity, Financial Markets, or a related field within the Blue Economy (e.g., ocean impact investing or fisheries and aquaculture)
  • Passionate about the key sustainability and business issues within the seaweed and shellfish aquaculture sectors
• In-depth understanding of successful pathways for seaweed and shellfish aquaculture industry growth
  • Including: relevant policy issues, market dynamics, and technological challenges
• Financial modeling skills
• Fluency with Microsoft Office
• Self-driven; ability to take initiative and facilitate the work of others
• Willingness to travel as necessary, which may be up to 20%
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #25039
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.

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