Principal Consultant - Nature-based Solutions

Job Description

DAI is looking for a Principal Nature-based Solutions Consultant, to work as part of their busy and expanding Resilience Team in our Delivery Unit. The position will be based within DAI Global UK; located in our spacious, bespoke offices in Apsley, Hertfordshire, adjacent to fast rail links to London and southeast England. DAI is widely recognised for its commitment to international development, supported by extensive in-house technical and programme delivery expertise. Our technical teams cover: Resilience (including Climate, Land, Social Protection, Disaster Risk Reduction, Energy Transition), Economic Growth, and Governance programmes across multiple donors and geographies.

Our portfolio of 200 projects in 100 countries crosses multiple disciplines. Our clients include the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the European Commission, EBRD, the World Bank, other donors and international lending institutions, and private corporations and Philanthropist organisations.

DAI is committed to helping nations, communities and businesses strive in a climate resilient world. We offer solutions and experience from the ground up which influences decision makers and brings positive outcomes to society and the planet. In order to better support the UKs leadership on international climate work and as the COP26 host, we are recruiting a Principal Consultant to deliver high quality technical expertise to grow our project portfolio, support existing assignments and deliver best-in class programmes. The successful candidate will work closely with teams and projects to build knowledge and networks and support new business opportunities and innovative technical solutions across this rapidly evolving sector.

The Principal Consultant will lead the design, development and delivery of DAI’s nature-based solutions (NBS) workstream to the scale needed to address the biodiversity and climate emergencies in emerging and developing countries. The development of the workstream will involve leading business development efforts as Champion or Lead Writer in competitive procurements for DAI clients. This will include developing technical methodologies and work plans on tenders for programmes designed by our clients, as well as identifying the skills sets needed for successful delivery, and where strategic partnerships are needed.

The Principal Consultant will also generate learning content and other communications materials and be available to develop and promote DAI’s thought partnership externally at influntial networking events.

For the role the successful candidate will have:

• Relevant academic qualifications (or equivalent) in one of the following: conservation, land use management, ecology, agriculture, economics, finance, or climate sciences.
• A detailed understanding and demonstrable experience in landscape-scale conservation; economics of valuing nature; technical, market and policy instruments leading to nature protection.
• Practical experience in one or more of the following areas would constitute an advantage:
  • Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon sequestration for sustainable land management practices.
  • Agroforestry, silvo-pastoral and farmer-managed natural regenerative practices.
  • Business tools (e.g. finance and supply chain management) for scaling up sustainable supply chains / zero deforestation commodities.
• Significant relevant experience in /in-country or relevant experience implementing programmes and / or providing advisory services.
• Understanding of HMG (Defra, BEIS, FCDO for instance) and other donors/actors approaches to climate/environment in their international development portfolios, and how this translates into programming.
• Network of specialist expertise within the sector and across a range of geographies.
• Knowledge of and networks of contacts in relevant organisations in the sector.
• Ability to represent DAI at technical conferences, meetings and networking events.
• Demonstrated experience in writing technical reports and technical methodologies (and other proposal sub-sections) and learning products.
• Ability to research, analyse and synthesise technical information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Fluency in French, Spanish and/or Portuguese would constitute an advantage.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Proactive, accountable and action-oriented with strong intellectual agility.
• Able to establish and maintain positive working relationships both internally and externally.
• Able to be flexible, versatile and tolerant in a changing work environment whilst maintaining effectiveness.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Numerate with a high level of attention to detail.
• Advanced level of MS Office.
• Ability to travel internationally when possible and if required.

Experience supporting consulting services or international development projects, especially with FCDO or other UK government departments, or experience of working overseas, ideally in a development environment would be an advantage.

The salary offered will be commensurate with relevant experience. DAI offers a generous benefits package and there are several day-to-day perks of working at DAI that help keep us happy and motivated! Closing date for applications is 11th December 2020 and interviews will be held progressively.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the United Kingdom. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. This job description details the key elements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Job roles evolve over time and job-holders may be required to complete additional tasks in line with business needs.

You will be pleased to know that we strive to uphold the highest ethical standards and that we are working with our clients to reduce the opportunity for people who are known to have breached ethical standards to work in our field.  Any staff and/or consultant contract with DAI, therefore, will be subject to satisfactory reference checking and vetting.

If this role sounds interesting and you would like to be part of DAI’s growing business, bidding for and managing donor-funded projects round the world, we look forward to hearing from you.

About the Organization

DAI is an international development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Nigeria, and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. Named one of the world’s top 40 international development innovators, DAI has delivered transformational development results in more than 150 countries for clients including development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.