Restoration Insurance Service Company (RISCO) Project Director

Job Description

Position Description

Conservation International Foundation (CI) is the proponent of RISCO, a first-of-its-kind sustainable business model for investing in mangrove conservation and restoration, generating revenue from insurance companies that pay to lessen their risk exposure, and from the sale of blue carbon credits. Specifically, RISCO aims to capture the economic value of threatened mangroves upfront (before they are destroyed) through two revenue streams: (1) insurance-related payments for the modelled flood risk reduction benefits of mangroves and (2) blue carbon payments for the validated climate mitigation value of mangroves. More information about the instrument can be found here:

https://www.climatefinancelab.org/project/coastal-risk-reduction/

CI aims to develop RISCO pilot projects in two to three sites over the next two years. Three key phases until anticipated financial closure of the pilot projects will consist of (1) site selection, (2) business case development, including return on investment analysis, and (3) pilot structuring / negotiation of transactions.

The RISCO Senior Director will be a senior position based at CI’s office in Manila, Philippines (other locations in Asia such as Singapore, Jakarta, and Tokyo may be considered). The Senior Director will work with both a Development and Advisory Team which will be responsible for RISCO’s overall success and a Pilot Delivery Team which will be responsible for delivering the pilots in the Philippines (and potentially one other country in Asia-Pacific). Team members are based in the United States, the Philippines, and Singapore.

The position is a fixed two (2) year commitment.

Responsibilities

Working directly with CI-Philippines, the Development and Advisory Team, and the Pilot Delivery Team, the RISCO Senior Director will:

Develop 2-3 RISCO pilots

· Finalize pilot selection criteria and choose pilot project locations.

· Lead the development of 2-3 RISCO pilots (1-3 in the Philippines, 1-2 possibly in Vietnam or Indonesia), including business case development and modelling associated project costs.

· Oversee the completion of blue carbon feasibility assessments for each pilot.

Design the insurance financial mechanism and structure deals

· Establish modalities for RISCO’s insurance revenue stream, working with the insurance industry and insurance modelers as needed, and setting up appropriate monitoring systems.

· Lead transaction structuring arrangements and pay-for-success contract negotiations with insurance companies and blue carbon credit purchasers.

· Lead the structuring of debt/ equity investment agreements for the RISCO pilots, based on their business plans.

Engage stakeholders and represent RISCO externally

· Lead partnership development and networking with the insurance industry, coastal asset owners, and investors.

· Visit sites and engage with local stakeholders, supporting local CI teams and external partners to create a mangrove conservation and restoration plan for each site and establish conservation agreements with communities.

· Represent RISCO at workshops and meetings, from local site visits to international conferences.

Manage the project day-to-day

· Oversee day-to-day RISCO administration and operations (finance, donor reporting, etc.).

· Coordinate and participate in regular phone calls with the RISCO Development and Advisory Team, based mainly in the US, and the Pilot Delivery Team, based mainly in the Philippines

Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Working Conditions

The Project Director will be expected to coordinate and participate in regular phone calls with the RISCO Development and Advisory Team, based in the US. The position will require travel about 20% of the time – mostly within the Philippines but with some international trips. We are following COVID-19 protocols and work with be conducted partially or entirely remotely when necessary, returning to a typical office environment when feasible.

Qualifications

Required

Combination of education and experience equivalent to 10+ years of progressively responsible professional experience in insurance, business, finance, or related discipline(s), with the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Leadership & Collaboration. Demonstrated ability to lead, engage and collaborate within highly matrixed, cross-disciplinary, and geographically and culturally diverse teams and/or organizations to achieve shared goals.
• Business and Finance. Demonstrated ability to create business plans for projects, model costs, develop new revenue streams, and assess return on investment. Track record in negotiating business contracts.
• Insurance Knowledge. Knowledge of insurance industry.
• Partnership Building. Proven experience in facilitating dialogue and developing partnerships among diverse project stakeholder such as communities, conservation groups, government, and the private sector.
• Analytical Skills & Abilities. Strong analytical and conceptual skills, and demonstrated ability to understand, evaluate, and interpret a broad range of economic, financial, scientific, and non-technical information used in economic decision-making. Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into actionable strategies and plans.
• Communication Skills. Superior written, oral and interpersonal communication and presentation skills. Demonstrated ability to interpret and communicate complex analytical data and information to technical, non-technical audiences. Excellent skills in intercultural communication.
• Project/Program Management. Proven leadership in the administration of complex projects with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting.
• Language: Fluency in English.

Preferred

• Experience in property/casualty insurance and reinsurance products, product pricing, and market dynamics;
• General familiarity with catastrophic risk and other property/casualty insurance actuarial models;
• Advanced degree in Business (MBA), Economics, or other relevant fields.
• Knowledge of conservation issues in Asia-Pacific, and in the Philippines in particular.
• Knowledge of climate finance and policy issues, including carbon markets.
• Insurance modelling, geospatial analysis, and/or conservation planning skills.
• Experience in blended finance transactions.
• Fluency in Tagalog

To apply for this position please send letter of intent with your resumé to: cipfi_hr@conservation.org on or before 15 March 2021.

About the Organization

Conservation International works to protect the critical benefits that nature provides to people. Through science, partnerships and fieldwork, Conservation International is driving innovation and investments in nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, supporting protections for critical habitats, and fostering economic development that is grounded in the conservation of nature. Conservation International works in 30 countries around the world, empowering societies at all levels to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet.

Conservation International Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All areas of employment including recruitment, advertising, hiring, promotion, demotion, lateral reassignment, transfer, layoff, discharge, rates of pay or other compensation, training, or any other benefits will be based on merit and qualification. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex (including pregnancy and childbirth), race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, family responsibilities, political affiliation, citizenship status, ancestry, certain medical conditions, or matriculation.