Managing Director, WWF Impact at WWF in Washington, DC

Job description

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Managing Director, WWF Impact. Major Function 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. Key Responsibilities Leadership and Strategic Direction : 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.  Asset Manager Partnerships: 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.  Catalytic Portfolio: 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. Resource Mobilization: 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. Management: 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. External Engagement: 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.  Collaboration: 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. Key Competencies Financial Acumen: Structure and advance innovative impact investments, navigate nuanced and complex decisions, and demonstrate strong deal instincts. Private Capital Mobilization and Nature Finance Innovation: The Managing Director will advance nature finance innovations through a combination of new structures / design and partnership models. Executive Presence & Influence: Represent WWF with diplomacy, credibility, and authority while engaging investment managers, investors, donors, corporate leaders, multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, and other senior stakeholders. Strategic Thinking & Execution: Identify high-impact opportunities, assess complex trade-offs