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Description
Washington, DC or San Francisco, CA
Environmental Defense seeks a Finance Specialist for the Oceans Enterprise Unit of its Oceans Program.
The mission of the Oceans Program is to harmonize human use with the health of the ocean. Oceans Enterprise's mission is to achieve breakthrough improvements in marine fisheries management. It does so by developing and implementing new solutions adapted from existing private sector commodity and property management approaches and by promoting these approaches with ocean resource users and regulators.
Where solutions already exist (e.g. catch shares) Oceans Enterprise provides fishermen and regional fishery management councils with the necessary technical expertise to implement these systems. Where solutions do not yet exist, Oceans Enterprise helps create incentive-based tools that draw from existing private sector financing and commodity management approaches.
Over the next five years, the goal of Oceans Enterprise is to demonstrate the value of the first generation of market-based tools for fisheries management in the US, and to lay the foundation for a subsequent generation of incentive-based solutions to further improve fisheries.
Position Overview:
The Finance Specialist will assist in the development of innovative financing tools that support the transformation to sustainable fisheries. This may include creating lending mechanisms for fishermen (and possibly cooperatives which include processing and distribution capacity) and designing financial tools that can help capitalize the expected increases in valuation associated with recovering fisheries.
The Finance Specialist will also work with ED's regional staff to develop solutions to typical catch share design issues, becoming proficient in the various models and options available under a range of different costs, scales, and social conditions.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Work with a multidisciplinary team to develop and fine-tune financing tools to encourage a shift to sustainable fishery management practices
- Assist in the design and implementation of lending mechanisms that support the conversion of traditionally managed fisheries to incentive-based management systems
- Help develop and maintain access to non-conventional financing sources (foundation PRI's, non-profit lenders, etc.)
- Help build financial models which demonstrate the financial implications of various financing options
- Advance the state of catch share knowledge by applying concepts from analogous private sector fields (derivatives, commodities trading, auction theory, etc.) and effectively documenting this information
- Help regional staff select fisheries with excellent potential for catch share solutions
Desired Qualifications:
- A bachelor's degree or higher from a major university, preferably in a field requiring complex analytical/quantitative methods and skills
- 2 years financial sector experience in an investment banking or business consulting environment, highly preferred
- Experience in the design and application of financial tools such as derivatives, forward contracts, hedges, etc., preferred
- Experience in the use of financial tools to achieve public objectives strongly preferred
- Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, ability to work under pressure, prioritize and multi-task
- Ability to work both independently and as a member of small teams in a dynamic and creative environment
- Very strong Excel financial modeling skills
- Excellent writing skills
- A committed interest in the conservation-related mission of ED; knowledge of Oceans issues highly desirable
Compensation: Environmental Defense offers a competitive compensation and benefits package.
To Apply:
Interested applicants please email submit your cover letter, resume and salary requirements.
Environmental Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities and the physically challenged are encouraged to apply.