National Individual Consultant Specialist DBSA Youth in Biodiversity Investment Facility - Pretoria, South Africa (office based) - 12 months (595794)
Overview
Support the refinement of biodiversity blended finance instruments and governance frameworks, integrating youth inclusion and green livelihoods into investment criteria.
Key Responsibilities
- Support refinement of the structure of biodiversity blended finance instruments and governance frameworks
- Integrate youth inclusion, green livelihoods and employment-generation considerations into biodiversity investment criteria and deal structures
- Develop a framework that embeds youth participation and digital verification standards
- Identify blended finance approaches supporting youth-led and youth-inclusive biodiversity enterprises
- Advise on outcome metrics and payment triggers for the proposed Youth in Biodiversity Outcomes Facility
- Identify and develop a pipeline of biodiversity and nature-based projects with clear youth employment and livelihoods potential
- Support feasibility assessments, financial modelling and project preparation
- Map biodiversity and green economy value chains with potential for youth employment, entrepreneurship and stewardship income
- Develop strategies and opportunities linking biodiversity investments to youth skilling, employment and entrepreneurship through DLAB precincts
- Support partnerships with government, private sector, training institutions and implementing partners to create green jobs and livelihood pathways
- Design youth enterprise development frameworks within biodiversity and nature-based sectors, including stewardship income models
- Facilitate linkages to the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) and other national youth employment frameworks
- Lead operational integration of the YOMA platform with DBSA DLAB precincts as opportunity providers
- Support deployment of digital credentials for DLAB and Biodiversity investment youth participants
- Coordinate rollout of YOMA Impacts Exchange for biodiversity stewardship tasks performed by youth in pilot geographies
- Facilitate the dual-credential mechanism: ensuring youth biodiversity stewardship simultaneously generates employment and biodiversity impact certificates
- Leverage the YOMA Impacts Exchange to route impact certificates to appropriate buyers/investors; to employers and PYEI/PES for employment credentials; to ESG investors and the Impact Funder for biodiversity stewardship certificates/credits.
- Prepare funding proposals, concept notes and investor materials for potential investors
- Position the Youth in Biodiversity dual-credential model as a bankable investment proposition
- Support the development of a Youth-Biodiversity Outcomes Facility
- Support DBSA’s engagement with national and international investors/funders to channel biodiversity funding through verified youth-led project pipelines.
- Track implementation progress against agreed KPIs including biodiversity outcomes and youth economic participation metrics
- Coordinate stakeholder partnerships across UNICEF, DBSA, DLabs, government, private sector, civil society and other stakeholders
- Manage the phased partnership roadmap from DLAB-YOMA integration pilot, through to Outcomes Facility capital raising
- Ensure DBSA’s reporting obligations to the Auditor-General and international funders are met using verified dMRV data.
- Develop thought leadership, learning products and reports positioning DBSA as a leading DFI in youth-integrated biodiversity finance
- Document lessons on biodiversity finance, youth participation, dual-credential mechanisms and digital innovation in the green economy.
- Represent the programme at relevant forums and events.
Required Experience
Minimum 10 years-experience in climate finance, biodiversity investment, blended finance or nature-based solutions. Demonstrated experience in outcomes-based finance, impact investment or development results frameworks. Strong track record in fundraising, investor engagement and proposal development for multilateral or development finance contexts. Experience working across public, private and development-sector partnerships. Experience in youth development, livelihoods programming, or green economy skills (highly desirable). Experience with digital service platforms, online youth employments systems, digital public goods, and similar, will be advantageous. Experience working with United Nations agencies and development banks advantageous.
Qualifications
Master’s in environmental finance, Conservation Economics, Development Finance, Sustainable Development, Climate Finance, or related field.