[Remote] Community-led Economies & Finance Director

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is dedicated to conserving lands and waters for all life. They are seeking a Community-led Economies and Finance Director to lead and manage TNC’s Community-led Economies and Finance strategy, focusing on Indigenous and community leadership in conservation and equitable economic solutions. Responsibilities • Leads a global Community-led Economies and Finance strategy grounded in Indigenous rights, community governance, human rights, gender equity, and economic self-determination—translating values into actionable solutions • Analyzes, identifies, and champions key financial and economic models and approaches that support long-term funding and economic sovereignty for Community-led conservation • Evaluates enabling conditions, emerging practices, and organizational levers to identify and elevate opportunities for innovation, proposing and championing approaches that embed leading‑edge community‑led economies and finance models into TNC’s systems • Geographic size and scope at a global level, with a focus and responsibility on providing strategic leadership support to launch new ‘bottom-up’ projects and initiatives • Working collaboratively with field programs, partners, and global team colleagues, the Director will advance strategy and priority projects across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America in new and existing place-based partnerships • Serves as the Global Equitable Conservation lead and point person on Community-led Finance and Economics, ensuring alignment and integration across EC practice areas, reducing duplication and reinforcing rights-based approaches • Serves as a thought leader at TNC on Community-led conservation finance and economics for systems change • Engages with other BUs and leadership across TNC to influence and drive TNC’s Community-led work -relevant approaches to conservation finance and economics • Upholds and implements Our Ways of Working agreements, EC Team norms, TNC values, and community-led conservation approaches • Leads the strategic identification, design, development, and execution of a portfolio of high-impact financial and economic models/solutions/projects, catalytically supporting Indigenous- and community-led conservation • Leads work planning and execution for holistic and integrated Community-led Finance and Economic Strategy. This includes supporting the design, adaptation and scaling of rights-based economic and financing frameworks—such as Social Protection economic approaches, TNC Community Enterprise Catalyst and other approaches that include MSMEs and smallholders, Payments for Territorial and Ecosystems Services with an inclusive lens, nature-based and climate-positive finance instruments and approaches (Nature Bonds, Natural Climate Solutions, Climate Adaptation), and other market-relevant mechanisms—in service of ground up, rights- and values-based approaches for healthy people, lands and waters. In partnership with the Program and Resource Management sub-team, the Director implements EC-wide work planning, operational, program, and resource management tools, processes, and resources • Works in partnership with the Regional Coordination Manager for Equitable Conservation to strengthen coherence and information flow between portfolio and regional engagements, supporting consistent and coordinated interactions across geographies informed by regional priorities • Develops culture and support to address organizational system(s) in need of results pertaining to Community-led finance and economics, in alignment with EC-wide culture and practices • Builds organizational alignment, buy-in, and uptake for Community-led Finance and Economics approaches by translating strategy into shared priorities, practical guidance, and usable tools across a matrixed organization • Oversees the work of other professionals, including direct and dotted line reports and consultants, in alignment with Equitable Conservation team practices • Establishes, models, and supports community-led and rights-based guiding principles and norms, anchored in trust-building and right relations, for TNC’s community-led finance and economics work • Cultivates talent and leads a team culture of peer mentorship and support, especially in support of local teams and local capacity building as a sub-strategy for scaling impact • Support the creation of an internal network / community of practice, shared tools, learning products and knowledge systems to cultivate capacity building and learning across the organization in coordination with the Networks and Movements sub-team • Collaborates with other members of the Equitable Conservation team to apply team expertise (e.g., on human rights, gender, MEL, youth, etc.) while aligning priorities and building shared ownership to model and advance a holistic, Voice, Choice, and Action-based approach • Cultivates strategic partnerships both within TNC and externally to advance long-term financial and economic solutions • Ensures this strategy aligns with and advances existing TNC local and regional strategies and priorities • Works with team and marketing/communications colleagues to ensure strong and effective communications regarding Community-Led finance and economics work to TNC internal and external audiences through evidence, tools and storytelling • Directs or participates in negotiations for complex, high profile, or sensitive agreements as needed • They lead engagements with public and private organizations, development experts, and potential market and investment partners at regional and global scales with deference to local leadership • Assists priority field programs with technical support and to leverage public and private funding opportunities, including influencing public policy related to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP and LC) and Community-led finance and economics for conservation • Plays a strategic role in fundraising and donor cultivation, co-designing fundable platforms, shaping narratives, and engaging select donors and partners, including shaping donor approaches that support regional ownership while maintaining global coherence, learning and alignment, while working closely with Equitable Conservation leadership and development staff • Support donor relations/communications and fundraising efforts as needed to execute Community-led Conservation Finance and Economic Strategy • Supports Global Director for ICLC, Global Director of Equitable Conservation, Associate Director of Outreach and Impact, and other team director(s) of development on long-term and cross-practice donor cultivation and fundraising, as needed Skills • Demonstrated ability to design, lead, and implement impactful strategies at the intersection of conservation, finance, community partnership, and systems change—gained through formal training, professional practice, and/or lived experience • Demonstrated ability to navigate complex, matrixed organizations with political and relational savvy, setting clear priorities and boundaries, exercising sound judgment under ambiguity, and leading through partnership and influence rather than direct ownership • Real-world expertise in community finance, development economics, equitable conservation, and/or climate work • Master's Degree in International Development, Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Environmental Economics, Public Finance, Marketing or equivalent; and 5+ years' experience in community finance, conservation finance, economic development practice, banking, financial policy, social science or similar; or equivalent combination of education and experience • Experience managing complex or multiple projects, coordinating the work of other professionals and partners, culturally competent management • Experience leading through organizational transition and/or shifting operating models • Cross-cultural work experience, including in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs), small island development states (SIDS), non-biased, able to lead in the service of ‘bottom up' and equity approaches • Strong network weaver, team player with experience in partnership development with non-profits, community groups, and/or government agencies • Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and norms, career path development, and managing performance • Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions • Oral and written fluency in English • Experience working for grassroots IP and LC and Community-led organizations • Strong, demonstrated attunement to equity and community-centered processes and outcomes of financing and/or development projects • Multisectoral experience (work across private, public, and non-profit sectors) • Outstanding and proven analytical, quantitative, and communication skills • Experience supporting the execution of quantitative and/or qualitative social science studies • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization • Ability to successfully develop and implement complex projects in an unstructured environment • Experience developing practical applications of sustainable finance and development economics concepts and technical innovations for multi-generational and equitable conservation outcomes • Experience running incubators, accelerators, blended finance platforms, green inclusive finance mobilization strategies appreciated • Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation • Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity, climate and community-led conservation finance, and experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives in service to the places closest to the ecosystems TNC is seeking to protect and conserve • Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental and international affairs • Ability to synthesize complex information in practice area for senior decision-making • Advanced proficiency in interpreting guidelines to achieve desired results • Negotiating experience and political savvy • Communication skills in Bahasa Indonesia, Mongolian, Portuguese, Spanish, and/or Swahili are appreciated Benefits • Health care benefits • Flexible spending accounts • A 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match • Parental leave • Accrued paid time off • Life insurance • Disability coverage • Employee assistance program • Other life and work well-being benefits Company Overview • The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit conservation organization that works to protect terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. It was founded in 1951, and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, USA, with a workforce of 5001-10000 employees. Its website is http://www.nature.org. Company H1B Sponsorship • The Nature Conservancy has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 26 in 2025, 21 in 2024, 13 in 2023, 18 in 2022, 13 in 2021, 12 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.