E&S Impact and Safeguards Lead - DFCD & Nectar Fund

Wereld Natuur Fonds (WWF/ WNF); Zeist; Hybrid; EUR 49,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

6 weeks of holiday per year

NS Business Card for travel

Travel reimbursement

Vegetarian lunches

Job summary

WWF-NL in Zeist seeks an Environmental & Social Impact Lead (Blended Finance) to strengthen E&S governance, manage risk, and drive impact reporting across the Dutch DFCD programs. You will shape grant and TA inputs, support capacity building, and collaborate with WWF offices, partners and investors to mobilise capital for climate adaptation and nature-positive landscapes.

A Master’s degree and 6+ years’ experience in ESG or climate/nature impact are expected; you will advance strategy with

Qualifications

• Strong organisational and coordination skills in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong execution, time- and program management skills.
• Highly analytical; detail-oriented; pragmatic and solutions-focused.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member across cultures, time zones, and remotely.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong networks with diverse stakeholders, including investors, entrepreneurs, government, industry, and donors.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral/presentational.
• Deep understanding of climate adaptation in developing countries, nature conservation, and socioeconomic development.
• Integrity; you handle confidential information with care.
• Fluent in English. Working proficiency in French or Spanish is a bonus.
• Master’s degree in relevant field (social or natural sciences, sustainable development etc.,)
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in environmental and social risk management, climate or nature impact strategy, safeguards, ESG, or related fields. Experience in a development finance setting is an asset.
• Experience conducting or overseeing E&S screening, due diligence, monitoring and corrective action plans for projects or businesses (especially early-stage businesses).
• Familiarity with donor, DFI or blended-finance E&S standards (e.g., IFC PS or similar).

Responsibilities

• Ensure effective E&S governance and management across both programs, including planning, implementation and reporting.
• As needed, provide expert environmental and social inputs into the structuring of grant and Technical Assistance support, including risk mitigation measures, E&S action plans (ESAPs) and monitoring requirements.
• Work with colleagues in the local WWF offices, the WWF network and relevant partner organisations to deliver collectively and collaboratively on objectives.
• Support capacity building of WWF teams and partners on environmental and social risk management, impact and best practice.
• Ensure the core team and consortium based in the Netherlands remain up to date on key developments and performance.
• Together with the MEL advisor, support annual impact reporting.
• Represent WWF when needed on DFCD-related impact inquiries, for example, at external events or during meetings with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Dutch investors.
• Stay up to date on developments in the field, and contribute to continuous strategic development especially in the field of biodiversity/nature positive finance. Ensure the DFCD program manager remains briefed on relevant developments (internal comms).
• Together with the comms lead, publish thought leadership pieces reflecting the program’s impact themes (external comms).

Skills

Organisational skills

Coordination

Program management

Analytical thinking

Cross-cultural teamwork

Networking

Written and oral communication

Climate adaptation knowledge

Integrity/confidentiality

English fluency

French/Spanish (bonus)

Education

Master’s degree in relevant field

Job description

Do you want to work together with inspired colleagues to create a world in which nature and people thrive? And help build a nature-positive impact in biodiverse priority landscapes around the world by mobilising people to act? That is what you will do when you work at WWF Netherlands (WWF-NL).

WWF-NL is a professional and dynamic organization with an informal working culture based in Zeist, the Netherlands. The organisation is looking for an Environmental & Social Impact Lead (Blended Finance).

40 hours per week

Climate change and biodiversity loss pose an unprecedented threat to humanity in the 21st century: WWF works to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. Alongside global advocacy and policy engagement, WWF works to ‘blend’ public and private finance to seize and scale opportunities for climate and nature positive development, thereby combatting these challenges. Specifically, Bankable Nature Solutions (BNS) offer a solution - financially viable businesses and projects which support the development of more resilient, sustainable landscapes and economies. Their bankability helps accelerate scaling and replication, realising large-scale positive impact for nature and people. African countries, entrepreneurs and investors are uniquely positioned to realise these opportunities.

WWF operates two flagship blended finance funds leveraging finance for climate adaptation and resilience across agriculture, forestry, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and environmental protection. WWF-NL is part of a consortium managing the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD), led by Dutch development bank FMO, along with Climate Fund Managers (CFM), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV). As co-leader of the Origination Facility (OF), WWF supports established companies with climate resilient and nature-positive project proposals via tailored Technical Assistance (TA) and grant funding. In February 2026, WWF launched Nectar Fund – dedicated to ‘originating’ and supporting earlier-stage businesses for a wider ecosystem of African and global investors. In both cases, WWF’s grant and TA is designed to unlock capital to scale climate adaptation solutions, mitigation, biodiversity and wider development impact (including gender and social inclusion).

The Environmental & Social Lead (Blended Finance) reports directly to the DFCD Program Manager, Jaap de Jong.

Roles and responsibilities:

• Ensure effective E&S governance and management across both programs, including planning, implementation and reporting. This includes maintaining the online program management system and impact dashboard.
• As needed, provide expert environmental and social inputs into the structuring of grant and Technical Assistance support, including risk mitigation measures, E&S action plans (ESAPs) and monitoring requirements.
• Work with colleagues in the local WWF offices, the WWF network and relevant partner organisations to deliver collectively and collaboratively on objectives.
• Support capacity building of WWF teams and partners on environmental and social risk management, impact and best practice.
• Ensure the core team and consortium based in the Netherlands remain up to date on key developments and performance.
• Together with the MEL advisor, support annual impact reporting.
• Represent WWF when needed on DFCD-related impact inquiries, for example, at external events or during meetings with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Dutch investors.
• Stay up to date on developments in the field, and contribute to continuous strategic development especially in the field of biodiversity/nature positive finance. Ensure the DFCD program manager remains briefed on relevant developments (internal comms).
• Together with the comms lead, publish thought leadership pieces reflecting the program’s impact themes (external comms).

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• Strong organisational and coordination skills in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong execution, time- and program management skills.
• Highly analytical; detail-oriented; pragmatic and solutions-focused.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member across cultures, time zones, and remotely.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong networks with diverse stakeholders, including investors, entrepreneurs, government, industry, and donors.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral/presentational.
• Deep understanding of climate adaptation in developing countries, nature conservation, and socioeconomic development.
• Integrity; you handle confidential information with care.
• Fluent in English. Working proficiency in French or Spanish is a bonus.
• Master’s degree in relevant field (social or natural sciences, sustainable development etc.,)
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in environmental and social risk management, climate or nature impact strategy, safeguards, ESG, or related fields. Experience in a development finance setting is an asset.
• Experience conducting or overseeing E&S screening, due diligence, monitoring and corrective action plans for projects or businesses (especially early-stage businesses).
• Familiarity with donor, DFI or blended-finance E&S standards (e.g., IFC PS or similar).

Core values

You recognize yourself in the core values of WWF-NL:

• Courage
• Integrity
• Respect
• Collaboration

What do we offer?

• A sustainable office surrounded by nature;
• Fun colleagues and the chance to build up an international network;
• Vegetarian lunches in our canteen and free after work drinks every other Thursday;
• A full-time employment contract. Initially, a fixed-term employment contract of two years with the intention to renew will be offered;
• Salaries that are in line with the standard in the Dutch not-for-profit sector. The minimum gross monthly salary for this role is 4.421,29 EUR and the maximum monthly salary is 5.847,01 EUR (based on a 40-hour contract)
• A personal budget that is made up of 8% holiday allowance and 2,08% flexible budget;
• 6 weeks of holiday per year (based on a 40-hour contract);
• An NS Business Card for 2nd class travel to and from work and an allowance of €0,25 per kilometer cycled between home and the office;
• Hybrid working, so staff have the flexibility to alternate working from home and from the office; for every working from home day, staff can request a reimbursement of €2,45.

Please note that in order to work for WWF-NL, you need a valid work permit.

We consider the safety and protection of our colleagues as important. The successful candidate is therefore required to complete an integrity statement and supply a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag). We may also ask for references.