Associate, GEF Partnership and Public Funding

USA The Nature Conservancy; Virginia; Remote; USD 61,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nature Conservancy seeks an Associate to advance GEF Partnership and Public Funding initiatives, coordinating pipelines, research, and external engagements with GEF Agencies, governments, and other partners. The role supports the GEF Partnership Manager and manages defined deliverables across time zones.

You will research policies, prepare briefs, and maintain CRM data while ensuring alignment with internal processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of related experience.
• Fluency in English.
• Familiarity with the GEF, other multilateral environmental funds, or similar international development or financial institutions.
• Experience researching information from divergent sources and compiling it into a cohesive reporting structure.
• Experience with policy, public funding, or corporate initiatives at international, country, sub-national, or local levels.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate defined workstreams supporting TNC’s GEF/GBFF opportunity and proposal pipeline, including workplans, deadlines, inputs, review points, and follow-up actions.
• Support research on GEF and GBFF policies, programming directions, funding windows, country priorities, events, and partner activities, and synthesize findings into concise briefings, memos, presentations, trackers, or recommendations.
• Support coordination among TNC Business Units, regional teams, country programs, global strategies, Policy and Public Funding colleagues, and technical and operational functions.
• Help prepare and coordinate engagements with GEF Secretariat staff, GEF Agencies, governments, multilateral organizations, conservation organizations, and other partners, including agendas, briefing materials, notes, decisions, and follow-up actions.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, relationship, interaction, and next-action information in TNC's CRM and other designated systems.
• Build and maintain knowledge-management resources, templates, intranet pages, training materials, event records, proposal materials, and implementation lessons.
• Support proposal and project coordination, including document management, internal input processes, partner follow-up, deadline tracking, and consistency review.
• Progressively own bounded deliverables and selected working-level relationships with clear decision rights and escalation expectations.
• The role requires collaboration across time zones and cultures, with potential time-sensitive deliverables outside standard hours.

Skills

Fluency in English

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

What We Can Achieve Together: The Associate, GEF Partnership and Public Funding will help The Nature Conservancy strengthen its engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), GEF Agencies, governments, and other public-funding partners. Working across Business Units, regions, countries, functions, and external organizations, the Associate will coordinate complex information and deliverables supporting GEF- and GBFF-related funding opportunities, institutional relationships, events, proposals, implementation learning, and knowledge management. The Associate will support the GEF Partnership Manager while owning defined projects and deliverables from planning through completion. They will exercise judgment within agreed parameters, identify issues requiring escalation, and progressively assume responsibility for selected internal processes and partner engagements. The position does not independently set TNC’s GEF strategy or make institutional commitments. This is a two-year term position, with the possibility of extension based on budget availability and organizational needs. This remote position may be based in any country where TNC has an established office. Must be willing to overlap 5 working hours/day in the U.S. Eastern time zone (ET). Please submit all application materials in English.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

This role may be a strong fit if you enjoy bringing order and momentum to complex, multi-stakeholder work. You can move between research, writing, project coordination, systems, and relationships without losing track of deadlines or details. You will: Coordinate defined workstreams supporting TNC’s GEF/GBFF opportunity and proposal pipeline, including workplans, deadlines, next actions, inputs, review points, and follow-up. Support research on GEF and GBFF policies, programming directions, funding windows, country priorities, events, and partner activities, and synthesize findings into concise briefings, memos, presentations, trackers, or recommendations. Support coordination among TNC Business Units, regional teams, country programs, global strategies, Policy and Public Funding colleagues, and technical and operational functions. Help prepare and coordinate engagements with GEF Secretariat staff, GEF Agencies, governments, multilateral organizations, conservation organizations, and other national and local partners, including the development of agendas, briefing materials, participant inputs, notes, decisions, and follow-up actions. Maintain accurate pipeline, relationship, interaction, and next-action information in TNC's CRM and other designated systems. Build and maintain accessible knowledge-management resources, templates, intranet pages, training materials, event records, proposal materials, and implementation lessons. Support proposal and project coordination, including document management, internal input processes, partner follow-up, deadline tracking, and consistency review. Progressively own bounded deliverables and selected working-level relationships, with clear decision rights and escalation expectations.

The role requires regular collaboration across time zones and cultures. The position may occasionally support time-sensitive deliverables or events outside standard working hours, with advance planning wherever practicable.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

Owns defined deliverables or projects of moderate to high complexity from initiation through completion. Coordinates multiple related tasks and contributors without relying on formal authority. Consults and executes operational and deliverable-level decisions within agreed objectives, quality standards, and stakeholder parameters. Drafts materials for internal and external audiences and incorporates review comments accurately. Maintains dependable systems for actions, deadlines, records, decisions, and document versions. Represents TNC in selected internal or external working-level interactions. Works independently, consulting the supervisor at defined review points or when escalation criteria are met. Works within established strategic goals and does not independently make institutional commitments, determine organizational strategy, or negotiate material agreements. Supports compliance with relevant internal policies and external public-funding requirements. May coordinate the contributions of colleagues, consultants, interns, or temporary staff to a defined deliverable but does not supervise regular employees. Occasional international travel is required, up to 10% of working time.

We’re Looking for You

The challenges facing our planet today require comprehensive solutions that address the well-being of people and nature and lay the foundation for future conservation efforts. Promoting policies that provide benefits to both people and nature is critical to securing lasting conservation outcomes. The work and expertise of The Nature Conservancy’s Policy and Public Funding (“PPF”) programs are integral to this effort. The Policy and Public Funding business unit is helping to shape the government policies that help make possible achievement of transformative conservation outcomes to address climate change, enhance protection of lands, waters, and the ocean, and provide food and water sustainably.

We have an awesome task at hand, and the work that you do here will have a direct impact on our success. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. To implement these priorities, we collaborate actively in a non-confrontational manner with public sector agencies, NGOs, academia, business and the finance sector.

What You’ll Bring

Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Fluency in English. Familiarity with the GEF, other multilateral environmental funds, or similar international development or financial institutions. Experience researching information from divergent sources and compiling it into a cohesive reporting structure. Experience with policy, public funding, or corporate initiatives at two or more of the following levels: international, country, sub-national, or local. Familiarity with presenting to and communicating with government, multilateral organization, nonprofit organization, or corporate staff and/or program leadership. Experience working with partners, government agencies, multilateral organizations, nonprofit organizations, and/or the corporate sector.

Salary Information

For U.S. based applicants only, the starting pay range for this position is generally within the range of $61,000 - $96,000 for annual base salary and is based on location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA.

For all other applicants, pay ranges will be in local currency, the pay range will be based on the local labor market, and not tied to the above pay range. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment and used to determine your actual pay range. Additionally, for all applicants, actual pay will fall within a range based on a variety of factors including, for example, the candidate’s qualifications, specific skills, and experience.

Who We Are

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor. One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience.

What We Bring

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

• 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

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process. If you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings! TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [e-mail] with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and over 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 79 countries and territories: 37 by direct conservation impact and 42 through partners. To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.