Economic Incentives Policy Manager

Conservation International; Remote; ZAR 1 155 000 - 1 486 000; Full time

Job summary

An international environmental organization is seeking an Economic Incentives Policy Manager based in South Africa or Kenya, focusing on enhancing the financial stability of Africa's Keystone Protected Areas through innovative conservation finance strategies. The role involves managing technical assistance facilities and collaborating with cross-divisional teams to develop policies that support sustainable protected areas. Applicants should have a Bachelor’s in economics and at least 4–6 years of relevant experience in policy analysis and stakeholder engagement.

Qualifications

• 4 to 6 years of relevant experience working on policy and incentives.
• Proven record in developing and executing economic policies.
• Understanding of biodiversity and climate change topics.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation of Fiscal Incentives and Tax Technical Assistance Facility.
• Collaborate on environmental policy projects.
• Develop materials and reports to inform on policies.

Skills

Policy analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in economics

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Join to apply for the Economic Incentives Policy Manager role at Conservation International. Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

Position Summary

This position is based in South Africa or Kenya, with a preference for South Africa. Conservation International (CI) is launching an initiative to strengthen the financial stability of Africa's Keystone Protected Areas (KPAs). These KPAs are critical for biodiversity conservation and serve as the core of larger ecological systems in landscapes. This will be achieved through technical assistance facilities/workstreams that will develop conservation finance capacity (at the global, national and KPA level). CI will lead the strategy and management of the program, while working in partnership with co‑management partners and local stakeholders to develop, execute and mobilize conservation finance transactions, resulting in financial flows to targeted KPAs during the project period. CI believes that getting the right policies, rules and incentives in place is essential to achieving our mission. Policies to harness the immediate potential of natural climate solutions (NCS) and environmental incentives are essential to addressing global climate change and biodiversity loss. The Economic Incentives Policy Manager is responsible for managing the financial incentives and taxes Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) under this program. The overarching goal of this four‑year investment is to strengthen the financial stability of Africa's KPAs by mobilizing at least USD $ million in conservation finance through innovative mechanisms and enabling policy reform. This position will be a member of the Center for Policy and Incentives team and will report to the Africa Regional Policy Lead.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of the Fiscal Incentives and Tax Technical Assistance Facility, including overseeing and advancing the scoping of targeted policy opportunities and then focusing on securing public policies that will support positive incentives for protected areas.
• Research and synthesize national and subnational laws, regulations, and policies and prepare focused policy assessments of public policies that could deliver sustainable financing for Keyston Protected Areas in Africa.
• Collaborate with a cross‑divisional team to execute workplans and deliverables for the fiscal taxes and incentives technical assistance facility, ensuring integration and complementarity with other technical assistance facilities within the project.
• Develop materials, reports, policy recommendations and other written products that will inform on how to use policies to create new incentives/financial mechanisms to encourage sustainable protected areas and landscape models (e.g. Payment for Ecosystem services for regenerative agriculture, fiscal transfers, tax and other fiscal instruments, transition support, market incentives) and to create new funding opportunities for conservation, in line with Conservation International's communication and reporting standards.
• Collaborate with other CI experts to conduct desktop estimates of economic potential for policies for creating or shifting economic incentives for sustainable production and sustainable management, in terrestrial protected areas in Africa.
• Provide technical leadership and support to project teams and country offices in advancing, establishing or piloting policies at the national or subnational level that shift incentives and support CI's objectives, including providing extensive support to two or more governments in engaging with various stakeholders in shaping the policy and legal framework related to fiscal incentives and taxes.
• Support liaison efforts between Conservation International and the governments, ensuring effective communication and collaboration throughout the development and implementation of fiscal incentives and taxes that can contribute to protected areas financing and revenue.
• Facilitate workshops, meetings, and stakeholder consultations as necessary to gather input and foster collaboration in the fiscal incentives and taxes policy development process, as part of Conservation International's engagement efforts.
• Support donor reporting requirements, including drafting regular progress reports.
• Collaborate with the project team, Africa Field Division, Country Programmes and Center for Policy and Incentives team members to ensure that the objectives of the project work are met and to support the broader mission of Conservation International in conserving nature and securing a sustainable future.

Additional Responsibilities

• Contribute to global policy initiatives; provide technical input to cross-divisional projects; support knowledge sharing as required.

People and Resource Management Responsibilities

This job does not have the authority to allocate resources or approve budget expenditures. This job does not manage staff or direct the work of others.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a typical office environment.
• Some international travel expected (25%).
• May be asked to work outside of conventional office hours (8am – 5pm).
• This role is a fixed-term assignment.
• Guidance on flexible work arrangements will be shared during the interview process.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in economics and at least 4 to 6 years of relevant experience working on policy and incentives.
• Proven record of contributing to the development and execution of applied economic policy or agricultural policies, especially with policies regarding economic incentives.
• Understanding of biodiversity, climate change and environmental topics with demonstrated experience with policy analysis.
• Strong administrative skills with examples of successful logistical and planning efforts in complex settings related to environmental policy projects.
• Courteous, tactful, and a proven ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, conservation organizations, and local communities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks related to policy development and implementation, ensuring that work is completed in a timely and organized manner.
• Has excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Strong attention to detail, including the ability to thoroughly review and analyze policy documents and reports for accuracy and compliance with global standards.
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team framework, especially in the context of policy development, while building effective working relationships with colleagues and external partners.
• Has excellent project management skills and is adept working with a dispersed team.
• Can manage and complete tasks according to provided timeline framework.
• Ability to work well under pressure, multitask, set priorities, and deliver quality results.
• Flexibility to work across many time zones where CI operates.
• Proficiency in database operations, Microsoft Office applications, and relevant software tools used in policy analysis and reporting.

Preferred

• Experience working in a government finance ministry or economic policy think tank with specific focus on Africa.

Application

• To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter.
• Application Deadline: December 31, **** (11:49 PM EST).
• The position may be filled before the deadline, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.