Sustainable Finance Development, Enabling Private Sector Growth, and Developing a Blue Economy Hub in the Caribbean, Consultancy

About the career opportunity:

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) seeks a consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts to lead the implementation and expansion of sustainable finance mechanisms, create enabling systems for private sector participation, and develop a Blue Economy Hub in the Caribbean.

The consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts will be responsible for driving the development and support systems to facilitate increased private sector participation in Caribbean Blue Economy opportunities. This includes the creation of regional working groups and organizing national and regional dialogues to promote private sector involvement. They will work closely with the BluEFin Project Lead to ensure alignment and coherence in project implementation.

Additionally, the consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts will spearhead the development of a regionally based Blue Economy Hub. This Hub will provide socioeconomic opportunities that support marine and coastal conservation and sustainable use. The specialist will design the Hub as a clearinghouse mechanism for blue economy business opportunities, develop an online portal and database to register and document these opportunities, and conduct studies to assess the contribution of the information collected through the Hub.

The consultancy firm, consortium, or a group of individual experts will enhance knowledge about blue economy business opportunities, valuation and decision tools, and sustainable finance mechanisms among relevant stakeholders. They will organize workshops, training sessions, and seminars, facilitate stakeholder engagement activities, and produce educational materials, case studies, and fact sheets about the interventions and financial mechanisms supported by the project.

Expected Deliverables:

Comprehensive Policy Review Report: Detailed review and gap analysis of existing sustainable finance policies and regulations.
Policy Recommendations: Documentation of proposed policy recommendations and regulatory frameworks.
Blue Economy Hub: Fully operational online platform showcasing blue economy business opportunities, including a database of registered opportunities.
Training and Workshops: Conduct workshops and training sessions with relevant stakeholders, providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to engage in sustainable finance practices.
Monitoring and Evaluation Reports: Regular reports on the performance and impact of implemented financial instruments, including recommendations for improvement.
Knowledge Products: Production of case studies, fact sheets, and other educational materials to support knowledge sharing and capacity-building efforts.

Budget:

The specific budget line allocated for this role is budget line 1201, with the following allocations:

Year 1 and Year 2: USD 204,000

Minimum qualifications:

Key Expert 1:

Team Leader with a minimum of 10 years of proven experience in sustainable or conservation finance, preferably in the context of conservation or environmental projects.
Advanced Degree in Finance, Economics, Environmental Management, or a related field from a recognized university.
Strong understanding of sustainable finance principles, instruments, and regulatory frameworks.
Proven experience in policy development and stakeholder engagement.
Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Exemplary verbal and written skills in English; proficiency in Spanish is a strong asset.

The other team members should possess at minimum undergraduate degrees in the following:

1. natural resource management, environmental science and policy, political science, environmental management biology, environmental legal science, financial management, or other closely related discipline, from a recognized university is required.
2. The firm or the individual experts should have at least 5 years of experience in executing similar consultancies in the Caribbean region, working with regional organizations, small island governments, Caribbean governments and stakeholders, local stakeholders, CSOs, NGOs
3. Exemplary verbal and written skills in English. Spanish knowledge (conversational, reading and writing) will be considered a strong asset.

Technical Skills:

Sustainable Finance Expertise:

Deep understanding of sustainable finance principles, including green bonds, blue bonds, climate finance, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria.
Experience in developing and implementing financial mechanisms tailored to sustainability goals, particularly within the blue economy context.

Policy and Regulatory Knowledge:

Proficient in analyzing and developing policies and regulatory frameworks that support sustainable finance and blue economy initiatives.
Familiarity with international and regional regulatory environments affecting the Caribbean’s ocean resources and financial systems.

Economic and Financial Analysis:

Strong skills in conducting economic and financial analyses to assess the viability and impact of sustainable finance projects.
Proficiency in using financial modeling tools and techniques to predict outcomes and optimize investment strategies.

Stakeholder Engagement and Management:

Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including government bodies, financial institutions, private sector entities, and community organizations.
Skilled in facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops, negotiations, and consultations to gather inputs and build consensus.

Capacity Building and Training:

Capability to develop and deliver training programs and workshops aimed at enhancing stakeholders’ understanding of sustainable finance and blue economy principles.
Experience in creating educational materials and resources to support ongoing capacity-building efforts.

Project Management:

Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting.
Ability to manage multiple tasks, adhere to timelines, and deliver high-quality outputs under pressure.

Research and Data Analysis:

Proficiency in conducting qualitative and quantitative research to inform policy recommendations and financial strategies.
Experience in data collection, analysis, and interpretation to support decision-making processes.

Communication and Presentation Skills:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey complex concepts to a diverse audience.
Ability to prepare detailed reports, policy briefs, and presentations that are clear, concise, and compelling.

Technical Software Proficiency:

Proficient in using financial analysis software, project management tools, and data visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau).
Familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS) and other relevant software tools for environmental and economic analysis.

Other Skills:

Leadership: High capacity to establish a successful vision for the tasks at hand and deliver results within a specific time frame.
Interpersonal and communication skills: Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, and the ability to work with diverse groups and organisations.
Ethics, gender and harassment: Applies principles of ethics, transparency and non-discrimination displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability, treats all people fairly without favouritism and fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.