Job details

Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist (Brazil)

Role: Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist (Brazil)

Reporting to: Corporate Performance Research Workstream Lead in Oxford and Sustainable Finance Engagement Lead in Brazil

Location: Brazil (remote, but with ability and interest to travel within Brazil and abroad)

Type: six-month consultancy contract and possible renewal as a permanent contract

Level: mid-senior/senior candidates

Start date: as soon as possible

WHAT WE DO

Global Canopy is a data-driven not for profit delivering real transparency and accountability for market impacts on nature and people. Our special focus is on ending deforestation – an essential step in achieving urgent global goals on climate, nature and human rights.

We deliver our work via three main strategies:

on open data (including via major global data platforms like Trase, Forest 500, Floresta 250, Forest IQ, and ENCORE);
on creating stronger voluntary and compliance frameworks to address nature loss (we are a founding partner of the TNFD);
and on accelerating accountability and action by the finance sector towards deforestation-free portfolios.

Our platforms, data and insights are relied upon by Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions, national and regional governments, and some of the most effective campaigning organisations worldwide.

We work globally, with a focus on both forested regions (particularly across Latin America and South East Asia), and major consumer and financial markets (with a focus on Europe, the US, Singapore and China).

We have a distributed team of around 70 people worldwide, with a main office in Oxford (UK) and a growing team in Brazil. We work via close and deep partnerships, including with institutions like the Stockholm Environment Institute, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, UNEP Finance Initiative, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Zoological Society of London, WWF Brasil, TNC, Imaflora and many many others.

THE ROLE

Overview

This role sits within Global Canopy’s growing Brazil team. You will support our engagement work with Brazilian Financial Institutions in up taking the Forest Sector Roadmap guidance to eliminate deforestation from their portfolios. You will assist, convene and run meetings and trainings for Financial Institutions and support their work in implementing the guidance for deforestation-free portfolios. You will also provide valuable support work to take our findings out into the broader market as well as feeding our teams with the latest research and insights related to sustainable finance in Brazil. You will also engage in relevant sustainable finance initiatives to support our engagement work with key leading organizations in the country.

This will build on and extend Global Canopy’s market-leading portfolio of guidance, tools and data for financial institutions on deforestation and nature-risk that we have developed in close collaboration with civil society partners and finance sector networks worldwide. You will collaborate closely with colleagues from across our different programmes and partnerships, including Trase, Do Pasto Ao Prato, Forest IQ and TNFD.

Brazilian financial institutions have a high exposure to deforestation, and a critical role to play in contributing to the country’s ambitious targets on achieving zero deforestation by 2030. As momentum grows towards COP30 in Belem, your work will enable leading financial institutions to take more effective action as well as helping to shine a light on those not doing enough. With an initial focus on the cattle sector – responsible for some 40% of Brazil’s carbon emissions – you will have a deep understanding of market-driven deforestation, and the necessary actions that companies and financial institutions need to take to eliminate deforestation from their operations, supply chains and financing.

Responsibilities

Technical expertise (70%)

● Develop analysis, reports, insights, training materials and new guidance aimed at enhancing the financial sector's understanding of key issues related to the nature, deforestation and associated human rights abuse agenda as well as the exposure of the Brazilian finance sector to deforestation through investments and lending, and its associated risks for the finance sector.

● Provide technical support for the understanding and uptake of the Finance Sector Roadmap guidance by Brazilian and global FIs exposed to deforestation and human rights violations through investments and loans to high risk commodity supply chain companies, with a priority focus on cattle.

● Engage with financial institutions to seek and incorporate feedback on our Brazil specific guidance as part of the Finance Sector Roadmap, ensuring that the guidance is practical and useful to our core audience while remaining aligned with best practice for the sector.

● Working closely with our global teams in order to align on methodologies, exchange knowledge, and share new insights related to sustainable finance in Brazil.

Stakeholder engagement and capacity building (30%):

● Convene and successfully deliver meetings with financial institutions interested and engaged in assessing and managing their exposure to deforestation and associated human rights violations risks.

● Build strong working relationships with key stakeholder groups (financial institutions and civil society) to facilitate feedback and share key findings, in close collaboration with our Brazil Finance Engagement Lead and regional and global teams.

● Lead training sessions with financial institutions and other stakeholders.

● Support the implementation of our finance engagement strategy in Brazil and LAC, as well as actively contributing to, and representing, Global Canopy’s overall organisational strategy and presence in the region.

To be successful in this role, you will be a deep technical expert on forests, forest risk commodities (including cattle) and finance, a great communicator who is experienced in effectively engaging and securing feedback from different stakeholder groups, and a focused and strong analyst and writer able to synthesise findings quickly and clearly.

Skills and experience

● Deep understanding of forest risk commodities and finance, and experience of relevant standards (e.g. the Accountability Framework Initiative), disclosure and assessment methodologies.

● Understanding of the context and issues of high risk commodity supply chains and the financial institutions that finance them, especially in the Brazilian cattle sector.

● Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with multiple stakeholders from diverse backgrounds within the financial sector, demonstrating excellent relationship-building skills and persuasive communication.

● Experience of developing and delivering training or guidance as part of a team.

● Excellent written and spoken Portuguese, and a good written and spoken English.

● Data analytical skills.

● Strong attention to rigor, detail and accuracy.

● Essential competencies for undertaking knowledge work in the context of a dynamic international non-profit – including effective collaboration and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively with an interdisciplinary team in a hybrid setting.

● A strong drive to contribute to our mission, a passion for sustainability and the role that the finance sector can play to drive change.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for the position, please use this link and submit an up-to date CV and covering letter.

The covering letter (in English) should explain your motivation for the role, and how your skills and experience fit the person specification. Also please indicate your salary expectation. (Please no more than 2 sides A4, mentioning where you first saw the role advertised).

All candidates are asked to complete an anonymous diversity monitoring form when they apply.

The closing date for applications is December 30th 2024. Early application encouraged. We may close applications early if suitable candidates are identified.

The 1st stage of the selection process will be carried out by an external Consultancy and the interviews are provisionally planned for January 7 to 16th 2025 and will be conducted remotely via a video call.

At Global Canopy, we value diversity and inclusion. You can read our diversity statement on our website. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to having a team with a diverse set of skills, experiences and abilities.

If you have any questions about the position, then please contact: Márcia Simões - marcia.simoes@startup-rh.com.br and Luis Meneses – l.meneses@globalcanopy.org.

Applicant data will be managed in accordance with the candidate privacy policy: globalcanopy.org/candidateprivacy.

https://globalcanopy.org/jobs/sustainable-finance-technical-specialist-brazil/

Letter from our Executive Director

Salary

Market competitive salary

Nature of contract

Full time. Six-month consultancy contract and possible renewal as permanent contract under Brazilian CLT contract.
Base

Remote. Home office with availability to travel nationally and abroad (up to 15% of the time).

Holidays

15 days of leave during the six-month consultancy contract and 30 days per year according to Brazilian labour laws once a permanent contract is offered.

Healthcare

Covering dental fees and medical care (as part of the benefit package of the permanent contract to be offered after six-month consultancy contract).

Food voucher

Allowance for support meals and food (as part of the benefit package of the permanent contract to be offered after six-month consultancy contract).

What You Should Know About Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist (Brazil), Global Canopy

Are you passionate about sustainability and finance? Global Canopy is on the lookout for a dynamic Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist to join our team in Brazil! In this exciting mid-senior to senior role, you'll work with financial institutions to help eliminate deforestation from their portfolios, with a particular focus on the cattle sector, which contributes significantly to carbon emissions in Brazil. This remote position offers you the chance to travel within Brazil and internationally, making a tangible impact in our quest to promote environmental accountability. You'll support our efforts as part of a six-month consultancy that could lead to a permanent role. Your responsibilities will include developing insightful reports and training materials, facilitating meetings and discussions with financial institutions, and ensuring that our guidance on sustainable finance is effectively disseminated. At Global Canopy, we value teamwork, innovation, and a strong commitment to sustainability, and as part of our collaborative team, you’ll work closely with colleagues both locally and globally to help shape the financial sectors' understanding of deforestation risks. We're looking for someone with a robust technical background in forest risk commodities, exceptional relational skills, and a passion for achieving our goals. If you have the ability to communicate complex information clearly, a knack for building relationships, and a strong drive to contribute to positive change, we want to hear from you! Join us and help build a future that prioritizes harmony with nature.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist (Brazil) Role at Global Canopy

What are the main responsibilities of a Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist at Global Canopy?

As a Sustainable Finance Technical Specialist at Global Canopy, your primary responsibilities will involve supporting Brazilian financial institutions in adopting the Forest Sector Roadmap guidance, which aims to eliminate deforestation from their portfolios. You'll create analysis, reports, and training materials to enhance understanding of nature-related issues in finance, engage with institutions to gather valuable feedback, and facilitate meetings and training sessions to build capacity in the sector.