Environmental And Social Safeguards Specialist

The Nature Conservancy

What We Can Achieve Together

This is an exciting decade to be a part of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as we galvanize momentum to address the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change across the globe. This urgency is particularly pronounced in TNC s 2030 Goals.

The Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist will play a key role in supporting the implementation and management of Safeguards across selected projects within the dynamic portfolio of the Global Protect Oceans, Lands, and Waters program. This portfolio includes two of The Nature Conservancy s most critical conservation finance strategies: Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) and Nature Bonds. These large-scale, complex initiatives are essential to achieving our 2030 organizational goals and require deep coordination and collaboration across internal teams and external partners.

This body of work is grounded in the TNC Respecting Human Rights Policy (2022) and the forthcoming institutional Environmental and Social Safeguards System (ESSS), and aims to promote equitable and sustainable conservation outcomes.

Responsibilities for the role include supporting environmental and social safeguard screenings, environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs), the development of mitigation frameworks and action plans (ESMFs and ESAPs), as well as the design and operationalization of environmental and social management systems (ESMS) for Conservation Trust Funds that manage the funding from PFP and Nature Bonds projects.

Gender equity is a key focus of the role. The Specialist will serve as the Gender Focal Point for the entire PFP and Nature Bonds portfolio, ensuring that gender perspectives are fully integrated and that gender equity is central to project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, as well as ensuring gender requirement from potential donors are fulfilled in TNC s projects (including GEF and GCF requirements).

This is a new position, will be part of the Global Protect Oceans, Lands, and Waters Business Unit and will work closely with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams across TNC matrix structure, including PFP, Nature Bonds, Country Programs, Regional Teams, External Affairs, Impact Finance and Markets, Climate Change, and Equitable Conservation.

The position s location is flexible within countries where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an established office, with a preference for candidates that can work within 6 hours of Central European Time (CET). It is not eligible for relocation or immigration assistance. Domestic and international travel may be required up to 25% of the time or more. This is a two-year term position with the possibility of extension based on funding and business need.

We re Looking For You

At TNC, we strive to embody a philosophy of Work that You Can Believe In , where you can feel like you are making a difference every day.

We re looking for an outstanding professional who can support the development, implementation, and oversight of Environmental and Social Safeguards across selected large-scale and complex conservation finance projects. You will play a critical role in identifying, assessing, and mitigating environmental and social risks, while advancing inclusive, sustainable, and ethical conservation practices.

As a Safeguards Specialist, You Will

• Serve as advisor to teams on selected projects to ensure that Safeguards requirements are clearly understood and fully integrated throughout the project lifecycle - from design to implementation and monitoring.
• Support the delivery - and undertake compliance and technical review of - Safeguards screenings, plans, frameworks and systems across all stages of the Safeguards process (from screening to mitigation planning and adaptive management), ensuring compliance with Safeguards requirements and TNC Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and Policies.
• Act as the Gender Focal Point for the Global Protect project portfolio, and ensure that gender equity is central to the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all projects.
• Contribute to the Environmental and Social Safeguards components of large-scale funding proposals, ensuring compliance with donor requirements (e.g. GEF, GCF).
• Support the development of Terms of Reference (ToR) and assist in managing contracts for safeguards and/or gender-related consultancies - as needed.
• Design and deliver training sessions and other capacity-building initiatives for Global Protect staff, strategy teams, partners, and contractors. Promote the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices.
• Develop and maintain Safeguards technical support materials, including guidance documents, databases, tools, training modules, and other knowledge resources related to the Global Protect project portfolio.
  
  

What You ll Bring

• Bachelor s degree in a related field and 4 years related experience, or equivalent combination.
• Experience leading complex projects or strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment.
• Experience researching, critically analyzing, and evaluating information from divergent sources and compiling it into cohesive reports and recommendations for strategy and action.
• Experience writing and editing technical material in English.
  
  

Bonus

• International experience in implementing Environmental & Social Safeguards, preferably in the conservation sector.
• Demonstrated knowledge of conservation priorities and challenges, particularly as they relate to human rights, gender equality, the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, within complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary context.
• Ability to work well in a highly matrixed, decentralized and collaborative organization.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet time sensitive deadlines.