Principal Manager - Innovative Impact Investing - Nature & Climate Finance

Purpose of Job

The Principal Manager – Innovative Impact Investing holds a key position in the Green Partnerships team, which sits within EBRD’s wider Donor Partnerships (DP) team. She/he plays a key role in creating and piloting innovative co-investment vehicles and pioneering financial structures to address climate change and environmental degradation.

The Principal draws from innovations in the field of climate and nature finance, and designs and structures novel financial products and mechanisms that are strategically aligned with EBRD’s needs and attract untapped concessional resources from our partners and donors .

The successful candidate will be a self-starter and problem-solver with a can-do entrepreneurial attitude, have a track record in blended finance and impact investing, an ideally also an understanding of the climate and nature finance architecture.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

The Principal Manager – Innovative Impact Investing is responsible for:

Ideation & Design:

• Lead the design of innovative investment vehicles, business models and financial structures that can attract untapped concessional resources to address climate and environmental issues.
• Develop and structure innovative impactful co-financing products that have the potential to scale and broaden EBRD’s offerings to donors and partners. 
• Create and deliver fundraising pitches and proposals to donors that deploy innovative blended finance structures and lead the entire lifecycle from concept to launch, including rolling out pilot initiatives

External & Internal Stakeholder Engagement:

• Engage with a wide range of partners and donors to establish new facilities and strategic platforms that deploy innovative blended finance tools.
• Represent and promote the Bank’s work on blended finance to maximize climate and environmental impact.
• Advise relevant teams on structuring and implementing blended finance solutions and lead the internal approval process for new blended finance products and processes.

Analysis & Opportunity Scoping:

• Continuously map and stay abreast of EBRD’s sectorial, geographical, and thematic needs for concessional resources. 
• Analyse how other relevant financial institutions use of blended finance products and structures to advance nature and climate financing.
• Scan the landscape and follow international debates on blended finance to identify engagement opportunities and bring this knowledge into the Bank.
• Knowledge Management & Learning: 
• In close collaboration with EBRD’s Blended Finance Hub, capturing, analysing, and disseminating knowledge products on blended finance internally and provide thought leadership on the topics of blended concessional finance.
• Work with other teams within DP to support the design and deployment of innovative blended finance tools to support the Bank’s donor agenda.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, finance, business administration or related discipline. 
• Experience in impact investing in emerging markets, particularly in the context of climate change.
• Track record in developing and deploying new financial products and in executing banking transactions.
• Experience in designing innovative blended finance instruments and structures (first loss equity, guarantees, bonds, etc.). 
• Ability to think strategically and outside the box to drive change and expand EBRD’s product offering to donors and partners. 
• Self-starter and problem-solver with a can-do entrepreneurial attitude.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Strong inter-personal management skills, including ability to work across departments.

What is it like to work at the EBRD?

Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people's lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in. 

The EBRD environment provides you with:

• Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in;
• A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity;
• An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital  transformation at the heart of what we do.

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does.  A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.  As an inclusive employer, we promote flexible working and expecting our employee to attend the office 50% of their working time.