Internal Vacancy Announcement
Senior Officer - Origination and Engagement
The Organization
The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people's lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.
Background on ImpactSF
The CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF) is a key technical partner for sustainable finance actors, integrating science-based impact KPIs in all areas of the investment lifecycle. This includes investment design, pipeline development, investment screening, due diligence, implementation, post-investment monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV). Building off CGIAR evidence, ImpactSF offers an array of data-driven solutions empowering financial institutions and investors to de-risk investments by quantifying climate and environmental risks and impacts. Our goal is clear: drive investments toward climate-smart and nature-positive Food, Land, and Water systems.
About the position
We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Officer to join our team at ImpactSF. This role is central to developing investment pipelines, fostering strategic partnerships, and advancing innovative financing solutions for sustainable and climate-smart agri-food investments. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in sustainable finance, investment origination, stakeholder engagement, and impact measurement, with experience integrating climate resilience and gender inclusion into investment processes.
The Role and Responsibilities
The Senior Officer will lead program design, stakeholder engagement, and investment pipeline development to drive climate-smart agri-food investments. This role involves program implementation, due diligence, and impact measurement, with a focus on gender and climate outcomes. The Senior Officer will foster strategic partnerships, oversee team capacity building, enhance knowledge sharing, ensure effective program execution and increase investment impact.
Responsibilities
Strategic Investment Origination and Pipeline Development
- Identify, evaluate, and structure investment opportunities in climate-resilient and sustainable agri-food systems.
- Oversee pipeline development and screening using data-driven methodologies, ensuring alignment with climate, environmental, and social impact criteria.
- Support the design of financial instruments that incorporate climate risk mitigation, nature-positive solutions, and inclusive finance approaches.
Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
- Build and maintain strong relationships with investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), governments, and private sector partners to mobilize capital toward climate-smart investments.
- Lead engagements with key partners and financial institutions to strengthen investment ecosystems.
- Represent ImpactSF at global climate finance and sustainable investment events, positioning ImpactSF as a key technical partner.
- Take a key role in developing and overseeing ImpactSF communication strategy.
Investment Due Diligence and Impact Measurement
- Contribute to and implement due diligence methodologies to assess climate, environmental, and gender impact risks and opportunities in investment portfolios.
- Contribute to the development of impact measurement frameworks, including monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) mechanisms to track investment outcomes.
- Support the integration of gender and climate resilience indicators into fund design and investment strategies where relevant.
Agri-SME support Implementation and Knowledge Management
- Ensure smooth execution of investment readiness and accelerator programs, supporting agri-SMEs and financial institutions.
- Oversee the development of knowledge products, case studies, and policy briefs that inform investors and decision-makers.
- Strengthen ImpactSF's visibility and thought leadership in sustainable and impact-driven finance.
Requirements
Qualifications and Experience
- Master's degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Finance or Economics with 10 years of experience.
- Experience in the agrifood sector
- Experience applying gender lens frameworks in the agrifood sector (such as the 2x challenge criteria)
- Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Experience leading accelerator/ pipeline building programs for Agri-SMEs
- Operational experience working for an Agri-SME
- Experience working with financial institutions, investors and DFIs
- Familiarity with technical assistance projects and their application in tandem with investment strategies.
- Experience in designing and implementing stakeholders' communication and engagement strategies.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Experience in pipeline development, due diligence, and investment screening for sustainable and climate-focused sectors.
- Ability to engage high-level stakeholders and drive partnerships across financial institutions and development organizations.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with a deep understanding of climate and sustainability risks. Fluency in English, French and/or Spanish essential to communicate in writing and speaking
- Proven track record of managing interdisciplinary teams addressing access to finance, vulnerability to climate risks, governance challenges, and socio-economic disparities
- This position may require regular travel within Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia
- Flexibility in working hours to accommodate collaboration with international partners.
Terms of employment
This is an internationally recruited position which will be based in Rome, Italy. The initial contract will be for 2 years subject to a probation period of six months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.
This position is graded at BG10 level, with a minimum basic salary of USD 69,136 per annum, in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.
The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications
Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number RFP500263: Senior Officer - Origination and Engagement as the position applied for. The Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate's last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
Applications closing date: 16th May 2025
Please note that email applications will not be considered.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
We invite you to learn more about us at:
http://alliancebioversityciat.org
- Master's degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Finance or Economics with 10 years of experience.
- Ensure smooth execution of investment readiness and accelerator programs, supporting agri-SMEs and financial institutions.
- Contribute to and implement due diligence methodologies to assess climate, environmental, and gender impact risks and opportunities in investment portfolios.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), governments, and private sector partners to mobilize capital toward climate-smart investments.