BACKGROUND
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has a distinguished history of experts exploring and saving wildlife in some of the most remote and wild places remaining on Earth. WCS Indonesia Program (WCS-IP) has significantly grown over the last decades, and contributed substantially in supporting the Government of Indonesia (GoI) in conserving Indonesia’s biodiversity. WCS-IP currently has programs focusing on landscape/seascape conservation, species conservation actions and engaging local communities.
In order to achieve its overall goal of saving wildlife and wild places, the WCS-IP Sustainable Landscapes program focuses on developing partnerships and initiatives that address the loss and degradation of Indonesia’s remaining intact and high integrity forests.
WCS-IP has a long running (20+ year) program of supporting the Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBS) National Park and adjacent landscape in southern Sumatra. One element of this is the BBS Sustainable Commodities Partnership, or BBS KEKAL (Kemitraan Komoditas Lestari) - a collaboration to address commodity-driven deforestation within the National Park and improve farmer livelihoods in the wider BBS landscape. For more information, please see https://indonesia.wcs.org/Initiatives/Sustainable-Landscape/THE-BBS-Sustainable-Commodities-Partnership-BBS-KEKAL.aspx
Securing sustainable financing underpins the long term viability of BBS KEKAL and its goals. In May 2021 WCS was awarded a feasibility grant from Convergence (https://www.convergence.finance/) through their Asia Natural Capital Design Funding Window, funded by RS Group. The grant will support a testing of the feasibility of a blended financing mechanism that will provide technical assistance to smallholder coffee farmers around the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, and increase farmers’ access to credit by incentivizing lending from local financial institutions.
This blended financing mechanism will build on a version of a conservation trust fund (CTF) model which will have two components: a) the provision of a credit enhancement mechanism, such as a guarantee, to local financial institutions to mobilize domestic lending to farmers, and b) the provision of direct technical assistance and capacity building to farmers and financial institutions.
POSITION OBJECTIVE
To support WCS-IP to design and test the feasibility of a blended financing mechanism in Bukit Barisan Selatan landscape and to facilitate information gathering, network building and support for the financing mechanism within Indonesian banks and financial institutions.
CORE TASKS:
The consultant is expected to:
- Mapping local financial institutions in Indonesia to engage with during the project period, including their financial product/scheme to support smallholders farmers.
- Identify and gather feedback from local financial institutions (e.g. Bank BRI and other state owned banks and microfinance institutions etc.) to test interest in the initial fund model already developed, in alignment with existing financial modalities for smallholder farmers, such as the KUR.
- Support the design of new financial products and services to be offered to farmer groups that are linked with environmental performance and that can support the conservation of BBS National Park.
- Support Conservation Capital and WCS with the design of the fund structure, including financial flows for the fund, a detailed outline of the credit enhancement mechanism(s).
- Support WCS in confirming in-principle support from relevant Ministries/Agencies within the Government of Indonesia and/or state owned banks for the concept.
- Complete network analysis/mapping of and engagement with investors and/or funders for the fund, and donors for the Project to gain initial support.
- Advanced engagement with local financial institutions to roll out the identified financial products to the target farmers.
The consultant is also expected to:
- To join regular bi-weekly calls and irregular additional meetings on a regular basis with the Project Management Team (WCS + Conservation Capital), and liaise on a regular basis with all parties.
- To independently organize and/or facilitate in-person meetings with relevant partners as needed.
- To undertake travel between Jakarta and the Lampung area, including the Bukit Barisan Selatan landscape, as required (and if COVID-19 restrictions allow).
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications and Experience
- A postgraduate degree or equivalent experience in Finance, Business, Law, Economics or a related discipline, plus extensive post qualification experience in the Indonesian financial sector (ideally in the banking, microfinance and/or MSME finance sectors).
- A strong existing network within the Indonesian finance sector, particularly within the microfinance and banking sector and in relation to rural development and agricultural finance.
- Hands-on knowledge of risk management, credit operations, credit technologies, project management, development of loan products is highly desirable.
- Sincere interest in sustainability and social impact in emerging and frontier markets.
- Self-starter with strong work ethics, commitment and positive energy;
- Proactive, result-driven, able to work in a fast paced environment, flexible with "hands-on" approach and willingness to perform both technical and administrative tasks;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a variety of partners and stakeholders, and to solve complex issues that involve multiple actors and/or interest areas.
- Good analytical and interpretative problem solving skills.
- Decisiveness and independence, with good judgement and ability to work under pressure
- Excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills in both English and Indonesian. The primary working language of this contract is expected to be Bahasa Indonesia, with reporting and partner coordination conducted in English.
LEVEL OF EFFORT
The contract will be for a maximum duration of 12 months and, is expected to be completed on a 0.5-time basis, with an indicative input of 10 working days per month - the exact level of effort required will be determined during the interview process, and will depend on candidate availability, expertise and overall cost.
Payment will be made on receipt of monthly invoices.
TIMELINE
To start immediately – July 2021.
APPLICATIONS
Please submit a CV and covering letter detailing your experience and qualifications for this role to Jeni Pareira, Sustainable Landscapes Program Manager (jpareira@wcs.org), and Matt Leggett, Associate Director, Sustainable Commodities (mleggett@wcs.org) no later than 21 July 2021.
