1012-359 Nature Finance Manager - E grade - September 2024

The post will fulfil a dedicated role to support, manage and deliver NatureScot's Nature Finance work. The successful applicant will have a key role in influencing government, other public sector bodies and stakeholders including eNGOs, corporates and financial institutions. The post holder will directly support NatureScot's Head of Nature Finance providing specialist advice. The role also includes providing Nature Finance advice more widely within NatureScot. The post holder will commission and manage projects, including in partnership with external parties. The position entails working closely with, and influencing, partner eNGOs, business and finance sectors. The central focus is to support and contribute to the different workstreams of the Scottish Government's Private Investment in Natural Capital programme. The ultimate goal is to stimulate and create the conditions for increasing private nature finance in Scotland, which is a key priority of our Corporate Plan 'A nature-rich future for all'. We are looking for someone who enjoys working in a dynamic and demanding environment, working closely as part of a team, who has a proven knowledge, and preferably real-world experience of, high integrity Environmental or Nature Finance and ideally beyond carbon credits-based models (biodiversity, natural flood management, or other ecosystem services). Potential candidates with a more traditional finance background will be considered depending on their relevant knowledge. This is an exciting opportunity to take an active and determining role in helping shape the future role of NatureScot within the Nature Finance landscape and the wider natural capital space., Whether working at home or in an office, or travelling to meetings and site visits, as a NatureScot you will contribute to our Net Zero plan, for example through positive carbon travel choices.

1. Demonstrate extensive knowledge and experience relevant to high integrity nature finance. 2. Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills including inspirational leadership, communication, engagement, negotiating, influencing, networking and forging strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. 3. Experience of clearly communicating vision in the development of innovative solutions and the practical implementation of change. 4. Ability to manage projects and budgets, to ensure delivery of outputs to required standards. 5. Ability to interpret complex or conflicting information and make recommendations based on sound analysis and judgement. 6. Ability to understand, interpret/challenge and explain financial models and performance data and information. 7. Experience of working in a political context and demonstrable political acuity. Prerequisites Required

• Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK and resident in Scotland for the duration of the job contract.
• To undertake a Disclosure Scotland application.
• Although Gaelic language is not a prerequisite it is a desirable skill in support of our commitment to our Gaelic Language Plan.
  
  1. Contribute to strategic thinking within NatureScot through its Outcomes and Activities, and especially through the Nature Finance Programme.
2. Work with the others across the organisation to deliver the NatureScot Business and Corporate Plan and as agreed through job planning. 3. Be an effective and proactive advocate of Nature Finance, acting as NatureScot's representative in partnerships- influencing government and stakeholders including eNGOs and in key sectors such as finance, land-based, marine and fresh water businesses. 4. Contribute through the Scottish Government's Private Investment in Natural Capital programme to the development, structuring and scaling up of high integrity Nature Finance markets in Scotland. 5. Maintain an up to date knowledge of trends and developments in Nature Finance, applying this directly and in providing advice and guidance on Nature Finance, and building colleagues' knowledge, expertise and capacity to use Nature Finance approaches to deliver NatureScot's core offers. 6. Promote and demonstrate NatureScot's values and in particular to recognise that we have one shared, collective mission, to which we all contribute.