Conservation International Overview
Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.
Position Summary
This position is based in Arlington-VA, Belgium, or the UK. The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) awards grants and provides technical assistance to civil society organizations in developing countries to safeguard biodiversity hotspots. CEPF is a joint program of l'Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Conservation International, the European Union (EU), Fondation Franklinia, Fondation Wilsdorf, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, and the World Bank. It is administered by Conservation International on behalf of the global donors. Reporting to the Vice President, CEPF, the Senior Coordinator, Grants Team provides support to the CEPF Grants Team, which is responsible for strategic and technical oversight of CEPF investments. The position enhances the effectiveness of the CEPF Secretariat by supporting grant making to civil society organizations, assisting with the delivery of the Rapid Rescue for Conservation Crises (R2C2) facility, and providing comprehensive administrative support.
The R2C2 facility is managed by CEPF and funded by the EU via AFD. It addresses immediate conservation crises resulting from natural causes, such as wildfires, droughts and cyclones. It also addresses human‑induced crises, such as sudden security threats, spikes in poaching, and pollution events.
The Senior Coordinator, Grants Team will need to develop a good understanding of CEPF’s business processes and the various online systems used. In particular, the Senior Coordinator, Grants Team will need to develop a good working knowledge of CEPF’s online grants management system, Conservation Grants, which is based upon a Salesforce platform. The position requires working in a fast‑paced environment, supporting a team that undertakes regular international travel and includes remotely based staff. Consequently, it requires professionalism, good communication skills, flexibility and a spirit of teamwork. It also requires the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple demands on time.
The position provides a rare opportunity to contribute to the work of a leading fund for nature conservation at a critical time for life on our planet.
Responsibilities
* Prepare website contents for calls for letters of inquiry (LOIs) for CEPF grants.
* Prepare and send invitation letters to applicants selected to move to the full proposal stage.
* Prepare and send rejection letters to unsuccessful applicants.
* Assist Grant Directors and Regional Implementation Teams to organize proposal development workshops for applicants.
* Prepare and maintain training materials for applicants and grantees.
* Support the Communications Team to post final reports and safeguard documents to the CEPF website.
* Print and deliver documents to embassies.
Support delivery of the Rapid Rescue for Conservation Crises (R2C2) facility
* Monitor the R2C2 email inbox and respond promptly to inquiries.
* Screen LOIs for eligibility.
* Request external review of eligible LOIs.
* Schedule meetings of the Rapid Review Committee.
* Draft official response letters to applicants.
* Receive and upload milestones and final reports submitted by grantees.
* Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Outreach Unit to ensure accurate and comprehensive contributions to CEPF’s global monitoring framework.
Administrative Support to the Grants Team
* Provide logistical and technical support to internal and external meetings (schedule meetings, book meeting rooms, set up conference calls, arrange catering, etc.).
* Take minutes of the weekly Grants Team meeting.
* Prepare PowerPoint presentations for internal and external meetings.
* Perform such other tasks as may reasonably be requested by the Vice President, CEPF.
Working Conditions
* Depending on location, this position will either involve working from home remotely, or hybrid working from a CI office and home.
* The position will require travel internationally for up to 10% of time.
Qualifications
Required
* 2 to 4 years of experience in a relevant field (grants management, nature conservation or similar).
* Strong interest in nature conservation.
* Fluency in written and spoken English.
* Proven ability to manage workload, balance competing requests and prioritize tasks in a fast‑paced environment.
* Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
* Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office with experience in Microsoft Excel.
Preferred
* Bachelor’s degree.
* Professional experience in grant making.
* Professional experience in writing technical reports.
* Experience in biodiversity conservation, community development or related fields.
* Experience of online databases, such as Salesforce.
* Fluency in French, Portuguese, Russian and/or Spanish.
To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter.
Conservation International is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We believe in hiring based on merit and qualifications, ensuring a fair and inclusive hiring process for everyone.
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