Program Officer, Ocean Markets and Finance

Overview

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Program Officer (PO), Ocean Markets and Finance (OMF), to join the team in our Washington, DC office. The Program Officer will support key initiatives within the Ocean Markets and Finance program’s growing body of work with guidance and support from the Manager, Blue Finance (Ocean ESG), and other relevant Ocean Markets and Finance senior team members. The Ocean Markets and Finance team engages companies and financial institutions (FIs) operating in, or financing activities in, key ocean sectors including seafood, shipping, offshore wind, and coastal and marine tourism, to help them minimize their negative environmental and social impacts, improve the sustainability of their operations, and make long-term investments in seascapes where they operate to support the transition towards a nature positive future. The team also has a substantial body of work that supports the development of blended and innovative financing mechanisms in the ocean space that ensure that our conservation objectives in key seascapes and markets are funded and incentivized for the long-term. 

The Program Officer will provide coordination, project management and research support for a variety of projects, with a particular focus on supporting the team’s Blue Finance Portfolio – both the work to engage the finance sector and the work to develop blended and innovative financial solutions. The Program Officer will have substantial project management and administrative skills, and a familiarity with, and strong interest in, developing subject matter expertise in sustainable finance, corporate sustainability, and marine conservation. 

 

This is a hybrid position that requires a minimum of two days a week in the WWF Washington, DC headquarters office.  

To be considered for further review for the position, a cover letter is required. 

 

Salary Range: $69,000 - $86,100

 

 

Please note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.  In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.  

Responsibilities

Transformational Finance project management and coordination support:  

• Support FI engagement on sustainable blue finance with guidance from the Manager, Blue Finance (Ocean ESG), including research, analysis and report development, PowerPoint deck development, partnership proposal development, webinar management, knowledge and resource management, internal coordination within the WWF network, and external stakeholder engagement.  

• Conduct research and stay up to date on the changing landscape of sustainable finance regulations, ocean-related nature data and disclosure platforms, and industry commitments and best practice.  

• Provide focused support on priority projects including, but not limited to, investor engagement on seafood traceability, implementation of the Nature Positive Ocean Pathways workstream with financial institutions, annual bank and investor ocean policy analyses, and other projects as needed. 

 

Blended and innovative finance project management support:  

• Provide support to manage and make progress on the team’s portfolio of projects in priority seascapes/countries with guidance from Manager, Blended and Innovative Finance.  

• Coordinate with other teams within WWF US, as well as other WWF country offices, supporting research for the development of specific projects as required, and provide project management and administrative support for the Manager. 

 

Cross-functional Collaboration:  

• Collaborate across a variety of WWF teams, including all US Oceans sub-teams; the Private Sector Engagement team; other program goal teams; and offices throughout the WWF global network to advance ocean-related corporate partnerships and ambition. 

• Support the team with key general tasks, notably internal and external stakeholder coordination, including scheduling team calls and meetings with external partners etc. as prioritized and decided on with leadership. 

• Perform other duties as assigned.  

 

Key Competencies 

• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Effectively conveys information to internal and external audiences through clear and concise oral, written, and interpersonal communication. Works cooperatively with others to achieve mutual understanding, demonstrating empathy, actively listening, and contributing to a collaborative work environment.  

• Time Management, Organization & Attention to Detail: Manages time and resources efficiently, systematically organizes work, and pays meticulous attention to all aspects of a task to ensure quality outcomes. Effectively plans, prioritizes, and executes prospect and partner engagements, including annual workplans and routine partner communications, while maintaining a high standard of accuracy and thoroughness.   

• Relationship Management and Collaboration: Establishes and maintains productive relationships with individuals both within and outside the organization, including corporate partners, NGOs and other stakeholders across the spectrum of corporate climate action. Understands and addresses the needs and concerns of others, fosters trust, and promotes collaboration to achieve shared goals.  

• Analytical Thinking: Reviews large volumes of information from varied sources, including sustainability reports, TNFD reports, nature transition plans, relevant white papers, and news articles, identifying themes and flagging information for the broader team.  

• Proactive Learning & Development: Actively identifies and pursues opportunities for professional growth, anticipating future learning needs, and taking initiative to acquire new skills.  Proactively builds knowledge of greenhouse gas accounting, target setting, and mitigation strategies.  Asks questions, seeks feedback, and applies new insights to enhance performance. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Management, Business, Finance, Economics,  Sustainable Development, or other related field, with a minimum of 4 years program or other professional experience or an advanced degree with a minimum of 2 years’ experience required. 

• Knowledge of, or strong desire to learn about, the corporate sustainability and sustainable finance landscape and platforms relevant to private sector climate and nature ambition and implementation (e.g., Taskforce on Nature-related Finance Disclosures (TNFD), Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), Climate Disclosure Project (CDP), etc.) 

• Knowledge of, or strong desire to learn about, blended and innovative financing mechanisms in the ocean space, such as financing for conservation and community-based enterprises, insurance and finance for projects or ecosystems that support and reward resilience such as mangroves, coral reefs and sustainable fisheries, impact bonds or blue bonds or other financing instruments 

• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to effectively prioritize and produce high-quality work under time constraints. 

• Proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a matrixed team environment. 

• Strong research and analytical skills.  

• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required, including effective public speaking and the ability to communicate complex issues both verbally and in writing.   

• Excellent interpersonal skills requiring knowing when to use courtesy, tact and/or diplomacy to effectively communicate with all constituents.     

• Familiarity with Microsoft office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).   

• Experience working in, or with, private sector actors on sustainability is essential, and experience working in, or with, actors in the blue economy specifically is a plus. 

• Demonstrated interest in, knowledge of and/or application of data analysis using Bloomberg terminal or other global financial data sources is a plus but not required. 

• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams. 

• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: 

• COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home. 

• INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve. 

• RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future. 

• COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation. 

 

 

To Apply: 

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #26008

• Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone 

  

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) promotes equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals regardless of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.