A LITTLE ABOUT US
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. One of our core values is our commitment to diversity. Therefore, we strive for a globally diverse and culturally competent workforce. Working in 72 countries, including all 50 United States, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.
NatureVest is the impact investment unit of The Nature Conservancy. NatureVest’s mission is to create and transact investable deals that deliver conservation results and financial returns for investors. Our vision is based on the conviction that capital markets, businesses and governments must invest in nature as the long-term capital stock of a sustainable, equitable and more efficient economy. To achieve our mission, we source and structure investment products that support The Nature Conservancy’s global strategies, raise capital for these investments, and share our knowledge and experience with the investment and conservation communities to amplify our efforts in this emerging area. To learn more, visit: www.nature.org/naturevest.
The Debt Conversions team, within NatureVest, negotiates the restructuring of a country’s sovereign debt, using investment capital and credit enhancement, to finance marine conservation and related activities in developing countries. The Debt Conversions team is a globally acknowledged leader of innovative financing for marine conservation. The team aims to increase the world’s marine protected areas by 15% within a decade via debt capital market issuance and financial structuring. To learn more, visit: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-work/finance-investing/naturevest/ocean-protection/.
YOUR POSITION WITH TNC
The Debt Conversions Intern will report to the Senior Project Coordinator, Debt Conversions in NatureVest. Debt Conversions, also known as Debt-for-Nature-Swaps, involve the purchase and restructuring of a country’s sovereign external debt to create funding for marine conservation activities.
The Intern’s role will be to support the NatureVest Debt Conversions team by conducting research and providing recommendations based on those research findings, developing presentations and project abstracts, and to support the Debt Conversions team’s day-to-day work and strategic priorities. The position will be an excellent opportunity to apply skills and expertise in finance, economics, and/or international development to the environmental field, and gain experience in conservation finance.
This will be a 10-12 week summer internship starting in late May or June.
Due to Covid-19, this position will be based remotely. It can be based anywhere in the U.S.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The Debt Conversions Intern will work with the Debt Conversions Senior Project Coordinator to provide support to the wider debt conversion team, including the Debt Conversions Deputy Managing Director, the Debt Conversions Deal Leads, and the Conservation Trust Fund Specialist. The Intern may collaborate with global teams, field staff, regional teams, and partner organizations, such as multi-lateral, bi-lateral and financial institutions.
The Intern will bring business, financial, and economic analysis expertise to lead one or more of the following projects:
· Produce an analysis document on different debt conversion structures and related tools, resources and enhancements applicable to various sovereign debt profiles;
· Develop, implement and document a process to prioritize future debt conversion transactions, based on their financial characteristics;
· Conduct a market survey of available climate and blended finance solutions that can be used in debt restructuring;
The Intern may additionally be assigned other assignments (e.g. supporting active debt conversion deals, creating financial structure components, etc.) as they become available.
RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE
· Collaborate with NatureVest staff, global teams, field staff, regional teams, and partner organizations to achieve assigned projects;
· Effectively manage time to meet deadlines with limited supervision;
· Demonstrate sensitivity in handling confidential information;
· Work is diverse and may not always fall under guidelines; and
· Work within scope of the program’s strategic goals.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
· Completion of a Bachelor’s degree by June 2021 in finance, economics, policy, or international development;
· Experience conducting research and producing reports or other knowledge products;
· Clear communication skills via written and spoken means in English;
· Experience with common software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
· Current enrollment in a graduate degree program. Preference given to finance, economics, policy, or international development students;
· 1-2 years of related work experience;
· Work experience or academic coursework related to development finance and/or sovereign debt;
· Experience using and developing financial models;
· Multi-lingual skills and/or multi-cultural experience appreciated;
· Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization and with partners;
· Ability to self-start and take initiative; confidence to ask questions and seek input;
· Ability to manage time and diverse activities under deadlines while delivering quality results;
· Strong organizational skills and attention to detail;
· Interest in conservation/ the environmental field;
· The Nature Conservancy is committed to diversity and encourages candidates with diverse and nontraditional backgrounds to apply.