TechnoServe Fellows Program - Climate Research Analyst (Fellows Program - Ghana)

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Recruiting Organization: TechnoServe Fellows Program

TechnoServe Fellows Program

PLEASE APPLY ON OUR WEBSITE

Company Description

TechnoServe is a nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1968 that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Our programs develop the capacity of individuals and businesses, strengthen market systems, and facilitate the development of emerging industries that can serve as economic drivers in developing communities.

Our goal: to create sustainable economic growth that helps impoverished individuals improve their lives and secure a better future for their families.

TechnoServe has offices in nearly 30 countries across the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, as well as in London.

Program Overview

TechnoServe is seeking qualified candidates to join our Fellows Program. Fellows take part in field-based projects ranging from 3 to 12 months in which they engage directly with entrepreneurs, industry experts, TechnoServe field staff, and other stakeholders.

Fellows have the opportunity to lead projects in areas such as business plan development, industry analysis and strategy, financial analysis, and capital raising. A typical project might be conducting an Industry Strategic Plan (ISP). ISPs are a standard part of our approach to assessing the potential competitiveness, opportunities, challenges and key success factors in a given sector at both the country and regional levels.

Read more about the program and sample projects here: https://www.technoserve.org/get-involved/fellows-program

We review Fellow applications for our general candidate database on a rolling basis, and encourage qualified, enthusiastic candidates - especially those with French and/or Spanish fluency - to apply.

Open Fellow Project:

TechnoServe is seeking a Fellow to support CASA TAF in assessing the potential to incorporate innovative climate finance mechanisms (e.g., carbon credits, payment for ecosystem services) into the business models of agribusinesses that source commodities from smallholder farmers. The fellowship would support the CASA TAF team in exploring the current landscape and scoping of climate-focused inclusive business plans with agribusiness partners. In addition, the fellowship would support the CASA TAF team to assess and consider the enabling environment (e.g. regulatory environment, policy, incentives and key barriers for agribusiness/investors) for taking advantage of climate finance mechanisms and generating inclusive benefits from climate-focused inclusive business models (using Ghana as a test case). The fellowship ultimately aims to explore how climate finance mechanisms can incentivise investments in climate focused inclusive business models; generate 2 meaningful income benefits for smallholder farmers and tangible commercial value for agribusinesses.

Specifically, the scope of the Fellow project comprises:

- Rapid mapping of existing climate financing flows to food and agriculture by DFIs (particularly CASA TAF partners) and climate financial instruments used, $ value deployed to date, key barriers and successful case studies, drawing on the existing evidence base.

- Landscape assessment of leading Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Voluntary Carbon Scheme (VCS), and any other relevant programmes and providers relevant to key CASA TAF geographies based on desktop research and stakeholder interviews.

- Research summary of any current or recent historical PES and/or VCS schemes focused on smallholder farmers, characterising the overall programme, including VCS / PES mechanisms and standards used, additional income levers for smallholder farmers, key success factors and learnings. - Summary of typical costs of VCS and PES implementation, including scheme verification and credit validation, process and timelines, typical enablers and barriers, drawing on desktop research and input from CASA TAF Climate and Environment Advisors.

- Indicative quantification of relative returns achievable through climate smart approaches (including regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, biodiversity, etc) for key CASA TAF value chains / geographies (to be agreed with CASA TAF Inclusive Business Manager and with technical support from CASA TAF Climate and Environment Advisors):

• Value of carbon capture / ecosystem services o Net value of commodities produced through climate smart approaches

- Based on the above, prioritisation of value chains / geographies for CASA TAF to undertake future inclusive business plans with carbon sequestration and/or ecosystem services components.

- Deep-dive Ghana case study:

• Identification of key examples, results, successes/learnings from PES/VCS in Ghana specifically;
• Prioritisation of value chains that could benefit from climate financing mechanisms in Ghana (with most meaningful impact opportunity);
• Assessment of regulatory environment, incentives and disincentives for agribusiness/investors to take advantage of climate financing mechanisms and benefit from investments in climate-focused inclusive business models (with a deep dive into Ghana context);
• Recommendations for changes needed (e.g. policy) to maximise incentives and returns. The IBP Fellow will be guided and supported by the CASA TAF Inclusive Business Manager, and will receive a briefing and ongoing targeted technical support from the CASA TAF Climate and Environment Advisor (e.g., around modelling of carbon sequestration, briefing on scientific literature, etc.). The IBP Fellow will also be supported by other CASA TAF team members as well as niche technical experts that will be drawn-in on an as-needed basis.

3 Expected deliverables

● Research report summarising scope items above

● Ghana case study PowerPoint presentation

● Model quantifying achievable returns for smallholder farmers from specific climate smart approaches in representative value chains

Timeline

● Four to five months

Skills & Requirements

● Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of three years of relevant work experience (i.e., in business or impact analytics, finance) required

● Prior experience in top tier strategy consulting, private equity or investment banking preferred

● Intellectual curiosity and fascination with the role of finance in the transition to a low carbon and environmentally sustainable economy - you will be supported on technical assumptions around agriculture and carbon capture but will need to absorb and incorporate these into your analysis

● Strong financial modeling skills

● Strong project management skills

● Proven analytical and quantitative skills

● Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills

● Strong computer skills, including MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel

● Ability to work independently, flexibly, and responsively

● Ability to adapt to changing working conditions

● Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines

Technoserve, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

Stipend ProvidedFalse

Training ProvidedFalse

Housing AvailableFalse

Language/Cultral Support AvailableFalse

Wheelchair AccessibleFalse

Fee RequiredFalse

Fee Amount: None

This opportunity is recurring