The Opportunity: Mobilizing impact and climate finance
Solidaridad recognizes the critical role of private sector investment in achieving sustainable development goals and, specifically, in scaling impactful climate solutions. We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Access to Finance Expert to join our team. This pivotal role will focus on mobilizing impact capital with a particular emphasis on developing and securing financing for our growing portfolio of carbon and other sustainability projects across various landscapes and value chains.
You will be instrumental in bridging the gap between innovative, impactful (carbon) initiatives and when applicable the diverse range of investors seeking both financial returns and verifiable environmental and social impact.
Key Responsibilities:
- Financial Strategy & Resource Mobilization:
- Lead the development and execution of Solidaridad’s impact and climate finance workstream, with a focus on climate and development finance mechanisms (e.g., carbon credits, green bonds, blended finance).
- Identify, assess, and prioritize potential private sector funding opportunities (e.g., impact investors, social lenders, commercial banks).
- Design innovative financial models and structures that attract investors for Solidaridad’s carbon projects and broader sustainable development initiatives.
- Develop compelling investment proposals, business plans, and financial models for potential investors, clearly articulating financial returns, impact metrics, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Structuring and implementation of Climate Finance solutions:
- Set up adequate internal structures and procedures for handling innovative financing models:
- Advice on the set up of adequate (legal) structures, procedures and due diligence process and governance to secure and wellmanaged private financing (e.g. loans, green bonds, equity investments).
- Advise project teams on financial structuring, cost-benefit analysis, and investor readiness for carbon project development.
- Stay abreast of global carbon market trends, pricing mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks to inform financing strategies.
- Support in exploring and securing advanced payment mechanisms or off-take agreements for carbon credits with private buyers.
- Partnership Development & Investor Relations:
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with a diverse network of financial institutions, impact investors, corporate partners, and philanthropists.
- Serve as account manager for financial sector partnerships, oversee in some cases loan performance in project implementation, track KPIs and budgets, and ensure effective communication across Solidaridad’s global network.
- Represent Solidaridad at investor forums, conferences, and networking events to pitch opportunities and build partnerships.
- Negotiate and finalize financing agreements, ensuring terms are favorable and aligned with Solidaridad’s mission and financial sustainability.
- Capacity Building & Internal Advisory:
- Provide expert advice and technical assistance to Solidaridad’s country and regional teams on finance opportunities, financial modeling, and investor engagement.
- Support institutional learning on climate finance by capturing and sharing best practices that drive sector-wide transformation.
- Develop and disseminate best practices and learning on finance mobilization across the organization.
- Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting:
- Monitor the performance of financed projects against financial and impact targets.
- Prepare regular reports for internal stakeholders and external investors on financial progress, impact achieved, and lessons learned.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Education: Master’s degree in Development Finance, Development Economics, Environmental Finance, or a related field.
- Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in finance, impact investing, project finance, or corporate finance, with a significant focus on agricultural or emerging markets.
- Proven track record of successfully mobilizing development finance for projects/businesses, ideally within the sustainable development, climate finance, or carbon markets sector.
- Experience in structuring complex financial deals, including blended finance, loans, and results-based financing.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of private sector actors and investors.
- Experience at the intersection of the commercial and NGO sectors is an asset.
- Skills:
- Strong financial modeling and analytical skills.
- Persistence and patience, you understand that meaningful progress in sustainable finance requires time, collaboration, and navigating complex stakeholder dynamics.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex financial information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
- Proven negotiation and deal-making abilities.
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a results-oriented approach.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-cultural, dispersed team.
- Fluency in English is required; proficiency in other languages relevant to Solidaridad’s operating regions (e.g., Dutch, German, Spanish and French) is a significant advantage.
- Commitment to Solidaridad’s mission and values.
OUR OFFER
- A unique and rewarding job within an inspiring and international setting, starting as soon as possible;
- You will join Solidaridad Europe’s Corporate Engagement and Partnerships team, and will have the opportunity to work with an innovative and dedicated network of professionals in Europe and across the world;
- Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands with national and international travel required;
- A 1 year contract with the possibility of extension, 36 hours/week;
- Gross monthly salary between EUR 4,024 and EUR 6,907 depending on relevant experience, (salary scale 11 or 12); an additional holiday and end of year allowance;
- Solidaridad offers a non-contributory pension plan depending on the location based;
- Contribution to moving expenses (if applicable);
At Solidaridad, diversity, equity and inclusion are key to our collective mission, vision and values.
We aim for Solidaridad to be an inclusive place where all people feel heard, seen, and valued for their diverse identities, experiences, perspectives and skills.
We are therefore committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment by treating everyone with dignity and respect, enabling and empowering us to be ourselves and achieving our full potential as individuals and our collective mission as an organization.
NEXT STEPS
Does this position appeal to you and are you eligible to work in the European Union? Then please submit your one-page motivation letter and resume in English to hr-europe@solidaridadnetwork.org and state “Application: Senior CEP manager- Impact Finance” in the subject header. The closing date for this vacancy is July 17, 2025 whereby we review and evaluate applications on an ongoing basis and conduct interviews with suitable candidates before the end of the application period if necessary.
Questions can be addressed to hr-europe@solidaridadnetwork.org or by phone to Myrtille Danse, Head Corporate Engagement and Partnerships: +31622323494 . A reference check, VOG (certificate of good conduct), and an assessment will be part of the selection procedure. Work permit restrictions may apply.
No agencies please.
Any personal data submitted in an application is treated confidentially and processed for the sole purpose of filling a vacancy, and compliant to the GDPR directive. After the selection process has been completed (upon the date of filled vacancy), all personal data of applicants who have not been selected will be destroyed immediately, unless we have your explicit approval to store your personal data for a period of maximum a year.
BACKGROUND
Solidaridad envisions a world in which all we produce and all we consume can sustain us, while respecting the planet, each other and the next generations. We enable farmers and workers to earn a living income, shape their own future, and produce in balance with nature by working throughout the whole supply chain to make sustainability the norm.
Solidaridad is an international network organization consisting of seven regional expertise centers located around the world (Asia, Southern Africa, East and Central Africa, West Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe), each with their own specific expertise and focus. Globally, Solidaridad works in over 50 countries.
In Europe, Solidaridad focuses on market development, policy influencing, communications, knowledge management and donor relations. We seek to inspire the private sector, governments, civil society organizations, research institutes and consumers to contribute to inclusive and sustainable international value chains.
For more information please refer to: www.solidaridadnetwork.org and www.solidaridad.nl.