Associate at Conservation Innovation Fund

About Conservation Innovation Fund

Conservation Innovation Fund (CIF) is a non-profit impact finance firm dedicated to improving sustainability on working agricultural lands. CIF envisions a world where capital and conservation align, pushing the boundaries of environmental finance. CIF harnesses environmental markets to drive quantified conservation outcomes in water, carbon, and biodiversity that align public and corporate sustainability agendas to regenerative agriculture on the ground. CIF blends capital from public financing, philanthropic grant making, and mission-oriented investing to expand market-based solutions to address pressing conservation challenges.

Associate Role
CIF seeks an entrepreneurial, detail-oriented, early-to-mid-career professional to provide business development, marketing, operations, and administrative support to CIF Leadership in an effort to advance transactions in the Mid-Atlantic. Reporting to the Managing Director, the Associate is an integral member of the CIF team and supports many of the day-to-day activities and operations of the organization.

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Essential Responsibilities

  • Business Development and Relationship Management – Manages funding applications in various funder portals and processes. Collects and maintains information required for new funding solicitations and reporting to existing funders and purchasers. Prepares written correspondence, proposals, and assists with relationship management as needed. Organizes electronic and physical files of documents and collateral.

  • Marketing and Design – Creates highly-stylized proposals, designs marketing materials, builds PowerPoint/Google deck presentations for use across the organization’s work, and supports development of press releases. Oversees CIF’s LinkedIn and makes website revisions. Manages relationship and workstream with CIF’s marketing firm. Utilizes a keen eye for design and experience with advanced data visualization platforms to accomplish these responsibilities.

  • Operations and Administrative Support – In support of the Managing Director and CEO, coordinates and schedules meetings and takes detailed meeting notes. Contributes to fund- and organization-wide process improvements to drive efficient processes and systems by implementing new tools and technologies. Assists with vendor management and ongoing operations requirements.

  • Project Delivery Support – Ensures timely and high-quality completion of deliverables across each of the responsibilities listed above. Maintains project management tools and trackers to monitor progress for both short- and long-term engagements, facilitate team communication, and inform relevant stakeholders.

Skills and Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent work experience, and 2-4 years of professional experience in a relevant field.

  • Experience in innovative finance, sustainable agriculture, and/or conservation. 

  • Proven self-starter and creative problem solver with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple work streams concurrently while maintaining a meticulous attention to detail.

  • Exceptional written, oral, and visual communication skills and the ability to translate messages for a range of audiences, including experience communicating to a professional audience.

  • Outstanding interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams.

  • High level of proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Canva, Powerpoint/Google slides, Wix, Google Workspace, Smartsheet and Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint

Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position starts at $60,000 and includes access to employer-sponsored health benefits, 403(b) retirement benefits, and professional development opportunities. Employees also enjoy a flexible work schedule and generous leave policy that balances personal and professional demands within an environment of high performance. CIF offices close for U.S. Federal holidays and during the last week of the calendar year.


Location
This position is based in the greater DC area, with the option to work remotely 3-4 days per week.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Morgan Maloney at hiring@cifteam.org with the subject line “CIF Associate #2 Application.” 

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The Conservation Innovation Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District of Columbia and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, protected veteran, disability, or other protected status.