Sr. Director, Herencia Colombia Project Finance for Permanence Lead - 26043

The Senior Director leads WWF-US engagement in implementing the Herencia Colombia (HECO) Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) Initiative. The PFP Initiative secures $245 million USD of public and private finance to permanently protect 30 million hectares of iconic Colombian landscapes and seascapes.

This role coordinates with the program management unit, executing partners, and WWF Colombia to monitor and mobilize support for effective Implementation.   The role oversees technical and operational planning, including annual workplans, budgets, and financial model updates, while ensuring compliance with donor requirements. Manages WWF-US (non-GCF) grants and reporting, supports strategic decision-making through the steering committee, and provides updates to senior leadership. The position ensures high-level communication and coordination among Partners and WWF-US and will be based in Colombia.

The Senior Director provides critical support to the HECO Steering Committee by ensuring timely preparation of agendas, briefing materials, and progress updates. This role facilitates informed decision-making by synthesizing technical, financial, and operational data for committee review, and serves as a key liaison between WWF-US leadership, the Steering Committee representative, and implementing partners.

The HECO PFP Senior Director reports to the Sr. Vice President, Durable Conservation and Finance who provides strategic oversight of the PFP Initiative and has a Dotted-line reporting to the Sr. Director of Operations, WWF-US to work on day-to-day oversight, operational coordination and alignment with WWF-US fiduciary responsibilities under delegated authority from the Sr. Vice President, Durable Conservation and Finance. There is a second dotted line reporting to the WWF-US Representative to the Steering Committee as this position works in close coordination with the WWF-US Steering Committee Representative to align on agendas and ensures timely and effective information flow.

In addition, this role maintains a strong working relationship with the WWF-Colombia team to for technical guidance and understanding of local context ensuring that decisions and actions reflect on-the-ground realities.

Location: This position is based in Bogotá, Colombia. Relocation expenses will not be covered for this position.

Work Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in Colombia. This position is not eligible for current or future employment visa sponsorship.

Responsibilities 

• Establish and lead internal governance and communication protocols for the HECO PFP initiative. Serve as the primary connector, communicator, and facilitator among all stakeholders—WWF-US teams, WWF Colombia, implementing partners, donors, and governance bodies—to ensure timely information flow, decision alignment, and proactive issue resolution.

• Support WWF-US assistance to the HECO program by working closely with the HECO program leader, the program management unit (PMU) of the HECO GCF project, the Conservation Trust Fund (CTF) manager, and executing partners in Colombia—including the Ministry of Environment, Natural National Parks Colombia, Patrimonio Natural Conservation Trust Fund, and WWF Colombia—to facilitate effective management and implementation of the HECO program

• Collaborate with key internal partners, including the Senior Counsel, Development, WWF-US Steering Committee representative, and technical teams, to oversee WWF US engagement in HECO PFP implementation.

• Coordinate WWF-US Execution Support team for program implementation and capacity building of implementing partners and PMU staff, in close collaboration with the Accredited Entity team.

• Support the HECO program leader, PMU and CTF manager in preparing technical reports and work closely with Program Operations to develop annual workplans and budgets for approval by the HECO Steering Committee.

• Validate coherence of annual workplans with the HECO conservation plan and financial model; collaborate with PMU on annual financial model updates.

• Advise the HECO program leader, PMU, CTF manager and Steering Committee to ensure that donor fund disbursement conditions—including co-financing commitments—are met, and to identify and implement mitigation measures as needed.

• Brief WWF-US Steering Committee member on progress and issues prior to board meetings and serve as alternate board member.

• Serve on technical committees related to operations, financing, or other areas as needed.

• Manage grants (non GCF) signed by WWF-US with WWF Colombia and Patrimonio Natural, including oversight, review, approval of technical deliverables and coordination of financial deliverables. Serves as Technical Director for all signed grants.

• Prepare technical reports for WWF-US private donors in coordination with the Development team and annual HECO reports for private donors in collaboration with WWF-US Donor Communications.

• Provide project updates and progress details to WWF US senior leadership and other internal teams as required.

• Other duties as assigned.