Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) Coordinator

Position title: The Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) Coordinator

Reports to: Head, Asia Sustainable Finance

About WWF-Singapore
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. As one of WWF’s international hubs, WWF-Singapore supports a global network spanning over 100 countries. WWF Singapore works closely with local stakeholders towards a greener and more sustainable Singapore and the region around us. We work to address key conservation areas, such as climate change, sustainable finance, deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, marine conservation, and sustainable production and consumption, through collaboration, education and outreach efforts involving the community, businesses, and governments. For more information, please visit wwf.sg.

I. Mission of the World Wide Fund for Nature, Singapore (WWF)

WWF-Singapore is a Singapore-registered charity, a network member of WWF International – one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations. WWF-Singapore protects critical natural resources for people in Singapore and supports a global network that spans over 100 countries. WWF-Singapore addresses issues important to Singapore and the region, such as climate change, deforestation, marine pollution and illegal wildlife trade. We achieve this through community-based conservation and restoration efforts in key landscapes and seascapes, and by innovative approaches for market transformation, sustainable finance, policy and advocacy, and education and outreach.

WWF has identified the finance sector as a key driver of global economic activity with which we must engage to successfully deliver on our long-term conservation mission. To do this, we work with key finance sector players including banks, investors, regulators, and stock exchanges, across six focus areas

In Asia, we work across seven (7) ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam – as well as in Japan, South Korea, India and China. We focus on sustainability issues related to soft commodities finance (e.g. agriculture, forestry, and seafood), in addition to cross-cutting issues such as biodiversity loss and climate change.

About The Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI)

The Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) is a multi-stakeholder forum that aims to harness and amplify the power of the finance sector to create resilient economies that deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. This will ensure that economic and social development is achieved while preserving the natural capital on which all societies depend, and support the urgent transition to sustainable food, energy, transport, and infrastructure systems.

Based in Singapore, ASFI brings together industry, academic, and science-based resources to support financial institutions in implementing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) best practices. As Singapore is a conduit for financial flows into Asia, the lending and investment decisions taken by financial institutions based here will have a significant impact on the region’s contribution to a 1.5-degree world and its climate resilience. WWF Singapore acts as a secretariat and knowledge partner of ASFI.

ASFI works across six focus areas (standards, research & tools, engagement, green financial solution, regulation & guidelines, engagement, capacity building) to support financial institutions to better understand and incorporate material ESG risks and opportunities into decision making processes across their core businesses. ASFI’s Knowledge Partners are at the cutting-edge of their respective fields in sustainability and sustainable finance, and represent academia, industry, and science-based organisations. Together, the expertise, tools, and resources of these organisations support financial institutions operating in Asia to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-developing sustainable finance landscape and to proactively address emerging risks and opportunities.

The ASFI Advisory Group is comprised of Singapore-based finance sector industry associations who provide strategic guidance on industry priorities and developments to ensure ASFI meets the needs of financial institutions. In 2020 Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) is creating a comprehensive e-learning platform for sustainable finance that a) reflects the latest developments in sustainable finance regulations, tools, methodologies, and standards and b) uses technology and learning design to create structured and holistic learning journeys and outcomes.

This position will be based in Singapore and report to the Head, Asia Sustainable Finance of WWF-Singapore.

II. Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as ASFI coordinator and ensure that ASFI leverages the technical expertise of Asia Sustainable Finance team, wider WWF Network, and ASFI Knowledge Partners
• Strengthen relationship with ASFI Knowledge partners and develop new partnerships
• Assess the current ASFI alliances, develop a strategy for stronger engagement, and collaboration on technical sustainable finance themes in Asia
• Engage relevant stakeholders in Singapore and Southeast Asia to facilitate this
• Organise and facilitate regular meetings with ASFI Knowledge Partners and other relevant stakeholders
• Facilitate and support periodical ASFI Advisory Group meetings
• Attend meetings and record, circulate and store accurate minutes, organise relevant follow ups and follow up on action points
• Support ASFI webpage, ASFI newsletter and coordinate the ASFI annual report
• Conduct research on topics related to sustainable finance and ASFI
• Prepare workshop materials – i.e. presentation slides, case studies, others
• Prepare concept notes and proposals on related initiatives for potential funding opportunities to support regional/global WWF Sustainable Finance Practice work
• Support in preparing reports and organising events, webinars and outreach activities for launching ASFI research and reports for key stakeholders
• Liaise with designers and vendors for publication of reports and other resources
• Liaise with legal, finance and business review teams for finalising contracts with service providers and donors
• Coordinate administrative & finance processes (budget forecast, invoices, travel requests, calendar/room bookings, etc)
• Undertake other appropriate tasks as assigned by the Supervisor

III. Profile & Required Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years working experience preferably in the fields of sustainable/development, corporate sustainability, or climate/environmental policy
• Degree holder in relevant field, including project management, economics, finance, public policy, or environmental sciences
• Experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects
• Familiarity with Asian financial sector and role of key finance sector stakeholders
• Basic knowledge and interest in sustainable finance
• Proficiency in Excel and Powerpoint, comfortable working with data
• Fluent in spoken and written English, with any Asian languages an advantage
• Ability to work effectively as a team member with a wide range of individuals across cultures and time zones
• Self-starter, proactive in thinking about opportunities to further improve the project
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Positive mentality and can-do attitude
• Team player and desire to value add to the organisation
• Strong interest in nature conservation
• Adherence to WWF’s values, which are: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration

Working Relationships:

Internal – Relevant departments within the WWF network

External –Financial institutions, regulators, stock exchanges, responsible finance platforms and consultants

How to apply

Interested candidates should email a CV and a cover letter to the HR Department (Email: hr@wwf.sg). Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.