Senior Advisor - Conservation Finance

Location: Living Planet Centre, Woking, Surrey

Contract: Permanent, fulltime (35 hours)

Hybrid working: Minimum 40% in person collaboration per month

Salary: £45,167+ excellent benefits

Safeguarding level: Level Two

About the role

We’re excited to be recruiting a Senior Advisor – Conservation Finance to play a leading role in advancing WWF-UK’s landscape finance ambitions. This role brings together strategic thinking, technical expertise and partnership building to help unlock the finance needed to support nature and climate outcomes at scale.

You will act as WWF-UK’s conservation finance lead within a landscape finance context, supporting teams to explore and develop viable finance approaches, build investment readiness roadmaps and connect with the right partners to bring initiatives forward. Working across WWF-UK and the wider WWF Network, you will help strengthen how we design and deliver finance solutions that support locally led conservation and long-term impact.

The role combines thought leadership with hands-on delivery, from advising on financial models and investment strategies to building internal capability and convening external stakeholders. You will work closely with programme teams, finance sector partners and global colleagues to help shape innovative finance approaches that accelerate nature restoration while maintaining strong integrity and safeguarding standards.

Skills and experience

You’ll bring the following skills and experience to succeed in this role:

Essential

• Track record of working with or within the finance sector to develop conservation or nature-focused finance opportunities.
• Strong understanding of private, public and blended finance models relevant to nature, climate or landscape approaches.
• Experience building investment cases, financial models or business plans, with a clear understanding of investor expectations.
• Ability to advise programmes on suitable finance mechanisms and develop practical pathways towards investment readiness.
• Experience building strategic partnerships and influencing senior stakeholders across finance, conservation or policy environments.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to present confidently to senior audiences and external partners.
• Experience designing or delivering capacity-building or training to strengthen organisational understanding.
• Strong collaboration skills, comfortable working across matrixed teams and international networks.
• A clear commitment to conservation, climate action and WWF-UK’s values.
• Experience operating in international or cross-cultural environments.

Desirable

• Experience unlocking catalytic, concessional or blended finance through multilateral development banks, funds or institutional investors.
• Experience working with asset managers or corporate finance partners.

What we offer

We believe in rewarding our team with more than just a salary. Here’s what you can expect:

• Annual leave starting at 26 days a year, rising one day each year to 31 days plus bank holidays
• Flexible working options, to support your work life balance
• 7.5% employer contribution to pension, rising to 10% with employee contribution
• Learning and development opportunities to help you grow
• Regular wellbeing initiatives to support your health and happiness.

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

This role is hybrid with a minimum 40% of your contracted hours spent at our beautiful UK head office, the Living Planet Centre in Woking, Surrey, where you’ll hot desk among trees and gardens.

About WWF-UK

We’re a global conservation charity with millions of supporters and hundreds of projects around the world.

At WWF-UK, we’re bringing our world back to life. Protecting what’s left isn’t enough. We’re racing to restore nature and prevent catastrophic climate change. And it’s a race we can win with everyone’s help.

We’re courageous, passionate, and driven by science. For more than 60 years we’ve been at the forefront of global efforts to protect wildlife and the natural world. We work with integrity, collaboration and deep respect for those we partner with.

How to apply

Click the link to apply via our website. You’ll be asked to complete an application form and upload your CV and a supporting statement that tells us why you’ll be a great addition to WWF-UK.

Our Diversity Promise to You

At the heart of our mission is a simple truth: the planet needs everyone. That means you - in all your uniqueness, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or how you choose to express yourself.

We don’t do stereotypes. We work together with purpose, driven by passion and enhanced by respect, courage, and integrity. We pull together from all walks of life to fight for a better future, and we want you to feel supported every step of the way.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident employer and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and identities.

So, if there’s anything we can do to make your application or interview experience more comfortable or accessible, just give our Talent Acquisition Team a shout at recruitment@wwf.org.uk.

Safeguarding Commitment

Just as we celebrate diversity in all its forms, we are equally dedicated to creating a safe environment for every person we work with or encounter.

Our commitment extends to children, adults at risk, and individuals experiencing any form of vulnerability, whether temporary or permanent.

We proudly stand behind CAPSEAH (Common Approach to Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment) and put this commitment into action through clear policies, thorough training, and recruitment checks tailored to each role, which may include external vetting.

If you ever have a concern, however big or small, know that there are confidential channels ready to support you at WWF-UK. We promise to respond promptly and with care, because protecting every individual is at the heart of everything we do.