International Biodiversity, Lender Standards & Growth Lead

Role purpose

The International Biodiversity, Lender Standards & Growth Lead will lead the technical and market-facing development of the international biodiversity offer. Combining technical leadership with client development, strategic account support and cross-selling, the role will position biodiversity impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities as material considerations in investment, project-finance and corporate decision-making. The postholder will translate complex biodiversity issues into clear financial, strategic and delivery implications for clients, lenders and investment teams.

Key responsibilities

• Define and deliver the international biodiversity growth plan, identifying priority sectors, geographies, clients and partnerships.
• Develop client relationships, originate opportunities and support bids, frameworks and strategic accounts with differentiated, commercially robust propositions.
• Connect biodiversity with environmental, social, engineering, sustainability and advisory services to create integrated solutions and cross-selling opportunities.
• Provide technical leadership for biodiversity inputs to ESIA, ESDD, investment appraisal, project finance, supervision and assurance.
• Lead Critical Habitat Assessments and the application of IFC Performance Standard 6, the Equator Principles and other international lender requirements.
• Direct biodiversity risk screening and the development of mitigation hierarchies, Biodiversity Action Plans, offsets, compensation, no-net-loss and net-gain strategies.
• Advise corporate and investment clients on nature-related impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities across assets, value chains and portfolios.
• Lead portfolio prioritisation and corporate nature strategy aligned with ESRS E4, TNFD, GRI and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Oversee biodiversity management plans, monitoring frameworks, restoration programmes and adaptive ecological risk management.
• Set technical standards and provide senior review and assurance for complex or high-risk commissions, ensuring outputs are evidence-led, practical and linked to financing, investment and delivery decisions.
• Build trusted relationships with clients, lenders, governments, NGOs, local stakeholders and multidisciplinary international teams.
• Build capability through mentoring, knowledge sharing and an international community of practice, while strengthening market profile through thought leadership and external engagement.

Experience and capabilities

• Substantial senior-level experience in international biodiversity, nature-related risk or environmental and social advisory across multiple sectors and geographies.
• Demonstrable expertise in IFC PS6, Critical Habitat Assessment, the Equator Principles and international lender expectations.
• Track record of leading biodiversity inputs to ESIA, ESDD, investment appraisal, project finance or assurance for complex and high-risk projects.
• Strong knowledge of the mitigation hierarchy, Biodiversity Action Plans, offsets, compensation, no-net-loss and net-gain approaches.
• Experience of corporate nature strategy, portfolio screening, biodiversity metrics and relevant disclosure frameworks, including TNFD and ESRS E4.
• Proven ability to build client relationships, originate work and translate technical evidence into clear financial, strategic and operational advice.
• Strong leadership, influencing, mentoring and multidisciplinary collaboration skills across cultures and organisational boundaries, supported by sound commercial judgement.

Measures of success

• A credible international biodiversity growth pipeline, with increased work won through priority clients and strategic accounts.
• Stronger integration and cross-selling across environmental, social, engineering and sustainability services.
• Consistently high-quality, lender-aligned delivery on complex and high-risk projects.
• Improved capability in IFC PS6, Critical Habitat Assessment, biodiversity risk screening and corporate nature advisory.
• Enhanced market profile and demonstrable use of biodiversity evidence in investment, financing, strategy and delivery decisions.