Job Vacancy: Environmental Analyst

Job Vacancy: Environmental Analyst, Responsible Commodities Facility
Working Location: Oxford, UK
Salary: up to £38,000pa reflecting experience  

Context 
Growing demand for soy globally is resulting in a continuous expansion of the area under cultivation in Brazil. This expansion has been identified as a major driver of deforestation, resulting in substantial destruction of natural habitats, loss of biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. The Amazon Soy Moratorium has reduced deforestation, but this has resulted in leakage of deforestation to a species rich tropical savanna known as the Cerrado. More than 50% of the native vegetation in the Cerrado has now been cleared and over the last decade in the Matopiba region, 0.5–0.8 Mha of soy has been planted on recently converted land each year.

Who we are
The Responsible Commodities Facility (RCF) is a fund created to offer incentives to farmers in Brazil who agree to grow soy without deforestation. Sustainable Investment Management (SIM) is the manager and coordinator of the fund, and as such manages a portfolio of farmers or clients.

Incentives are given in the form of revolving low interest credit lines for crop finance, in other words, so that farmers have the cash required to buy agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, chemicals) for soy cultivation. These loans are collateralized by the production of the future soy crop. Once the soy is harvested, the loans are repaid to investors and the credit is renewed. The Facility is capitalized through the issuance of Green CRAs (a green bond-like instrument), issued in Brazil and subscribed by investors concerned with the impacts of soy deforestation and conversion on their supply chains, including major supermarkets Tesco and Sainsburys, as well as major banks, Rabobank and Santander.

Producers involved with the Facility are screened based on the RCF’s eligibility criteria and once accepted into the programme, activity on the farms is monitored. A key part of this process is to record the performance of the farmers, particularly in regard to deforestation and conversion. This data must then be compiled in reports for various audiences.

Role Description and Responsibilities

  1. RCF Portfolio management
  • Portfolio selection: assist in screening prospective farmers, including collating lists from various sources within and external to SIM, and report these lists to our environmental committee and investors, with the aim of accelerating and streamlining the farmer selection process;
  • Database Management: Operate and manage a bespoke database software such that all collected information on RCF farmers is; accurate and up to date; readily analysable; can be rapidly included in reports or consulted to answer queries;
  • Certification process: work with third party auditors to review the data and confirm that it is correctly represented;
  • Monitoring & document management: manage statutory documentation records in compliance with Financial Conduct Authority Guidelines;
  • Report preparation: for the Environmental Committee and Investors which summarize the most important information without placing unreasonable expectations on the committees to review very long documentation.

2. Core cost fund-raising

  • Working with the Director of Investor Engagement and the CEO, research and prioritize targets for donors from the public and charitable sectors who may be willing to finance SIM core-costs
  • Make initial contact with these potential funders and arrange calls for progressive engagement of the best prospects
  • As part of the above, build and maintain a comprehensive calendar of funder timetables, with relevant programme durations and deadlines for submissions etc.

3. Other duties

  • Due to the fact that SIM is a small team, the employee is required to perform any other reasonable duties that may be assigned, as appropriate for the delivery of SIM’s wider objectives.

What we are looking for

  • Passion and commitment for tackling the drivers of deforestation
  • Some knowledge of soy, supply chains and deforestation
  • Practical or theoretical experience of financial, retailer, manufacturer, commodity, science or consultancy sectors 
  • Ability to manage large databases and produce reports
  • Ability to write grant applications and in donor research
  • Ability to work with a diverse and geographically remote team
  • High levels of professionalism, conscientiousness, attention to detail, resilience, flexibility, responsiveness and relentless enthusiasm
  • Brazilian Portuguese fluency is desirable

What we offer
An opportunity to be part at the heart of a game changing initiative, influencing the way that finance works to better protect forests. RCF has already been recognized with three innovation awards since its launch in 2022.

  • 37.5 hours per week with 1-2 days working from home
  • Competitive salary
  • Introduction to a large professional network across finance, civil society, corporations, consultancy and government
  • Modern, shared working space office in the centre of Oxford
  • International travel 

Application
Please submit a CV and brief covering letter (1 side or less) to admin@sim.finance. Eligibility – open to British citizens or those who have already obtained the legal right to work in the UK.

Closing date 30th April 2024

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Notícias relacionadas

Critérios de Elegibilidade para o Programa Cerrado 1

Para participar do Programa Cerrado 1 do Fundo de Commodities Responsáveis, produtores rurais precisam atender aos seguintes critérios de elegibilidade (veja descrição completa aqui):

Uso da Terra

A área de cultivo a ser financiada deve ter sido convertida (desmatada) para soja antes de 1 de janeiro de 2020*. Enquanto participar do Programa, o produtor não poderá abrir novas áreas de vegetação nativa. Têm preferência as fazendas que converteram áreas abandonadas de pastagens para o cultivo de soja após 2008.

Cumprimento do Código Florestal

As propriedades rurais devem estar registradas no Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR). A fazenda deve ter e manter áreas de vegetação nativa equivalentes àquelas exigidas de Reserva Legal e Áreas de Proteção Permanente (APPs) determinadas pelo Código Florestal ou ter aderido formalmente a um Programa de Regularização Ambiental (PRA) estabelecido pelo órgão ambiental estadual**. A área da fazenda não deve se sobrepor a áreas públicas protegidas, terras indígenas e outras terras de povos e comunidades tradicionais (incluindo "territórios quilombolas").

Direito de propriedade da terra

Produtores devem ter a propriedade ou posse da terra, confirmada por títulos fundiários, escritura da propriedade, contrato de arrendamento ou outra forma legalmente reconhecida de posse da terra.

Conformidade legal

Os produtores se comprometem a cumprir a legislação aplicável às atividades rurais, incluindo, a legislação ambiental, a legislação trabalhista (incluindo trabalho escravo e infantil), a Moratória da Soja (se aplicável) e regras internacionais para o uso de agrotóxicos.

*Os produtores rurais podem ter convertido pequenas áreas de vegetação nativa para realizar melhorias na fazenda (construção de áreas de armazenamento, reservatórios de água, etc.). Contanto que essas áreas sejam pequenas e não tenham tido a finalidade de expansão da área agrícola, a RCF avalia e considera esses casos elegíveis. A análise aplica o conceito de "Nível Mínimo" (de desmatamento ou conversão), conforme definido pela Accountability Framework Initiative Terms and Definitions, que afirma: "Para serem considerados consistentes com os compromissos de zero desmatamento ou conversão, os níveis mínimos devem geralmente atender às seguintes condições: as áreas convertidas ou desmatadas não excedem limites cumulativos pequenos tanto em termos absolutos (total de hectares) quanto em relação à área total da propriedade.

**O RCF analisa a conformidade com o Código Florestal verificando fazendas individuais (definidas como a área abrangida por um CAR) ou grupos de CARs individuais que, combinados, resultam na área desejada de vegetação nativa sob o status de proteção do RCF. Esse agrupamento não deve ser entendido como um instrumento de cumprimento das exigências do Código Florestal e não tem o objetivo de isentar o proprietário rural do processo de regularização previsto nas regras do Código Florestal (inscrição no CAR, participação em um PRA etc.). Para diferenciar as regras daquelas estabelecidas pelo Código Florestal, a RCF se refere a essas áreas como Excedente de Vegetação Nativa (ENV) ao invés de Excedente de Reserva Legal.para evitar conflitos com áreas juridicamente classificadas nos termos do Código Florestal.