Internship vacancy: Business & Finance

>>> Download the call here.

Project title:

Stock-Take of Existing Models of Finance for (Forest) Landscape Restoration

Project explanation:

Restoration is more than planting trees in degraded landscapes. For restoration efforts to succeed in the long term, they must generate income or locally valued benefits to incentivize communities to sustain the progress made. While Tropenbos International (TBI) has explored sustainable restoration since 2018, including identifying types of ecosystem restoration and their potential benefits, financial schemes remain limited to small-scale initiatives like nursery funding and planting.

Globally, many restoration schemes exist, yet many face challenges in balancing restoration goals with the rights and needs of local communities. During the current UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, there is an urgent need to identify and analyze these models to learn lessons that can inform TBI’s development of scalable and community-centered financial mechanisms for sustainable restoration.

This internship provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the global discourse on sustainable finance for restoration and support TBI’s Business and Finance (B&F) team in developing practical tools for the network’s partners.

What will you be working on?

Search, Analysis, and Reporting on Financial Models for Restoration (70% of time):

• Conduct a comprehensive literature review of documented finance models for restoration.
• Propose and implement a review strategy, including key terms and data sources.
• Analyze existing models to identify lessons learned, focusing on their scalability, sustainability, and alignment with local community needs.
• Validate findings through interviews with key informants in the field of restoration finance.
• Deliver outputs that include a detailed analysis report and recommendations for setting up financial mechanisms for sustainable restoration.

Support for the Business and Finance Team (30% of time):

• Collaborate with TBI’s B&F team to contribute to the development of a business and finance toolkit.
• Describe at least two tools that have proven effective in supporting restoration financing, based on available documentation.
• Attend B&F meetings and support related activities, including sharing and discussing preliminary results with TBI staff and partners.

What are we looking for?

• Background or experience in environmental economics, sustainable land use, or ecosystem restoration.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to synthesize information and draw actionable recommendations.
• Proficiency in literature reviews and interviews.•Clear and effective communication skills for engaging with diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of financial mechanisms for restoration is a plus.•Proactive attitude and ability to work independently and collaboratively.

What do we offer?

• Joining standard Tropenbos International network meetings and other relevant meetings, trainings or workshops.
• Duration of the internship of 4 to 6 months (preferably 1st February 2025 until 30th June 2025).
• Working hours: 32h – 36h per week.
• Two days a week at the office in Ede.
• Internship allowance of €375,- based on a fulltime workweek (36h).

Interested?

Please send your CV and motivation letter by January 12 2025 at 23:59 CET to:

• Bas Louman: bas.louman@tropenbos.org
• Luca Kroese: luca.kroese@tropenbos.org

If you have any questions about the vacancy, feel free to reach out to the contacts above.

This vacancy is on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to close applications early.