City Finance Specialist (Portugal) Lisboa

Job Overview

Job Description Bw
B is one of the lead partners in a consortium of European institutions who have been mandated to work with European cities to implement, action and finance their Net Zero Investment Plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. This mandate, known as Net
Zero
Cities (NZC), is an initiative launched as part of the European Green Deal and directly linked to the European Commission’s Mission for 100 Climate-neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.

The City Finance Specialist will be responsible for guiding cities in the implementation of their Net Zero Investment Plans and connecting city stakeholders to public and private capital.

Responsibilities

• Provide tailored financial expertise, training, and advice to cities as they develop and implement investment projects aimed at achieving climate neutrality.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders within cities, including public and private sector entities.
• Engage extensively with investors to mobilise public and private sector financing for city investment projects.
• Identify and address barriers to investment by tailoring financial solutions and assisting cities in developing portfolios of commercial projects.
• Collaborate with city stakeholders to develop and implement financial strategies that support the achievement of climate neutrality goals.
• Require extensive inter and
  - regional travel, with short notice travel at times.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years in a financial role – preferably financial analysis, project finance, financial transactions and execution, or similar, with a primary focus on sustainable finance highly preferable.
• Comprehensive understanding of financial markets, financial structuring, and investment instruments as they apply to sustainability projects.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and drive results in a
  - paced, transactional environment.
• Prior experience working with cities and/or public sector institutions engaging and delivering on sustainable project development.
• Proven experience of engagement with private sector financing institutions.
• Specific sectoral project experience in urban sustainable infrastructure e. g. renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, district heating and cooling.

Key Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Financial transactional and execution skills.
• Knowledge of local and national financial ecosystems, frameworks and sustainability funding initiatives.
• Ability to advocate for Bw
  B, representing and reflecting the firm’s culture, principles and values.
• Fluency in English (C2) and Portuguese (C2) is essential.

Travel and Location

Extensive inter and
- regional travel required, with short notice travel at times.

Additional Information

Importantly, whilst exhibiting these necessary attributes, candidates are also being considered based on key sectoral and geographical expertise with particular attention to the local context, languages, and ecosystems, including citizen engagement and inclusion - Specific sectoral project experience in urban sustainable infrastructure e. g. renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, district heating and cooling.

The CFS team will be a
- wide resource and will provide additional capacity within cities for the iteration and implementation of their Investment Plans. To this end, the CFSs will work in continuous close collaboration with several city teams, including the City Support Group, City Advisors and various public bodies, to ensure alignment and coherent action at the city, regional (and national) level.

Ultimately, the CFSs will assist in realising the ambition of the cities’ Investment Plans through the engagement with sources of public funding and private financing. Consequently, there is a requirement for working remotely combined with extensive travel within the prescribed region.

Employment details

• Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Finance and Sales