REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: MUTUAL GUARANTEE EXPERT

BACKGROUND:

Connectology is looking for a financial expert with strong knowledge of mutual guarantee instruments. Connectology is an international boutique agency for access to finance, investment readiness and behavioral science for entrepreneurs, investors and governmental entities. 

INVITATION:

Connectology is one of the partners on the project MERLIN (Mainstreaming Ecological Restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation). It is seeking to contract qualified, reputable and experienced financial expert for the instrument mutual guarantee for nature-based solutions ecosystem restoration projects, to support restoration managers in accessing the necessary funding as a part of the project.

ABOUT MERLIN PROJECT:

MERLIN (https://project-merlin.eu) is a flagship project of the European Commission, worth over 20 million euros which commits to transformative ecosystem restoration, mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions for the urgent systemic change of our society. EU funding will go to 17 areas from Finland to Israel, where streams, rivers as well as bogs, and wetlands are currently being restored to a near-natural state. These major projects will be expanded and upscaled with EU funding and developed into European-wide models. MERLIN involves 44 partners across Europe, including universities, research institutes, nature conservation organizations, and stakeholders from business, government, and municipalities. Through collaborations with local communities and key economies, MERLIN will co-develop win-win solutions spearheading systemic economic, social, and environmental change. 

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• Part-time
• Remote work
• Fixed payment

DELIVERABLES:

1. Report (approx. 30 pages) on how mutual guarantee can support nature-based restoration projects, including successful cases. A template will be provided by Connectology. This report (off-the-shelf instrument) will be the deliverable D.3.6. of Merlin project.
2. List of all mutual guarantee entities with names, websites, emails and brief descriptions (one paragraph per each entity).
3. Organization of one-hour webinar targeting restoration managers on how mutual guarantee can support nature restoration initiatives.
4. Organization of a round table with leaders of mutual guarantee institutions, to evaluate their willingness to support nature restoration projects and the main bottlenecks. Conclusions should be included in the Report.

Deadline for submission of high-quality deliverables is 30 December 2022 at 17:00 CET.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Correct implementation of project activities and milestones, including administrative and financial support
• Ensuring timely submission of high-quality deliverables and reports
• Looking for additional project opportunities (identification, proposal writing and application)
• Developing partnerships 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 10 years of background and expertise in the field of financial instrument mutual guarantee 
• Expertise in the use of mutual guarantee instrument in nature restoration projects 
• Master’s degree or equivalent (e.g., business, economics, international relations, social sciences)
• Excellent English – written and spoken
• Being familiar with the European Union (EU) funded projects and the nature-based solutions is an advantage

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS:

Candidates must submit the following documents to info@connectology.eu:

• CV of the applicant;
• Document with the details proving the applicant meet technical requirements;
• Financial proposal (stating the price, if it includes VAT or not, payment conditions) with delivery date suggested.

SELECTION OF THE CANDIDATES:

The selection will be based on the following weight:

• 60% - experience and fulfilling technical requirements
• 40% - financial proposal

CONNECTOLOGY may decide not to award any candidate if the budget is out of the scope of Merlin project or candidates may not have enough experience on the topic.

QUESTIONS:

Any questions related to the project vacancy should be directed to info@connectology.eu (Ms. Jelena Jovanovic).

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 

15 September 2022 at 17:00 CET.