Indigenous Partnerships Coordinator

Preferred Application Deadline: 09/18/2024
Location: Remote (Northern California or Southern Oregon)

Reports to: Indigenous Partnerships Manager

Salary: $68,000 - $79,000, dependent on experience

• Associate: $68,000 - $72,000

• Sr Associate: $73,000 - $79,000

Travel: ~20% of the time, primarily within California and frequent day travel to Tribal partners in Northern California
Preferred Start Date: November 4, 2024

Employment Status: Full time

About Blue Forest

Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit founded in 2015 that is focused on advancing ecosystem restoration through scientific research, financial innovation, and collaborative partnerships. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.

Blue Forest is made up of an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance, and communications professionals committed to the mission: “To accelerate ecological restoration through conservation finance, enabling climate resilience for ecosystems and communities”. Employees at Blue Forest are:

• Committed to Continuous Learning

• Driven by Collaboration

• Thoughtful Innovators for Impact

• Grounded in Science

• Passionate about Restoring Earth’s Ecosystems

As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are seeking to amplify and collaborate with those historically excluded in conservation finance. We recognize that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization is not only vital but also a key driver of strength, resilience, and success.

As an organization supporting the restoration of ceded and unceded Indigenous lands across the West, we affirm and recognize Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Through our Indigenous partnerships program, we aim to build meaningful relationships with Native Nations and Indigenous communities and increase financial resources for Indigenous-led ecosystem stewardship.   

Position Summary

The Indigenous Partnerships Coordinator will establish and grow partnerships with Tribal Nations and organizations for Forest Resilience Bond (FRB) projects primarily in Northern California and Southern Oregon. Most projects will center around the restoration of lands within National Forests. 

Partnership development involves learning about a project to understand past Indigenous engagement and ensure current and future plans incorporate Indigenous values. It also involves learning about Indigenous partners’ priorities and interests and identifying opportunities to support and expand Indigenous partnerships, which may include opportunities for Tribal workforce development, community or youth involvement, science and research collaboration, or capacity building to expand co-stewardship of public lands. 

This role will also engage with Indigenous scientists and cultural practitioners to explore opportunities to support and engage with their work. Additionally, this role will support our science team in further engaging with Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

This role will foster existing as well as develop new relationships from scratch, liaising between Tribal and non-Tribal entities while centering Tribal sovereignty, priorities, and needs at the forefront.