Schmidt Marine

Applications are invited for a Business Development Manager to develop our relationship with the variety of commercial and conservation actors seeking to restore nature. You will join our Business Development team, and report directly into the Business Development Director, Dr Sam Lacey. You will join a rapidly growing team of conservationists, industry specialists, molecular and data scientists who are passionate about the role the tech revolution in biodiversity monitoring can play in catalysing business and governments to value and restore nature and the ecosystem services it provides. What gets measured, gets managed and until now, biodiversity has had a measurement problem.

NatureMetrics

NatureMetrics has developed a cheap, easy and highly effective way to measure biodiversity in an area using DNA from water, soil and insect samples that can be collected by anyone. It can provide data on biodiversity at unprecedented scales and resolutions. This enables companies, governments and conservationists to better understand, manage and report on the health of ecosystems and the impact of their activities on nature. You can see a summary in this 3min video.

For companies that want to collect a robust baseline and objective evidence of the impact of their projects on biodiversity, it provides an affordable way to easily gather comprehensive, site-based data, that would otherwise require a team of experts to conduct field work for an extended period. This typically includes measuring the number of protected species returning to a site during a restoration project as well as much more holistic measures of changes in ecosystem health.

Context

NatureMetrics is in a period of rapid expansion following two successful fund raises in the past 12 months. We are a team of bright, enthusiastic individuals who are excited to be breaking new ground and disrupting the world of biodiversity monitoring and nature management. We take great pride in our work and are seeking new team members who will do the same.

You will be part of a team of business developers, each responsible for different sectors and will report to the Business Development Director who covers Conservation, Forestry and NatureMetrics’ new, cross-cutting sectors of Governments, Consultancies, Nature Based Solutions, Carbon Markets and Finance. You will also work closely with the rest of the business across multiple departments.

The role will ideally be based in our offices in Guildford, Surrey, but this is not a prerequisite. The role may also involve occasional travel. This is a role that carries a high level of responsibility. ** Purpose**

NatureMetrics seeks to position itself at the heart of the growth of interest in nature-based solutions to climate change. We are seeing huge demand for our services from the rapid growth in multistakeholder nature restoration, nature-based solutions and carbon offset projects. These are often collaborations between the financial sector, companies and not for profit organisations, and are seeking to find ways to leverage private finance to fund the restoration of nature and the ecosystem services it provides. We believe that robust, objective and verifiable measurement of the impacts of such projects on biodiversity is crucial to ensuring such projects live up to their aspirations, and are successful in the long term. eDNA provides a way to achieve this, affordably.

The purpose of this role is to enhance the capacity of the team to identify and secure opportunities to sell and manage projects in this space, including with project developers, standard setters, investors and conservation organisations. The role will work closely with the Sector Heads for Conservation and Nature Based Solutions, as well as the team’s Business Development Director, Dr. Sam Lacey.

Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the sector, it will also involve gathering insights from clients regarding what they need and value and sharing that with the Sector Heads to feed into our Product Development and Nature Intelligence teams.

The Candidate

You will have experience of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation, carbon markets or nature restoration projects. You will have knowledge of commercial drivers and experience in client/customer management. You will be passionate about the protection of biodiversity and have a biological background, ideally including practical experience of ecological sampling techniques. You will be a good communicator and highly organised project manager.

The full specification can be found below.

Roles & responsibilities

General

• Establish and build relationships and strong networks with nature-based solution and nature restoration project developers, financiers and other stakeholders such as certification bodies.
• Successfully convert contacts into clients by developing proposals, securing sales and successfully managing client projects such that they return for further services.
• Work with the wider business development team within NatureMetrics to develop opportunities that enhance the work of other sector teams. For example, where a corporate client wishes to take a robust, nature-based approach to offsetting their carbon emissions.
• Develop business opportunities in the sector, including running workshops or webinars for stakeholders on how DNA-based tools and metrics can be used to verify the biodiversity impacts of restoration projects.
• Train clients in the collection of eDNA samples. This may occasionally include joining survey teams in the field in remote locations.
• Maintain a record of leads and opportunities under development within our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database.
• Work collaboratively with our Business Development team, Product Scientists and Bioinformaticians to advise clients and ensure we are developing products that meet their needs.
• Work with the NatureMetrics operations team to ensure supply of sampling equipment to clients and to procure relevant permits to work and export samples where necessary.

Reporting

• This role reports to our Business Development Director, Dr Sam Lacey and works closely with the Sector Head for Carbon Markets, NBS and Forestry and the Sector Head for Conservation.

Communication

• Work with our marketing team and Sector Heads to identify key events and communication channels to raise our profile, present at events and assist with the production of online content.
• Build strong relationships with clients, partners, collaborators and influencers in the sector.
• Engage closely with the wider team to maintain an awareness of key developments in the company and wider market.
• Attend regular update meetings with the wider team.
• Maintain regular communications with the NatureMetrics team, complying with our policies and procedures at all times and upholding our standards and the core elements of our brand.

Person Specification

Education & qualifications

• Minimum BSc in a relevant scientific discipline such as ecology, biodiversity, conservation, environmental management or similar.

Specialist knowledge, skills & experience

• At least significant experience in a relevant role
• Experience of nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation, carbon markets or nature restoration projects
• Knowledge of marine environment conservation, restoration or blue carbon projects
• An existing network of relevant stakeholders

It would also be an advantage to have:

• Commercial acumen
• Experience of ecological sampling and monitoring techniques
• An understanding of environmental DNA and metabarcoding
• Experience in science outreach activities and education

Behavioural Competencies

• Passion for biodiversity protection and restoration
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Excellent project management and multitasking skills
• Strong teamworking and experience of effective working across multiple teams
• An ability and enthusiasm for developing new expertise and skills
• Strong interpersonal and listening skills including an ability to cultivate strong and lasting relationships based on an understanding of client needs
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills
• Takes responsibility for developing within their area of expertise, and shares knowledge with others to improve outcomes across the organisation
• Responsive to issues, acting with urgency when needed, and invests high levels of energy, drive and commitment to the team’s objectives
• Ability to work to a high standard with teams based in remote locations, and flexibility to work across diverse projects and stakeholders
• Willingness to travel

All applicants are legally required to demonstrate the right to work/permission to work in the UK