Climate Change Specialist

Contract

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Climate Change Specialist

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). IBRD and IDA are commonly known as the World Bank, which is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions, and – as of July 1, 2014 – has introduced fourteen Global Practices (GPs) as well as five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas (CCSAs) to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

The Adaptation Fund is an innovative financing mechanism set up by the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the purpose of financing concrete climate change adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties, serving the landmark Paris Agreement. At the request of the COP, the GEF is providing secretariat services to the Adaptation Fund Board (the Board), through a dedicated and functionally independent team. Since becoming fully operational in 2010, the Board has approved over 130 projects/programmes in over 100 vulnerable countries, for a total funding of US $865 million.

The Adaptation Fund was the first international climate fund to enable direct access to its resources by developing countries’ national organizations. Through direct access, National Implementing Entities are able to directly access financing and manage all aspects of climate adaptation and resilience projects, from design through implementation to monitoring and evaluation. In 2014, the Adaptation Fund launched the Readiness Programme for Climate Finance, designed to capture, and share the growing experiences of AF direct access and other climate finance in order to strengthen the capacity of national and regional entities to receive and manage climate financing.

Since 2018, the Adaptation Fund has been implementing its first medium-term strategy, for years 2018-2022, which continues the Fund’s focus on concrete adaptation action implemented through high-quality projects but with added emphasis on innovation and learning/knowledge management. As a consequence of these new areas of work and related funding modalities offered to developing countries, the portfolio of projects and programmes has significantly diversified. The portfolio of concrete adaptation projects has also grown, in calendar years 2019-2020 alone, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, by more than 50 per cent.

The Innovation programme at the Fund has grown rapidly since its inception in 2018. Currently it includes the Innovation Facility, which consists of three diverse funding windows that are now active and provide funding to different set of Fund stakeholders through innovative modalities including Direct Access and Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) small grants.

The Secretariat is recruiting a Climate Change Specialist to provide support as well as leadership, as needed, to key activities managed by the Innovation team. S/he is expected to have strong technical background and operational experience with projects in developing countries, including innovation. S/he will support the Team Leader for Innovation (Sr Climate Change Specialist) in managing the project/programme review cycle process, support to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC), and broadly technical and policy work, including, notably project review and work-related innovation policy matters, including guidance to implementing entities. S/he will be expected to support maintaining key partnerships and flow of information, including at UNFCCC and other relevant fora. S/he will be expected to collaborate within the Innovation team as well as with other teams at the Fund, notably the Portfolio Management, Accreditation, Readiness, and Knowledge Management teams, as well as with external stakeholders, while, at the same time, s/he will be expected to take leadership and work autonomously on specific tasks, as needed.

S/he will report to the Team Leader for Innovation (Sr Climate Change Specialist).

Duties and Accountabilities: -

The successful candidate will be expected to carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

- Under the coordination of the Innovation Team Leader, and in collaboration with other staff, partake in and assist the coordination of technical review of proposals, ensuring compliance with Fund policies; - Provide strategic and technical guidance to the development of the innovation policies under the Fund and their operationalization; - Support engagement on technical matters with Fund’s implementing entities, Board and the Fund’s community of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as other relevant stakeholders, collaborating closely within the Programming team, and other teams of the secretariat, as needed. - Support the growth and expansion of the innovation work, including further development of strategic and technical support, both internally, with other teams at the Fund, and externally, via targeted partnerships. - Provide support to the team, as needed, to enhance operations of the Fund, including improving the proposal handling processes and interface, use of relevant World Bank systems, Fund’s website. - Liaise with other teams, such as the Readiness team, KM team, and/or other, as needed, to support capacity building efforts, internal and external, trainings, webinars, knowledge products and other. Support and undertake, as needed, the preparation of PPRC meetings and materials, Board documents (including operational guidelines, tools, reports, and other), other technical outputs, knowledge products, talking points, presentations and other materials to support the effective delivery of the Fund, jointly with the Portfolio Management team, Innovation team, and other secretariat teams, as needed. - Liaise, as needed, with the Portfolio Management team, Programming team and other teams, on technical innovation matters. - Backstop the senior members of the Innovation team during their periods of absence, as needed. - Take responsible roles, as needed, in representing the Fund and enhancing public awareness in various fora, including but not limited to, meetings convened under the UNFCCC and its subsidiary bodies, meetings of other climate funds, regional and sub-regional workshops, technical conferences and workshops, and bilateral meetings with governments, implementing agencies and other stakeholders. - Support, as needed, productive dialogue and positive relationships with key stakeholders, including developing country governments, climate change negotiators, national, regional, and multilateral agencies involved in climate finance and innovation, think tanks and civil society. - Other tasks as required.

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

The WBG consists of five specialized institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). IBRD and IDA are commonly known as the World Bank, which is organized into six client-facing Regional Vice-Presidencies, several corporate functions, and – as of July 1, 2014 – has introduced fourteen Global Practices (GPs) as well as five Cross-Cutting Solution Areas (CCSAs) to bring best-in-class knowledge and solutions to regional and country clients.

The Adaptation Fund is an innovative financing mechanism set up by the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the purpose of financing concrete climate change adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties, serving the landmark Paris Agreement. At the request of the COP, the GEF is providing secretariat services to the Adaptation Fund Board (the Board), through a dedicated and functionally independent team. Since becoming fully operational in 2010, the Board has approved over 130 projects/programmes in over 100 vulnerable countries, for a total funding of US $865 million.

The Adaptation Fund was the first international climate fund to enable direct access to its resources by developing countries’ national organizations. Through direct access, National Implementing Entities are able to directly access financing and manage all aspects of climate adaptation and resilience projects, from design through implementation to monitoring and evaluation. In 2014, the Adaptation Fund launched the Readiness Programme for Climate Finance, designed to capture, and share the growing experiences of AF direct access and other climate finance in order to strengthen the capacity of national and regional entities to receive and manage climate financing.

Since 2018, the Adaptation Fund has been implementing its first medium-term strategy, for years 2018-2022, which continues the Fund’s focus on concrete adaptation action implemented through high-quality projects but with added emphasis on innovation and learning/knowledge management. As a consequence of these new areas of work and related funding modalities offered to developing countries, the portfolio of projects and programmes has significantly diversified. The portfolio of concrete adaptation projects has also grown, in calendar years 2019-2020 alone, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, by more than 50 per cent.

The Innovation programme at the Fund has grown rapidly since its inception in 2018. Currently it includes the Innovation Facility, which consists of three diverse funding windows that are now active and provide funding to different set of Fund stakeholders through innovative modalities including Direct Access and Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) small grants.

The Secretariat is recruiting a Climate Change Specialist to provide support as well as leadership, as needed, to key activities managed by the Innovation team. S/he is expected to have strong technical background and operational experience with projects in developing countries, including innovation. S/he will support the Team Leader for Innovation (Sr Climate Change Specialist) in managing the project/programme review cycle process, support to the Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC), and broadly technical and policy work, including, notably project review and work-related innovation policy matters, including guidance to implementing entities. S/he will be expected to support maintaining key partnerships and flow of information, including at UNFCCC and other relevant fora. S/he will be expected to collaborate within the Innovation team as well as with other teams at the Fund, notably the Portfolio Management, Accreditation, Readiness, and Knowledge Management teams, as well as with external stakeholders, while, at the same time, s/he will be expected to take leadership and work autonomously on specific tasks, as needed.

S/he will report to the Team Leader for Innovation (Sr Climate Change Specialist).

Duties and Accountabilities: -

The successful candidate will be expected to carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

Selection Criteria

- Possesses Master’s degree or above in international development, natural resources management, social policy, economics, environment, or other field relevant to adaptation to climate change, and at least 5 years of relevant experience. - Has substantial experience in international development, including project experience and operations, including innovation. Some field experience in developing countries is preferred (but not a must). - Demonstrates an advanced understanding of climate change, adaptation issues and solutions, innovation, and a solid knowledge of the global discourse on climate change, including the UNFCCC process, reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other. Has familiarity with national technology needs in the context of adaptation. - Demonstrates a solid understanding of the role of innovation, including its potential to support adaptation, as well as challenges and opportunities. - Demonstrates ability to think strategically and to rapidly analyze diverse information from varied sources. - Some experience in engagement with and maintaining effective relations with a wide range of stakeholders (Governments, international organizations, multilateral and bilateral development agencies, developing country partners, NGOs, indigenous groups, scientific communities) would be desirable. - Demonstrates ability and the necessary organizational skills to take initiative, personal ownership, and accountability to meet deadlines, work under pressure, balance competing demands and achieve agreed-upon results. - Demonstrated political awareness and ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations internally and externally. - Excellent oral and written communications and editing skills; strong analytical and presentation skills; strong command of English; knowledge of other languages would be desirable, especially French and Spanish. - Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues. - Ability and willingness to travel.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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