Climate Change Specialist

Environment

Overview

Provide support and leadership in climate adaptation projects

You have:

• Master’s degree or above in relevant field and at least 5 years of relevant experience.
• Substantial experience in international development and project operations, including environmental and social safeguards.
• Advanced understanding of climate change and adaptation issues, along with knowledge of global climate discourse.
• Ability to address global environmental management issues related to climate change adaptation and resilience-building.
• Experience engaging with stakeholders including governments, NGOs, and scientific communities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; strong command of English and knowledge of French and Spanish desirable.
• Ability and willingness to travel as required.

Contract

This is a World Bank Group grade: GF contract. More about World Bank Group grade: GF contracts.

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 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 Adaptation Fund is governed by its Board, which normally meets twice a year. The Board consists of two subcommittees, one of which – Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC) – is dedicated to reviewing project/programme proposals as well as policy proposals designed to support programming. Currently, the Adaptation Fund secretariat runs three project and programme review cycles a year, coordinated by Senior Climate Change Specialist who leads the Programming team. The team is responsible for: managing the project/programme review cycle process, including communication, liaising with and support to the Fund’s implementing entities, Board and AF’s NGO community, as well as other stakeholders; technical review process and within specific timeframes, assuring compliance with criteria and Fund’s policies are met – notably, the Environmental and Social Policy and Gender Policy; operations with relevant World Bank systems and Fund’s website (ensuring transparency);

support in the preparation of project agreements; and carrying out the administrative and financial due diligence. The Programming team also regularly carries out quality review and improvement efforts, including training and clinics for the technical reviewers, trainings and webinars for the national implementing entities, some of which is under the aegis of the Readiness workstream and in collaboration with the Readiness team, and e-learning packages, in collaboration with the Knowledge Management (KM) team.

The Programming team takes leadership in organizing the PPRC meetings and materials, jointly with the Results-Based Management (RBM) team, innovation team, and other secretariat’s teams, as needed. Together the teams collaborate on, among other, policy work, pertaining to the project/programme review process and post approval processes, which include monitoring and reporting.

The Secretariat is recruiting a Climate Change Specialist to provide support as well as leadership, as needed, to key activities managed by the Programming team. S/he is expected to have strong technical background and operational experience with projects in developing countries. S/he will support the senior members of the Programming team in coordinating the project/programme review cycle process, PPRC support, and broadly technical and policy work, including, notably project review and work related to Environmental and Social Policy and Gender Policy matters. 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 Programming team as well as with other teams at the Fund, and 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 Programming.

Duties and Accountabilities

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

- Under the coordination of the Programming team leader, and in collaboration with other staff, assist the coordination of the project/programme review cycle process, including technical review of proposals, ensuring compliance with Fund policies; - Provide strategic and technical guidance to the development of the safeguards policies under the Fund and their operationalization; - Support engagement on technical matters with Fund’s implementing entities, Board and AF’s NGO community, as well as other relevant stakeholders, collaborating closely within the Programming team, and other teams of the secretariat, as needed. - 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 RBM team, innovation team, and other secretariat’s teams, as needed. - Liaise, as needed, with the RBM team, innovation team and other teams, on technical matters generally, and safeguards issues specifically. - Backstop the senior members of the Programming 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, 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 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 Adaptation Fund is governed by its Board, which normally meets twice a year. The Board consists of two subcommittees, one of which – Project and Programme Review Committee (PPRC) – is dedicated to reviewing project/programme proposals as well as policy proposals designed to support programming. Currently, the Adaptation Fund secretariat runs three project and programme review cycles a year, coordinated by Senior Climate Change Specialist who leads the Programming team. The team is responsible for: managing the project/programme review cycle process, including communication, liaising with and support to the Fund’s implementing entities, Board and AF’s NGO community, as well as other stakeholders; technical review process and within specific timeframes, assuring compliance with criteria and Fund’s policies are met – notably, the Environmental and Social Policy and Gender Policy; operations with relevant World Bank systems and Fund’s website (ensuring transparency);

support in the preparation of project agreements; and carrying out the administrative and financial due diligence. The Programming team also regularly carries out quality review and improvement efforts, including training and clinics for the technical reviewers, trainings and webinars for the national implementing entities, some of which is under the aegis of the Readiness workstream and in collaboration with the Readiness team, and e-learning packages, in collaboration with the Knowledge Management (KM) team.

The Programming team takes leadership in organizing the PPRC meetings and materials, jointly with the Results-Based Management (RBM) team, innovation team, and other secretariat’s teams, as needed. Together the teams collaborate on, among other, policy work, pertaining to the project/programme review process and post approval processes, which include monitoring and reporting.

The Secretariat is recruiting a Climate Change Specialist to provide support as well as leadership, as needed, to key activities managed by the Programming team. S/he is expected to have strong technical background and operational experience with projects in developing countries. S/he will support the senior members of the Programming team in coordinating the project/programme review cycle process, PPRC support, and broadly technical and policy work, including, notably project review and work related to Environmental and Social Policy and Gender Policy matters. 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 Programming team as well as with other teams at the Fund, and 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 Programming.

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 use of environmental and social safeguards. Some field experience in developing countries is preferred. - Demonstrates an advanced understanding of climate change, adaptation issues and solutions, and a solid knowledge of the global discourse on climate change, including the UNFCCC process, IPCC reports and other. Demonstrates a good understanding of the relationship of adaptation or resilience to national sustainable development or economic or social development at various scales. - Ability to address a range of issues related to global environmental management (climate change adaptation and resilience-building would be highly desirable) and its relationship to national sustainable development. - 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.

Required Competencies****:

Deliver results for clients:

- Adds value by constantly looking for a better way to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself. - Immerses oneself in client experiences and perspective by asking probing questions to understand unmet needs. - Demonstrates accountability for achieving results that have a development impact and financial, environmental and social. - sustainability. Identifies and proposes solutions to mitigate and manage risks. Lead and innovate: - Appropriately involves others in decision making and communicates with key stakeholders - Approaches conflicts as common problems to be solved. Actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches displaying a sense of mutuality and respect - Integrates WBG perspective into work

Collaborate within teams and across boundaries:

- Applies critical thinking to current approaches, identifies areas for improvement, and tries new solutions that drive results - Considers own behavior in context of WBG’s values and mission and recognizes impact one has on others - Operates in ambiguity and changing needs and supports others to do the same

Create, apply and share knowledge:

- Leverages department’s expertise and body of knowledge across WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions - Seeks to learn from more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and helps others to learn - Builds personal and professional networks inside and outside the department unit

Make smart decisions:

- Seeks diversity of information and inputs, researches possible solutions, and generates recommended options - Identifies and understands risks and proposes recommendations - Based on risk analysis makes decisions in a timely manner within own area of responsibility, considering the interests and concerns of stakeholders

Required Competencies****:

Deliver results for clients:

Collaborate within teams and across boundaries:

Create, apply and share knowledge:

Make smart decisions:

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.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: worldbank.org