Senior Climate Finance Specialist

Senior Climate Finance Specialist

Job #:
req28988

Organization:
World Bank

Sector:
Climate Change

Grade:
GG

Term Duration:
3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
9/3/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

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 Sustainable Development Practice Group & the Climate Change Group

Climate change, poverty, and inequality are the defining issues of our age. The World Bank is the biggest multilateral funder of climate investments in developing countries. Over $32 billion in 2022 alone - accounting for over half of multilateral climate finance to developing countries-and over two-thirds of adaptation finance. We intend to go further in helping countries reduce poverty and rise to the challenges of climate change with our revamped mission to create a world free from poverty on a livable planet.

The Sustainable Development (SD) Practice Group (PG) helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Environmental and Social Framework, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience & Land, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water. The Climate Change Group (CCG) resides in the SD PG and is responsible for mainstreaming climate change across the Bank and scaling climate finance.

The Climate Change Group (CCG) has as key functions to (i) propose the strategy to mainstream climate change across the WBG; (ii) support the implementation of the Bank's corporate climate commitments as expressed in the Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2025 (CCAP), IDA20, and the IBRD-IFC Capital Package; (iii) support in operationalizing key recommendations of Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) into country engagement products and lending and non-lending operations; (iv) develop new research and tools to support mainstreaming low-carbon growth and climate resilient development; (v) manage several Climate Funds, serve as host to the Secretariat of the Climate Investment Funds; and (vi) mainstream knowledge, learning and innovation inside and outside the WBG, and lead high-level internal and external engagements.

The Strategy, Knowledge, and Outreach Unit

The Strategy, Knowledge, and Outreach Unit (SCCSK) within the Climate Change Group plays a key role in helping CCG both set and deliver the Bank's corporate climate mandate. The unit works closely with the CCG Leadership on: (i) developing long-term strategic engagement and CCG management; (ii) undertaking climate corporate reporting, especially around policy commitments, climate targets, and impact under the WBG CCAP 2021-25, IDA20, and the IBRD-IFC Global Capital Increase; (iii) overseeing the design and delivery of a CCG learning hub for Bank staff and management, supporting training and learning products; and (iv) managing the Climate Support Facility (CSF) Umbrella Program, a multi-donor partnership and grant-making financing mechanism to help integrate climate change considerations into development strategies, policies, and investment programs, including World Bank financed operations.
To deliver on these functions, SCCSK is seeking a highly motivated Senior Climate Finance Specialist (Senior Program Officer) to support the CSF. The candidate will contribute to and support the monitoring and management of the overall CSF trust fund structure and portfolio. The selected candidate will report to the SSCSK Practice Manager on the overall duties and accountabilities with daily supervision provided by the Program Manager of the CSF.

The location of the position can be DC or Paris,subject to management discretion based on the business needs.

Duties & Accountabilities

• Governance and Secretariat - Lead the governance and secretariat functions of the CSF Program Management Unit (PMU), including coordination and preparation of key donor meetings, managing organization of documentation and data to prepare annual work plans, annual reports, management briefs, and presentations on CSF related activities.

• Strategic planning and Analysis - Coordinate development of annual strategic plans that align with CSF's objectives and operational goals. Conduct comprehensive analyses to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities that could impact the funds' performance and strategic direction.

• Resource Mobilization and Partnerships - Coordinate resource mobilization and nurturing donor partnerships, including tracking of policy priorities and of priorities and opportunities for the donor agencies and external partners relevant to CSF engagements.

• Monitoring and Evaluation - Coordinate the M&E function of the PMU, including operationalization of the program's Theory of Change, results framework, and indicators. Serve as focal point for all oversight, compliance and quality assurance of the M&E framework, and conduct monitoring, analysis, reporting and dissemination of portfolio data aligned to the framework, and improvement of tools and data platforms for grant management.

• Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing - Facilitate capacity building initiatives and knowledge sharing among CSF stakeholders and partners. This includes organizing workshops, training sessions, and forums to enhance skills and disseminate best practices related to TF management and operational effectiveness.

• CCG Front Office Liaison- Coordinate with CCG Front Office on all CSF-related matters, including review and coordination of presentations, briefing materials, talking points, and event participation by senior management.

• Trust Fund Policy - Coordinate with Bank units such as DFI, LEG, TACT, BPS, and OPCS on policies and procedures affecting CSF partnerships and trust funds, including engagement with DFI's Trust Fund Community of Practice.

• Perform other duties and functions as assigned by the SCCSK Practice Manager and CSF Program Manager.

Selection Criteria

• At least a master's degree in international development, public policy, social science, financial management, business administration, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of professional experience, of which 3 years are in trust fund and/or Bank operations. Familiarity with the management of Umbrella programs and the Bank's trust fund reform is a plus.
• Extensive experience with portfolio management, quality issues, monitoring and evaluation systems, including theory of change and results framework.
• Familiarity with climate change, resilience, risk management, or a related area is a plus.
• Working knowledge on climate or related topics is a plus.
• Demonstrated understanding of core issues related to mobilizing/deploying climate finance through project specific finance or through mainstreaming of climate finance into lending, analytics, and policy reforms.
• Demonstrates an understanding and experience of conceptualizing and structuring financing solutions for specific adaptation/mitigation projects.
• Ability to analyze data for preparing monitoring and programmatic reports and providing strategic advice and direction on fundraising and partnership initiatives.
• Proven ability to foster and maintain relationships and communications with internal and external constituencies and stakeholders, including experience in managing multi-donor engagement and high-level meetings.
• Excellent English language skills and proficiency to analyze diverse information from varied sources, and write and edit complex communications products, including briefs, analytical notes, and other materials for Bank management participation in high- level dialogue and/or events.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

Climate Change 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.

This internal requisition is open to WBG andIMF staff only (including short-term and extended term consultants/temporaries). External candidates are requested not to apply. In case anexternal candidate applies, their application will not be considered.

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.