Chief Climate Finance Specialist at African Development Bank - AfDB

Duties and responsibilities
The Chief Climate Finance Specialist will work under the general supervision and guidance of the Manager, Environment and Climate Change (ONEC.3). His/her core duties/responsibilities will include the following:

Policies, strategy, and frameworks

•     Act as the department's focal point for climate change and climate change finance including coordination of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF);
•     Assist in the preparation of climate change policies, strategies, and action plans;
•     Analyze climate change content of projects;
•     Participate in policy dialogue to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation; and,
•     Provide input to operations teams on policies and strategies related to climate change.

Operational advice and support

•     Participate in country teams and provide climate change-related inputs for Country Strategy Papers (CSP’s).

Promotion of regional cooperation

•     Develop regional strategies and work on concepts leading to joint country or regional projects or activities; and,
•     Provide guidance and advice on co-financing opportunities for climate change initiatives.

Resource Mobilization

•     Lead the mobilization of resources for the implementation of climate change programs by developing partnerships with existing sources of finance, international conventions, and donors.

Knowledge sharing

•     Provide input on actions which can be taken to build climate change awareness and capacity at the country level;
•     Coordinate with other divisions and departments on country level climate change initiatives;
•     Support senior management and represent the Bank in conferences/workshops on climate change and climate finance;
•     Assist sector specialists in climate change mitigation and adaptation issues, particularly in the area of access to special climate change funds; and,
•     Coordinate the Bank’s annual Climate Finance Tracking and Reporting requirements.

Staff and Consultant Support

•     Provide leadership and support to multidisciplinary teams and ensure the overall quality of work;
•     Support climate change and climate finance specialists in ONEC;
•     Provide coaching and mentoring to team and individuals on climate finance and ensure their on-going learning and development; and,
•     Coordinate assigned tasks of consultants recruited under the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).
•     Undertake any other task as the Director ONEC and/or Manager ONEC.3 may assign.

Selection Criteria
Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

•     At least a Master’s degree in disciplines related to climate change, climate finance or a comparable discipline;
•     Preferably a minimum of seven (7) years relevant professional experience in development of climate change and climate finance operations, project management, policy formation, capacity building;
•     Proven written and analytical skills in designing climate change and/or climate finance operations; ability to initiate innovative approaches and  originality at work; sound analytic, conceptual and strategic thinking;
•     Excellent technical and analytical skills and established track record of excellence in operational and policy work related to climate change;
•     Updated knowledge of the critical climate change and climate finance issues and initiatives;
•     Experience working on operations in the private sector and the public sector;
•     Proven ability for team-working and multi-tasking; great facilitation, communication and computational skills; resourcefulness, attention to details and client orientation;
•     Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues;
•     Flexibility to undertake field missions to Regional Member Countries; and,
•     Competence in (or ability/willingness to become quickly familiar with) the use of various tools available and applied by the Bank such as SAP, and fluency in standard MS office applications (Word, Excel, Power point).
•     Excellent written and verbal communications in English and French are desirable; at a minimum, proficiency in one of the languages and knowledge of the other is a must.