ABOUT GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyse action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure shared learning and collaboration for a climate resilient future. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam. Adapting to the impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate-related threats.

In Africa, GCA and the African Development Bank (AfDB) launched the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) to mobilize $25 billion to drive adaptation on the African continent through four strategic pillars: food security, infrastructure, youth and employment, and climate finance. These results will be delivered through partnerships with Multilateral Development Banks and other leading implementation organizations, stakeholders, political and technical bodies. Within the framework of this partnership, GCA leads upstream activities with the broad goal of leveraging climate finance to support countries adaptation efforts. GCA’s work on climate finance to strengthen African countries' capacity to drive adaptation at a much larger scale by planning differently and gaining access to key sources of adaptation finance using innovative tools and approaches.

ABOUT THE ROLE

GCA is looking for a highly motivated and dynamic individual with excellent communication skills and a strong grasp of the climate finance landscape to join us as a Senior Program Officer for Africa - Climate Finance based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (preferred), Nairobi, Kenya or Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This role will involve in providing upstream support, engaging with external stakeholders, coordinating cross-theme initiatives, and implementing the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) while supporting various business lines under the Climate Finance Program which aim is to mobilize and influence climate finance worth $5 billion by 2025.

The climate finance program is organized across three business lines:

• Technical Assistance Program (TAP) is to build capacity, support entities in the accreditation process, and the development of adaptation projects/programs for multilateral climate funds.
• Innovative Tools and Instruments for Mobilizing Finance from domestic and international public and private sources.
• Climate Resilient Financial System aims to strengthen Africa's financial system's role in mobilizing capital for climate-responsible investments.

The Senior Program Officer Climate Finance will be responsible for driving an ambitious TAP program and pipeline of adaptation projects across Africa, helping countries to mobilize adaptation finance to address their adaptation needs.

Key Functions

Under the oversight of the Senior Climate Finance Specialist, the Senior Program Officer is expected to perform the following activities:

• Conduct research and analyze countries’ urgent adaptation needs, updates on multilateral climate funds, and other elements of the international climate finance

• Identify and develop a pipeline of adaptation projects, including to screen projects, participate in project missions, develop internal and external project briefings and presentations, and evaluate the potential for GCA to provide added value

• Closely engage with countries, entities, MDB task teams, and development partners to identify and development of adaptation concept notes, to identify and support entities for accreditation to Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Adaptation Fund (AF) in Africa that contribute to the strategic development and implementation of GCA’s work under AAAP.

• Take a proactive role in the conceptualization, design, procurement, implementation and management of upstream technical assistance support on climate finance in Africa, including but not limited to the preparation of project concepts, procurement documents, contract management, planning tools, and progress monitoring and reporting.

• Develop and review deliverables, reports, presentations, and project briefs, ensuring that all project outputs are technically robust and with a clear narrative.

• Support the preparation of knowledge products – e.g. policy briefs, news stories, reports – on GCA’s activities and work program in Africa, as well as internal and external capacity building activities under the Climate Finance pillar of AAAP.

• Further expand and maintain GCA’s network of international, national, regional and local stakeholders, including to present the impact of the work of the Climate Finance Program to external stakeholders globally

• Support cross cutting work of different business lines within the climate finance pillar and perform any other duties as assigned.

• Master’s degree in economics, finance, environmental and social sciences, climate policy, or other related disciplines

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience ideally in climate finance in multilaterals or other complex national or sub-national partners within the climate finance landscape.

• Excellent conceptual and practical understanding of key subject areas such as project finance, international climate policies, financial instruments, and design and implementation of climate adaptation projects; project management.

• Experience with and/or knowledge of the requirements of multilateral climate funds like the GCF, AF, and Global Environmental Facility (GEF), etc.

• Excellent leadership and project management skills to work independently, effectively coordinate projects, contracts, and implementation partners, as well as to provide rapid and strategic inputs, ensuring the achievement of technically robust and timely outputs.

• Excellent planning and operational skills – including procurement and contract management – and a demonstrable sense of urgency and ability to work under tight deadlines in a team setting while maintaining an empowering and solutions-oriented approach.

• Excellent report writing, presentation and communication skills, backed by an ability to articulate complex ideas into clear outputs with a coherent narrative to a diverse audience of stakeholders at technical and strategic levels.

• Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to collaborate effectively in a multicultural team and organization.

• Excellent spoken and written English and French and other languages spoken in Africa will be an added advantage.

What we offer:

With our global headquarters in Rotterdam on the world’s largest floating office, and regional offices around the globe, the GCA offers a dynamic, high-profile and international working environment in a growing organisation. You will be contributing to our global mission on climate adaptation. You will have the opportunity to draw upon the substantial expertise available at the GCA and its partner organizations across the world and you will be given an opportunity to support the shaping of international policies and global action on climate change, working at the highest governmental levels and collaborating with governments on all continents.

How to apply: 

If you are interested in this position, please submit your motivation letter and CV by following the link https://gca.org/about-us/join-us/ before 07 May 2023. Kindly mention the date as of which you would be available to start in Rotterdam and/or remotely in case there are Covid-19 restrictions.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

The GCA celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. GCA does not discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.