Senior Associate - National Climate Finance, Jordan GCF Readiness Program

GGGI has a diverse portfolio of programs in developing countries and emerging economies around the world, managing a diverse set of programs and projects focused on four key thematic areas of energy, green cities, water, and land-use, which hold significant potential in achieving green growth in developing countries. These in-country programs, together with global products and services, focus on delivering results through an integrated approach of evidence-based green growth planning and implementation aligned to countries’ development priorities. The organization also focuses on knowledge development activities which build a strong theoretical and empirical basis for green growth, and knowledge management and sharing activities that provide concrete options and guidance for policymakers, as well as help build the conditions for public and private green infrastructure investments.

GGGI has had a program of cooperation in Jordan since 2015, under a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Environment. GGGI’s work in Jordan to date has primarily focused on the development and implementation of the National Green Growth Plan (NGGP), which is a road map to guide Jordan’s green growth through 2030. The NGGP and GGGI’s implementation support are aligned to Jordan’s Vision 2025 strategy, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Nationally Determined Contribution, as well as sectoral plans and strategies in the waste, water, energy, tourism, agriculture and transport sectors.

According to the NGGP, lack of access to climate finance (particularly the Green Climate Fund, GCF), lack of bankable projects, and low participation of the domestic private sector in green project development are key gaps that must be addressed for Jordan to reach its climate change and sustainable development objectives. In response, GGGI is working directly with Jordan’s Nationally Designated Authority (NDA), the Ministry of Environment’s Climate Change Directorate, on the project “Improving Jordan’s Readiness to Access Finance for Climate Change and Green Growth.” The 18-month project, supported by the GCF, aims to:

• Achieve GCF accreditation for a national direct access entity (DAE)
• Build capacity to develop bankable project concepts within key government institutions
• Engage private sector by showcasing Jordan’s green growth potential

POSITION SUMMARY

The National Climate Finance Senior Associate will be embedded within the offices of Jordan’s Nationally Designated Authority, the Ministry of Environment’s Climate Change Directorate.  This person will be responsible for working directly with the Climate Finance Specialist to build capacity within the Climate Change Directorate to increase Jordan’s overall access to climate finance – be that through the development of better projects, the accreditation of a DAE to the GCF, or increased awareness of private sector to green projects. The National Climate Finance Officer will work one-on-one in a twinning arrangement with the Climate Finance Specialist to ensure strong knowledge transfer and adequate support is delivered during the GCF accreditation support process.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the National Climate Finance Senior Associate position is primarily to support the Climate Finance Senior Officer in the development of a set of criteria for selecting national financial institutions to become accredited as DAE to the GCF. This will include working on the ground with the NDA to provide the required technical support under the supervision of the Climate Finance Specialist, implementing the capacity building process for the NDA to support future GCF accreditation applications, applying skills learned during the one-to-one twinning experience during to lead the closing of the Readiness project, and delivering capacity building for project development to key government stakeholders.

ENGAGEMENT

The National Climate Finance Senior Assocaite shall develop and maintain continues coordination, on a day-to-day basis, with the NDA, potential DAEs, other government ministries and non-state actors related to GCF activities. This person will be based within the office of the NDA and will therefore play a key role in day-to-day management of the relationships with the NDA, as well as the needs identification of the NDA and other stakeholders. Coordinates with GGGI colleagues in Jordan and Headquarter specifically those who are working for GCF working stream.

DELIVERY

The general roles and responsibilities of the National Climate Finance Senior Associate include:

DAE Accreditation – 50%

• Collect the required data and conduct intensive consultations to set a clear DAE nomination criteria based on GCF standards, strategic considerations, international best practice and national context
• Support the production of the Arabic version of the guidance on accreditation process for national stakeholders
• Provide one-on-one support to the candidate national DAE throughout the application process to GCF (in close coordination with NDA and technical consulting firm)
• Access to finance and Capacity Development) – 30%
• Conduct a capacity development needs assessment for government agencies’ bankability training program
• Support the Climate Finance Specialist in developing capacity building materials (including handbook for “Project preparation for bankability” and presentation/training materials)
• Conduct training (with local team) of government officials
• Private Sector Engagement – 20%
• Support the development of the knowledge platform through providing the required data

REQUIREMENTS 

QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in finance, economics, statistics, engineering, environmental science, international development, law and policy, or other disciplines related to sustainable development, climate change, environmental management, or green growth;
• At least 5 years of professional experience with an emphasis developing bankable projects in support of Jordan’s national sustainable development and/or climate change mitigation and adaptation targets;
• Strong understanding of the mandate and operations of Green Climate Fund, including the organization’s infrastructure and functions in Jordan

FUNCTIONAL

• Background in project finance, origination and development, including experience developing public-private partnerships, and engaging with development partners in support of Jordan’s climate change objectives
• Strong understanding of global landscape of climate change policy and finance, including a deep understanding of the Green Climate Fund mandate, functions and requirements for accreditation;
• Strong understanding of ongoing climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and strategies in Jordan
• Proven experience and expertise in producing quality analytical inputs in project origination, feasibility assessment, and preparation
• Experience in implementing development projects by delivering agreed outputs on time and managing relationship with stakeholders;
• Experience working closely with government and non-government stakeholders in Jordan and with intergovernmental organizations (IOs); experience in policy consultation and project development is a plus;
• Excellent analytical skills, critical thinking ability, and data mining skills; and
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills in English are a must; knowledge of other relevant languages is an asset.

CORPORATE

GGGI needs a person who can bring more than knowledge and passion to the role: someone who has the grit and resilience to lead a flagship initiative, someone who is proactive, dynamic, and able to work together with minimal supervision. The successful candidate is a skillful team member with an ability to interact within and beyond GGGI, a thoughtful communicator, a deep thinker, and a diplomatic change agent who understands the dynamics and tensions in this kind of diverse, global landscape. The individual should be:

• Able and have a proven track record of coordinating and leading a team in a dynamic work environment
• Able to handle multiple projects in parallel and prioritize between multiple tasks and projects
• An experienced program manager, including budget planning
• Able to have the capacity and willingness to develop a longer-term strategic vision for the team, beyond the existing project assignments
• Able to handle complex multi-stakeholder relationships
• Keen on maintaining a high degree of professional integrity
• Willing to travel internationally and curious about new environments and new countries
• Able to work effectively with other teams with a high degree of cultural/professional diversity