33-009 | Senior Program Officer: Climate Adaptation Finance

VACANCY TITLE: Senior Program Officer: Climate Adaptation Finance

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 1

GCA PROGRAM: Climate Finance

LOCATION: Rotterdam, Netherlands

LEVEL OF EFFORT: Full time

START DATE: As soon as possible

SALARY INDICATION: 60,000 - 75,000 EUR 

The salary and seniority will be determined based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

ABOUT US

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is a leading international organization dedicated to addressing climate change and promoting adaptation action for resilient development. We collaborate with governments, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), businesses, and communities to develop and implement innovative solutions that strengthen resilience and support adaptation to climate change impacts.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Join us as we build our Climate Adaptation Finance team, offering a pivotal role for experienced, creative, and highly motivated Climate Adaptation Finance Specialist. This role presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of climate finance, driving transformative change and making a lasting impact on global climate resilience. At GCA, you'll have the freedom to innovate and the support to bring your ideas to life. We're on a mission to enhance global climate resilience. If you're excited about contributing to something impactful and building a sustainable future, we'd love to have you on board.

GCA’s strategy in Africa is implemented under the flagship Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), launched by GCA and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to scale up adaptation efforts and mobilize finance for climate-resilient development in Africa. To date, GCA has integrated adaptation solutions into nearly $9 billion worth of investments funded by IFIs across Africa. GCA’s work under the AAAP focuses on four pillars where investments in adaptation and resilience building can yield high economic dividends for African nations, including: Food security; Infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions; Youth entrepreneurship and adaptation jobs; and Adaptation finance.

The Climate Adaptation Finance Specialist will play a key role in facilitating access to finance for climate adaptation projects and initiatives in Africa under Pillar IV of the AAAP, which is focused on three core business lines:

1. Technical Assistance Program: to enable direct access to the climate finance. Direct access empowers African governments, institutions, and communities to manage and disburse climate finance according to their unique circumstances, enhancing ownership, accountability, and sustainability of adaptation projects. By bypassing traditional intermediaries, direct access minimizes transaction costs, streamlines decision-making processes, and accelerates the flow of funds to the most vulnerable communities and ecosystems. GCA’s engagement includes support in the process of accreditation and reaccreditation to the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund, technical support in the preparation of funding proposals and concept notes, and capacity building support for Direct Access Entities, with a particular focus on the private sector actors.

2. Scaling Market Mechanisms for Adaptation Finance: In our approach to adaptation finance, we also recognize the critical role of African financial institutions in driving climate-resilient development at the local level. Financial institutions play a key role in mobilizing and channeling finance towards adaptation projects that address the specific needs and priorities of local businesses and communities. GCA’s support aims to strengthen capacity to assess climate risks, integrate adaptation considerations into investment decisions, and develop innovative financial products tailored to support climate-adaptation initiatives. Through this engagement, GCA seeks to build a robust ecosystem of financing solutions that enables local governments, businesses, and communities to effectively adapt to climate change impacts.

3. Innovative Financial Instruments: African countries need to deploy a diverse range of financial instruments to unlock capital for adaptation. Innovative financial instruments such as green bonds, climate risk insurance, and blended finance facilities can play a pivotal role in attracting capital from both public and private sources. Green bonds, for instance, provide investors with opportunities to finance projects with environmental benefits, including adaptation initiatives. Blended finance facilities combine public and private funds to mitigate risks and enhance the attractiveness of investments in adaptation projects. By leveraging these financial instruments strategically, we can unlock capital at scale.

PROFILE

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in at least one of the three core business lines with familiarity with the other two. You will work closely with internal teams, external partners, financial institutions, and donors to develop, structure, and implement financing mechanisms that support adaptation efforts across the continent. You will also provide technical expertise, guidance, and support to project developers, governments, and other stakeholders in accessing and mobilizing finance for adaptation activities.

Key Responsibilities – General:

• Strategic planning: Develop and lead climate finance strategies that align with GCA’s mission across all business lines.
• Partnership building: Foster relationships with key stakeholders, including MDBs, to enhance GCA’s solutions broker role, and promote effective communication to increase GCA’s visibility and engagement with global partners.
• Project management: Oversee project pipelines, including development, procurement, tracking, and reporting, and ensure the successful delivery of international multi-stakeholder projects within the work program, maintaining time and value efficiency.
• Capacity building: Develop strategies to embed capacity within local, national, and regional stakeholders, including government agencies, financial institutions, and direct access entities, to access and manage climate finance for adaptation activities.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Support GCA systems and processes for monitoring, reporting, and evaluating the effectiveness of GCA’s initiatives and projects.
• Cross-cutting: Collaborate with GCA thematic and regional leads for a unified approach to finance-related activities.

Business Line I – Technical Assistance Program

• Building pipelines: Analyze country adaptation needs and updates on climate funds to identify and develop a pipeline of adaptation projects, including screening, mission participation, and potential value evaluation.
• Engagement: Engage closely with countries, entities, and partners to develop adaptation concept notes and support entity accreditation to GCF and AF in Africa.
• Project delivery: Lead the design, procurement, implementation, and management of technical assistance on climate finance in Africa. Develop and review project deliverables to ensure technical robustness and clarity.
• Knowledge sharing: Prepare knowledge products on GCA’s activities and capacity-building efforts under the Climate Finance pillar of AAAP.

Business Line II – Scaling Market Mechanisms for Adaptation Finance

• Business line conceptualization: Conceptualize and implement the business line on supporting African banks and other financial institutions integrate adaptation considerations into investment decisions.
• Capacity enhancement: Develop and implement training programs, including a masterclass on climate adaptation finance, to strengthen and embed capacity within partner organizations.
• Adaptation finance advisory: Advise partners in developing innovative financial products tailored to support climate-adaptation initiatives and provide technical assistance for blended finance and capital market solutions, engaging investors for adaptation projects.

Business Line III – Innovative Financial Instruments

• Advisory support: Engage with governments and partners to develop and mobilize innovative financial instruments like green bonds and private equity funds. Engage with IFIs and sectors to include adaptation focus and develop financial sector adaptation strategies, including stress testing and policy solutions.