Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Closing Date: 22-May-2024
Job Description
Background Information – Job-specific
WEC Background:
UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster (WEC) supports the design and management of multi-stakeholder initiatives by providing services in financial and grant management, procurement, human resources, and project management. The cluster has supported projects in the areas of water resource management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and transparency, energy access and distribution, and environmental conservation under the Paris Agreement. The WEC has also supported operations and financial management services, in Vienna, the rest of the ECR region, and beyond. The main partners include UN agencies, bilateral agreements (with the Nordics, Germany, and Italy), the Green Climate Fund, and several NGOs (such as CIFF and CWF).
The NDC Partnership:
The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 80 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC).
Country Context
Ethiopia has submitted its second updated NDC (2021-2030) to UNFCCC in July 2021 that aims to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 68.8 percent by 2030 through supporting climate mitigation actions in the sectors of agriculture (livestock and managed soils), land use change and forestry, energy, industry and waste sectors. Moreover, the revised NDC builds upon several national climate and development policy initiatives including the first NDC, the emerging 2050 Long Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), the Green Legacy Initiative, and Ethiopia’s 10-Year Development Plan (10YDP) which considers CRGE as one of its strategic pillars for the period 2020-2030. The finance required for implementing the updated NDC is estimated at USD 316 billion (87 % for mitigation and about 13 % for adaptation) with 20% of the total resources planned to be domestically financed while the remaining 80% shall be financed by international support.
Ethiopia has put in place multifaceted institutional architecture to implement its climate strategies and plans and main institutions responsible for implementing CRGE/NDC are those entities responsible for priority economic sectors, i.e., Agriculture, Forestry, Water and energy, Mining, Transport, Industry, and Construction and urban development. Following the restructuring of public institutions in October 2021, the Ministry of Planning and Development (MoPD) of the Federal Government of Ethiopia has been mandated as the lead institution for coordinating national climate actions and the focal point (FP) and main interface between Ethiopia and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Nationally Designated Authority (NDA) for Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and Adaptation Fund (AF).
MoPD has established an Environment and Climate Change Main Department (ECCMD) and developed a revised national guideline on new institutional governance and Coordination systems and structures. ECCMD will serve as climate arm of MoPD to lead on its new national climate mandate including coordination of climate change international negotiation and communication, planning and implementation of climate policy and strategy initiatives such as the updated NDC implementation and LT-LED Strategy, ensuring national compliance to the UNFCCC’s requirements (such as the enhanced transparency framework), and mainstreaming climate into the sectoral development plans and budgeting processes.
To strengthen the technical capacity of the newly established Environment and Climate Change Main Department (ECCMD), MoPD has requested the NDC Partnership for short term assignment of a Senior Climate Finance Advisor that will be embedded within MoPD/ECCMD team. As a team member of the ECCMD, the Advisor will provide high level technical assistance and policy advice to MoPD in the implementation of the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), capacity building of MoPD/ECCMD and the CRGE Facility/MoFED, climate finance mobilisations, strengthening climate governance and coordination system and structures, and facilitating dialogues and building partnerships with climate sector actors including international and regional Development Partners and financiers, private sector institutions, and civil society Organisations and ongoing initiative to establish a national integrated MRV system/Enhanced Transparency Framework.
** As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Ethiopia or have a valid residence permit in the Country.
Functional Responsibilities
The Senior Climate Finance Adviser will primarily contribute to the delivery of all outputs planned for 2023/24/25 and assist MoPD/ ECCMD and the CRGE Facility/MoFED in addressing capacity challenges limiting climate sector institutions access to finance for implementing NDC initiatives they have identified. More specifically, the Climate Finance Advisor will:
1) Policy and resource mobilisation support
- Support and contribute to the development of the ECCMD midterm Strategic/Operational plan (2023-2025);
- Contribute to the CRGE Facility in climate finance needs assessment and on-going work related to NDC resource mobilization strategy development and raising finance from national and international sources including the private sector;
- Contribute to enhancement of the institutional and technical capacity of MoPD/ECCMD and the CRGE Facility to coordinate climate finance; private sector engagement, and innovative financing;
- Advice and provide technical support for the ECCMD, the CRGE Facility and Climate Sector institutions in developing concept notes and project proposals for climate financing and low carbon development, and development of climate bankable projects pipeline/investment plans;
- Lead initiative to develop private sector engagement strategy and greening government and private banks and financial institutions;
- Coordinate capacity building needs for national experts in salient aspects of climate finance and design and conduct appropriate on-the-job training and coaching. Organize technical training on climate finance requirements, policies and procedures related to GCF, GEF and Adaptation Fund;
- Develop “National Protocol for the Issuance of a No-Objection Letter for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Projects by the NDA”, and for other related funds;
- Contribute to the National delegations to climate change negotiations through preparatory meetings and capacity strengthening on thematic negotiating issues;
- Work across line ministries to identify and develop climate financing initiatives, including low-carbon, climate resilient projects that can be readied for finance;
- Support mainstreaming of the NDC and related climate projects in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and National Budget;
- Collaborate with ECCMD, EPA and CRGE Facility in integrating MRV and M&E indicators and systems, setting and strengthening institutional structures for enhanced transparency framework in line with the UNFCCC’s requirements, and providing follow up support in institutionalising and operationalisation of the integrated MRV/M&E system;
- Solicit input from the line Ministries and other expertise from agencies within the Government and private sector to develop pipeline green projects, conduct initial due diligence of project proposals and assessment of bankability, prepare project concept notes, identify potential sources of finance including climate finance or blended finance windows and support the development of suitable funding proposals and proposals to access project preparation facilities.
- Support MoPD/ECCMD in revitalization and strengthening of the national climate institutional governance and coordination systems and structures for mobilizing climate finance. To this end, study and develop recommendations and options for MoPD/ECCMD and the CRGE Facility senior management to Develop/establish a multi-institutional climate finance mechanism, which could be a Climate Finance Advisory Committee that includes representative from the MoPD, the CRGE Facility/MoFED and public Climate Sector Organizations;
- Support ECCMD /MoPD in design and management of Consultancy assignments and ensuring quality deliverables agreed.
2) Knowledge Management
- Coordinate arrangements for the publication of country reports, including desktop publishing, editing, printing, and dissemination;
- Draft briefing/meeting materials and related documents (as needed) in performing the tasks outlined above;
- Facilitate and contribute to the development of web-stories, case studies, lessons learnt and academic papers;
- Provide inputs to the preparation of presentations, advisory and briefing notes, as needed.
3) Other Tasks
- Produce and submit own monthly and quarterly plan and progress reports and submit to the ECCMD/ Policy Analysis and Strategic Plan Chief Executive Officer for feedback and approval;
- Closely work with the NDC Partnership In-Country Facilitator in support of the broader institutional mandates and implementing NDC plan;
- Support ECCMD/MoPD in design and management of Consultancy assignments and ensuring quality deliverables agreed.
Institutional Arrangement
The climate finance advisor will report to the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist and will work closely with MoPD’s as the NDC Partnership Focal Point, Ministry of Finance, other ministries, the NDC In-Country Facilitator, the Climate Change Advisor and the Climate Institutional Development Advisor. The candidate will be hosted at MoPD offices. He/she will need to use his/her own laptop. This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve months, up to a maximum of 220 working days.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education
- Advanced degree and experience in climate change finance, Environmental economics, Development finance and investment.
- Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline in combination with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Experience
Required
- At least 5 years professional experience in public and private sectors, international organisations, ideally working on climate finance, infrastructure/project finance and/or blended financing in development institutions, equity and impact funds, other financial institutions, and advisory firms;
- 5 years of substantial experience in concept notes/proposal/project pipeline/business development, capital raising, and/or developing public-private partnerships with a successful track record in climate finance related activities across multiple contexts in a multi-cultural environment.
- Understanding of climate change and resilience issues in Ethiopia at both field and policy levels and institutional architecture/landscape;
- Track record in successful business development/fundraising from different funding instruments and donors such as GCF, USAID, FCDO, European Commission, Corporate and Private Sector and Corporate Foundations;
Asset
- Experience in developing project proposals for institutional donors/financiers and Multilateral Development Finance institutions, including designing financial strategies for capital improvement projects and/or climate related projects;
- Demonstrated expertise in networking with senior leaders and high level audiences, partnership development, and managing multi-stakeholder strategies, coupled with extensive experience in collaborating with government counterparts at all levels in Ethiopia, providing technical support, capacity-building, coordination,;
- Knowledge of GCF accreditation requirements, especially environmental and social safeguards and fiduciary standards and their application in developing country institutions;
- Experience working with government stakeholders in national and/or regional policy development and implementation in climate change activities;
- Strong understanding of global climate and development issues that influence resource allocation by governments and development organizations and international policy debates and challenges in climate finance and economics.
Language
- Proficiency in English is required;
- Knowledge of Amharic is an added advantage.
** As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Ethiopia or have a valid residence permit in the Country.