The Environment & Climate Officer is a seasoned professional in environment and climate domains. The position is strategically located across all five IFAD regional divisions to provide an oversight function to the neighbouring countries and provides a technical advisory role. S/he independently analyzes technical and policy problems of concern to IFAD, intergovernmental bodies, and national authorities and provide substantive technical input to the development of policies, technical strategies and proposals. The incumbent works in close cooperation with Technical Specialist for Youth, Indigenous peoples, Nutrition as well as with other Technical Specialists and Country Directors to ensure consistency, cohesion, and synergy in the application of technical advice and provision of programme development support facilitating knowledge flows and building of communities of practice.

The Environment and Climate Officer will be responsible for working with one of IFAD’s Regional divisions to support delivery on a number of fronts:

(i) Strategic engagement of key partners at various levels for advancing IFAD’s work in the region;

(ii) integration of environment and climate dimensions into IFAD’s projects and policy dialogue at various levels;

(iii) support IFAD investment project designs and facilitate the integration, where possible, of environment and climate grant financing from Trust Funds such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), and Adaptation Fund (AF), Green Climate Fund (GCF) or similar Trust Funds;

(iv) successful implementation of Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), and environment and climate Trust Fund resources;

(v) implementation and oversight of IFAD’s Safeguards Policy; and

(vi) support knowledge management and communications on environment and climate issues.

1. TECHNICAL ADVICE: On the basis of proven technical knowledge on climate and environment, emerging development challenges and the state of rural poverty at the assigned program countries, the Environment & Climate Officer provides technical expertise and advice in delivering on IFAD’s mandate of building resilience of smallholder farmers and reducing rural poverty through IFAD’s investments.  Accountabilities include:

• Providing high quality technical expertise in  undertaking social, environment and climate risk and impact assessments consistent with Social, Environment and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP) to Country Strategic Opportunity papers (COSOPs) and investmetns funded through IFAD’s Programme of Loans and Grants (PoLG) and supplementary funds.
• Providing high quality technical expertise and advice on environment, natural resources management and climate aspects in operations during design to enusre quality at entry and during implementation by actively particiapting in missions and in monitoring and evaluation for quality assurance; and

2. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: The Environment & Climate Officer enhances the development of viable and sustainable policy and project development at the country-level and supports regional thematic input through high quality technical knowledge sharing for his/her area of specialization. S/He will ensure country-level access to the latest sources of knowledge and innovation, strengthen national technical capacity and establish new knowledge and advisory partnerships. Accountabilities include:

• Generating analytical knowledge built on government demand to advance policy;
• Conducting relevant knowledge development and dissemination with the concerned institutions, disseminating knowledge and lessons learned with peers, counterparts and stakeholders through drafting of Occasional Papers, journal articles, seminars and workshops, through electronic media (e.g. web resource platforms and social media) and the development of evidence based new knowledge products and operational tools; and
• Participating in IFAD or GEF-wide thematic discussions and developing appropriate technical and operational approaches of relevance to the country/divisional strategies and programmes.

3. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION: The Environment & Climate Officer establishes and maintains a network of peer contacts inside and outside of IFAD to faciliate strategic partnerships, keep up-to-date on activities to support joint advocacy and for knowledge sharing to enhance IFAD’s profile as a highly competent and viable partner in development. Accountabilities include:

• Building partnerships with the concerned political associations and coordination platforms, technical organizations, NGOs, and specialized departments of other development agencies as potential operational and strategic partners;
• Strengthening IFAD’s representation on environment and climate issues (including representing IFAD at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences); and
• Mobilising new green financing to co-finance or blend with Programme of Loans and Grants through partnership with partners such as the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, and the Adaptation Fund.

4. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTING: The Technical Specialist contributes to monitoring, evaluation and reporting of technical activities and components of programs/projects in order to enhance country level programme and funding decisions based on accurate technical data. Accountabilities include:

• Developing monitoring and evaluation criteria for technical components of programmes and projects;
• Implementing performance monitoring systems and new approaches to performance monitoring, preparing analytical work for divisional and country-level decision making on project viability and sustainability.

5. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS:  The Environment & Climate Officer is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes:

• Selecting and managing performance of consultants and staff under his/her purview to ensure high quality delivery.
• Resource Management by providing technical expertise during programme development, and Knowledge Management by ensuring that (1) knowledge content within specialty/thematic area is continuously updated and available through the intranet, that (2) best practices are continuously identified, documented and made available to clients and peers through the inter-/intra-net and that (3) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available.

Assignments require the provision of seasoned technical expertise and input for the full programme/project cycle as well as in knowledge sharing with peers and counterparts. The work goes beyond technical analysis and synthesis to include substantive inputs to project methodology and design of projects, knowledge generatation and dissemination among peers and counterparts to enhance cooperation, complementarity and synergy and monitoring and evaluation to measure and report on lessons learned and best practices. The work is considered moderately complex requiring in-depth technical analysis and reporting. Typically operating as an Analyst/Specialist in an IFAD regional centre, the Environment & Climate Officer work may be reviewed for technical accuracy, but more typically is reviewed for achieving the established work plan.

The work relationships of Environment & Climate Officers are primarily for the exchange of information regarding development projects. Information-gathering and exchange in support of studies and thematic assignments may also include identifying reliable sources and establishing guidelines for obtaining information on national and regional levels; conditions and to convey methodological approaches and operational experience for implementation of activities undertaken on behalf of the Fund.

Organizational Competencies:

Level 1:

• Building relationships and partnerships – Builds and maintains effective working relationships
• Communicating and negotiating – Communicates effectively; creates understanding between self and others
• Demonstrating leadership – Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Focusing on clients – Focuses on clients
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating – Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge & innovates
• Managing time, resources and information – Manages own time, information and resources effectively
• Problem-solving and decision-making – Demonstrates sound problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Strategic thinking and organizational development – Personal influence
• Team working – Contributes effectively to the team

Education:

• Level – Advanced university degree from an accredited institution in a technically relevant area. The advanced university degree may be substituted by a first university degree and at least four (4) additional years of relevant professional experience over and above the minimum number of years of experience as stipulated below.
• Areas – environmental studies, agronomy, environmental economics, geography, climatology or rural development.
• Degree must be an accredited institution listed on https://www.whed.net/home.php .

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in, and demonstrated understanding of, development initiatives in rural development and climate and/or environment issues.
• Two (2) years preferably in the United Nations or an international financial institution, or another multi-cultural organization or institution or a national organization providing support on a global scope.
• Position-specific experience: In-depth technical expertise, demonstrated by substantive work experience, and solid understanding of climate change issues and climate related impacts on rural development, ideally acquired by working on climate change-related, rural development, or disaster risk reduction projects. Proven experience in negotiation, decision-making and leading some complex project design and implementation/supervision issues; Access to a network of technical and professional resources and expertise which can be brought to bear to improve ASAP and GEF programming.

Languages:

• Required English (4 – Excellent) and French (4-Excellent)
• Desirable: Spanish and/or Arabic

Skills:

• Advocacy: Ability to leverage IFAD knowledge and/or communication materials to maintain and promote constructive dialogue around IFAD`s vision and strategic priorities to external actors
• IFAD governance & mandate: In depth knowledge of IFAD`s governance structure, mandate, strategic priorities and technical work
• Knowledge strategy & management: Extensive expertise in knowledge management & dissemination strategies
• Policy dialogue: Know-how in the representation of IFAD as a trusted and strategic partner; effective consultations with IFAD counterparts – like ministries and governmental bodies at all administrative levels, donors, civil society
• Analytical skills: Outstanding ability to analyse and synthesize qualitative and/or quantitative information from a variety of sources and filter out key insights and recommendations
• Basic ICT & digital fluency: Expertise relevant to the specific role (e.g. in-depth, computer information systems, including micro-computer operating systems software, hardware and applications software and other office technology equipment), end-user computing configuration management
• Collaboration: Successfully work toward a common goal with others by communicating clearly, actively listening to others, taking responsibility for mistakes, and respecting different perspectives of stakeholders.
• Political acumen: Ability to conduct sound political analysis and understand complex environments, providing options and advice
• Programme/Project development, management: Know-how in Programme/Project development, implementation, management
• Social & Environmental Safeguards: Know-how in Social & Environmental complianc as specified in the IFAD’s Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP)

Applicants for vacancies in the National Professional Officer (NPO) category should be nationals of the country in which the position is located.

IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD’s Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.

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