Global adviser (climate change adaptation)

Background

Job purpose:

Support country programmes in developing and implementing strategies that help communities and national governments adapt to climate change; and provide linkage between programme experience and Oxfam's communications on climate change.

Reporting lines:

Postholder reports to: Manager - Adaptation and Risk Reduction Team. Staff reporting to this post: Occasional management of staff, external contracts and volunteers.

Budget responsibility:

Occasionally for specific programme grants or special projects.

Dimensions

• Play a catalytic role in the formulation and delivery of strategic programmes that help communities and national governments to adapt to climate change
• Required to drive cross-programme learning and communications from our work on climate change adaptation
• Problems are diverse and complex and involve a significant degree of risk (financial, security, brand).
• Required to develop long term vision and strategic planning to achieve significant impact
• Representing Oxfam corporately and managing and influencing significant and high profile external relationships on climate change adaptation
• Help shape organisational and divisional objectives in a specific programme area
• Produce, assimilate, analyse and use programme information from varied and diverse sources to provide in-depth analysis of climate change adaptation
• Support the alignment of programmes with Oxfam corporate priority campaigns and ensure effective harmonisation of planning and management with Oxfam International
• Support the formulation, organisation and delivery of high-level lobby, and advocacy as part of the big "P" programme and actively participate in lobbying and advocacy.
• Plan and implement fundraising plans and ensure proper reporting and accountability to multilateral and bilateral donors

Key Responsibilities

This post will fulfil the following responsibilities for work on climate change adaptation in Oxfam's programme:

Direct support to country programmes:

• Provide long-term and intensive support to at least three country programmes to develop and deliver programming that supports adaptation to climate change from community interventions to national policy influencing. This will include facilitating training of staff and partners, supporting programme development, fundraising, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide on-demand advice on climate change adaptation to other country programmes and regions.
• Ensure that all work addresses the challenges of gender justice.
• Work with fundraising teams to develop funding proposals for future work.

Programme-focused learning:

• Drive programme learning on climate change adaptation through developing, rolling out and communicating tools and learning products and processes.
• Support the further development, implementation and communication of Oxfam GB's strategy in the area of climate change adaptation.

Influencing internal and external policy:

• Monitor and analyse external trends with respect to climate change.
• With the Manager of the Adaptation and Risk Reduction Team, hold an overview of the direction and delivery of Oxfam GB's climate change adaptation programme portfolio.
• Support the development of organizational planning and strategy processes.
• Work with the Economic Justice campaign group to link policy development on food, agriculture and climate change at national level to global campaign delivery, to shape the global campaign priorities using the information and priorities of country programmes.
• Represent Oxfam GB at key fora and build alliances with organisations and institutions working on climate change adaptation.

Improving the quality and reach of PPT activities:

• Provide organisation-wide advice on climate change adaptation.
• Contribute to the Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction team through participation in inductions, regional meetings, external representation, responses to inquiries, and taking part in strategic planning discussions.

Skills and Competence

E = Essential
D = Desirable

• Excellent analytical and critical thinking ability, with a postgraduate qualification in climate change, development, or a related field of study. (E)
• Demonstrable understanding of and practical experience of approaches to climate change adaptation programming, including knowledge of adaptation in the context of smallholder agriculture in the global south. (E)
• Proven ability of understanding and applying issues related to gender and HIV/AIDs in a development context. (E)
• Well-connected within a network of professionals working on climate and development issues. (D) ·
• Knowledge of current trends in the climate change debate as it relates to poverty. (E)
• Proven commitment to working to reduce poverty and suffering. (E)
• Excellent communication, facilitation and representation skills. (E)
• Computer literate and fluent English language skills, especially written skills. (E)
• Proven ability, and preferably experience at, supporting and influencing others through advisory roles, with multi-cultural teams, and of a variety of levels of seniority. (E)
• Proven ability to develop and to manage complex institutional relationships. (E)
• A high degree of self-motivation, an ability to work towards institutional goals, and proven examples of delivery of tasks while operating under pressure. (E)

Other:

• Willingness to travel up to 3 month per year.
• Knowledge of French, Spanish or Portuguese would be advantageous.