Senior environmental specialist

This position is trust-funded by an external donor. The donor has provided funding on the condition that the position be reserved for nationals of Finland. This position is a two year coterminous term appointment.

The World Bank Group attaches a high priority to addressing climate change in the context of its development mandate and is exploring innovative ways to help countries achieve their growth and poverty reduction goals in a manner consistent with the goals and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The World Bank's Climate Change Team, hosted by the Environment Department in the World Bank's Sustainable Development Network, consists of about 20 highly motivated and enthusiastic members (staff and consultants) working in tandem with other SDN departments and regional teams to help address climate dimensions in projects, technical assistance, and other activities, facilitate access to climate-related financing, and develop necessary analytical tools.

The Climate Change Team supports the implementation of the Strategic Framework on Development, and Climate Change for the World Bank Group, and is responsible for monitoring and reporting its progress. It supports the functioning of the Bank Group-wide Climate Change Management Group (CCMG), provides information and technical advice to SDN and corporate management on climate change issues; liaisons with staff working on climate change across the WBG; facilitates exchange of information and knowledge within the WBG and with external partners; assesses operational needs for and develops new climate-related initiatives; and represents the WBG on various international forums related to climate change.

The Team leads a number of knowledge products in the areas of adaptation to climate risks, economics and financing of climate actions, assessing GHG emissions of “carbon-intensive” projects and identification of good practices and opportunities for addressing climate change in the Bank portfolio. It provides cross-support to regional operations related to climate actions – adaptation and mitigation, supports GEF operations and contributes to the design and implementation of a portfolio of the new Climate Investment Funds. With respect to mitigation and climate financing, the team works closely with the Carbon Finance Unit and other WBG entities focusing on how different instruments can be packaged in order to address multiple barriers to the adoption of lower carbon technologies and options.

Duties and accountabilities

The Senior Environment Specialist will lead and participate in the activities of the Climate Change Team, and report to the Climate Change Program Leader. The key responsibilities and activities include:

- Lead and/or provide a major contribution to analytical work, advisory services and knowledge products, such as guidelines for the use of a menu of climate financing instruments, financing of climate friendly options and technologies, development of benchmarks and indicators to monitor progress with climate-relevant projects, etc.
- Liason with and support IFC, ETW, ARD and other sector units on promotion of clean, climate friendly and climate resilient technology, and private sector engagement into climate action.
- Participate in progress monitoring and reporting of the Strategic Framework on Development and Climate Change, and the development of supporting tools and products necessary for its implementation and effective monitoring.
- Provide cross-support to regional teams as a technical resource on operations of strategic significance to the Bank’s climate change agenda.
- Work with regional teams, IFC, MIGA, Carbon Finance Unit, the GEF Coordination unit and other WBG units, as necessary, to find innovative approaches to combine and use various resources available for climate change mitigation in an effective and complementary with a view to leveraging significant private sector financing
- Work with the GEF coordination unit and the new CIF program in identifying good practice in supporting and scaling-up clean technology deployment WBG, CIF and /or GEF operations,
- Lead or participate in thematic reviews of the Bank portfolio with respect to addressing climate change objectives, both mitigation and adaptation
- Represent ENV/SDN in international forums on climate change as necessary and agreed with management

Selection criteria

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications, experience, skills and personal attributes:

- Advanced degree in economics, finance, engineering, or other areas relevant to policy and project analysis.
- At least 8 years of work experience on environmental and/or climate change issues
- Technical expertise in at least of two of the areas related to the climate change agenda, such as climate relevant policy, financing, technology and innovation, and capacity building
- Ability to apply knowledge to practice and draw policy conclusions, demonstrated project management experience
- Substantial and diverse experience in the preparation and implementation of projects with climate change benefits, preferably including both mitigation and adaptation
- Substantial experience in developing countries
- Expertise in financing and public-private partnerships related to clean technologies and environment/climate actions
- Experience in working in partnerships with multiple stakeholders such as donors, UN agencies, private sector, NGOs and communities
- Demonstrated ability to effectively coordinate activities involving multiple disciplines and organizational units, as well as to maintain high service standards under pressures meet deadlines and accommodate simultaneous demands from various sources.
- Excellent oral and written communications skills