Job Vacancies at UNOPS

The Climate Finance Expert will report to the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist for Nigeria working closely with Director at the International Economic Relations Department in the Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning and with the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change. The Expert will be compiling monthly and quarterly progress updates for the three institutions and as required by each focal point. The experts will also share the monthly and quarterly reports with the NDC Partnership, following the approval from the relevant focal points.

The following responsibilities are part of the embedded incumbent role:

Scope of Work:
 

• Draft an inception report with a clear work plan approved by the government to strengthen resource mobilization for climate change and technical capacity on climate finance;
• Develop and operationalize a National Climate Finance and Investment Strategy based on the existing draft Climate Finance Strategy.
• Lead the identification and mapping of barriers (technical capacity, human resource, enabling policy environment) to investments related to climate change
• Review the prioritized and costed NDC Implementation Framework and map potential local and international donors to support the interventions.
• Develop a private sector engagement strategy component for climate action.
• Develop and operationalize appropriate financing instruments building on existing financing mechanisms to mobilize climate finance.
• Facilitate and strengthen coordination and collaboration among government and non-state stakeholders to enable effective mobilization of climate finance.
• Provide technical advice to the national framework/policy for Article 6 and related financing instruments.
• Develop and deliver a capacity and national training program on climate finance with an appropriate training manual.
• Lead the process of capacity building in NDC mainstreaming into national development plans, budget, and other strategies, leading to the NDC being mainstreamed into national planning and budgeting processes.
• Lead and support in the alignment of ETP/NDC and related financing opportunities.
• Identify and support alignment of Nigeria’s Net-Zero Investment Plan, Energy Transition Plan, Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy, and related opportunities.
• Convene annual (private sector, NGOs, bilateral and multi-lateral donors) round table meetings on climate financing needs of Nigeria.
• Organize strong private sector engagement and participation in climate action with Nigerian private sector leveraging climate finance opportunities and providing climate finance support.
• Compile monthly and quarterly country updates on climate financing that feed into the NDC IF.

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Education

• A master’s degree preferably in public finance, resource mobilization, economics, natural resource management or other relevant field of study.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline in combination with an additional 2 years (7 years of experience total) of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

Required

• With a Master’s degree, at least five years’ experience in public finance, private sector and/or NGO sector with a focus on resource mobilization, economics, donor engagement and program development.
• Strong technical experience in resource mobilization for climate-change related projects from different sources and through different mechanisms such as loans, grants, equity, etc.
• Good understanding of Nigeria’s climate change finance policy environment, sectoral coordination, budgeting process and the expert must have a strong understanding of the global climate finance landscape.

Asset

• Experience in the development of proposals and domestic/regional resource mobilization along with the ability to mobilize and strengthen local cooperation for fundraising between agencies, including Government, private sector participants, NGOs and other stakeholders.
• Strong networks with local and/or international donors

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Functional Responsibilities:

The following responsibilities are part of the incumbent role:

• Conduct a rapid mapping of ongoing, planned, and new climate investment related projects/programs led by line ministries, sub-nationals, and within the private sector and development and implementing partners, to better understand the availability of existing support. The NDC Implementation Framework is a starting point in addition to working closely with the NDC in country facilitator and the climate finance expert. Draft an inception report with a clear work plan based on mapping exercise and activities required by government.
• Conduct initial due diligence of project proposals and assessment of bankability, sharing results in a brief due diligence report.
• Conduct mapping and identify potential sources of finance including climate finance or blended finance windows and de-risking mechanisms.
• Lead the development of suitable funding project concept notes proposals and submit to access project preparation facilities.
• Identify and prioritise climate investment projects that are being readied for finance.
• Organise and support the National Council on Climate Change and the International Economic Relations Department to convene at least two climate finance investor roundtables/ coordination meetings around climate financing.
• Develop a pipeline of climate finance investment projects, by soliciting input from the line ministries and other expertise from agencies within the government and private sector.
• Identify potential sources of finance including climate finance or blended finance windows and de-risking mechanisms.
• Lead the development of suitable funding concepts and proposals to access project preparation facilities, including at least 3 programme concept notes developed and aligned with potential project preparation facilities for further development, with the objective of at least one programme proposal finalised and having accessed funding.
• Provide technical support to NCCC and IERD to actively promote low carbon and climate resilient investments and conduct analysis of enabling investment environment for such investments.
• Work closely with the Climate Finance Expert towards integration of climate related projects in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Public Investment Programming and National Budget.
• Provide technical expertise in the government's efforts toward issuing the third green bond, establishment of the National Climate Green Fund and other several climate finance instruments to provide solutions to fund green projects.
• Support capacity building for national experts in salient aspects of climate finance through on-the-job training and coaching, including at least 30 government staff trained in project/programme proposal development.
• Share monthly and quarterly reports on progress in each of the activities conducted.

Education/Experience/Language requirements:

Education

• A master's degree preferably in public finance, resource mobilisation, economics, natural resource management or other relevant field of study.
• Bachelor's degree in related discipline with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience (7 total) may be accepted instead of an advanced university degree.
   

Required

Experience

• With a Master’s degree, at least 5 years’ experience in public and/or private sector with a focus on climate change, project management, stakeholder and/or donor engagement and preparation of cross-cutting workplan/proposal development or any related field;
• Experience in multilateral, national or grassroot governance and processes related to climate change, policy and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• Knowledge of the country’s context of policy frameworks, national plans and strategies related to climate change is required.

Asset

• Professional experience in public and private sectors, ideally related to infrastructure or project finance or blended financing in development institutions, equity and impact funds, other financial institutions, and advisory firms.
• Substantial experience in 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.
• Strong technical experience in resource mobilisation for climate change related projects from different sources and through different mechanisms such as loans, grants, equity, etc
• Good understanding of Nigeria’s climate change finance policy environment, sectoral coordination, budgeting process and the international expert must have a strong understanding of the global climate finance landscape
• Excellent writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills across a range of stakeholders, including senior financial institution or governmental leadership.
• Experience across multiple global contexts, and awareness of international policy debates and challenges in climate finance and economics.