CFND/NRFSS - Climate Finance Consultant - RESIslands Inititaive

Result of Service

Strengthened capacity of African Island States to develop and implement climate-resilient initiatives through enhanced project development, knowledge sharing, and technical support aligned with the Guinea-Bissau Pathway.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

3 months

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Context and Background

UNECA is implementing the project "RESIslands: Strengthening the institutional capacities of the African Island States Climate Commission (AISCC) member states to manage climate risks and bolster resilience". The project, supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), aims to assist AISCC member states in strengthening their institutional capacities to address climate risks, enhance resilience, and access climate finance. The initiative will help prepare technical and financial reports, design training materials on Climate Early Warning Systems (CEWS) and innovative climate finance instruments and provide technical support to countries in identifying and prioritizing a national pipeline of climate projects.

The project targets the nine African Island States: Cabo Verde, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé & Príncipe, Seychelles, and Zanzibar - Tanzania. It seeks to enhance climate resilience through institutional strengthening, the development of project pipelines, and knowledge sharing. The project is implemented in close collaboration with the AISCC, the UN Resident Coordinator Offices and the National Designated Authorities (NDA) in the project countries.

2. Organizational Setting and Reporting

The Consultant will work under the supervision of the UNECA Programme Management Officer and in close coordination with Country Leads for the participating countries as well as relevant national stakeholders.

3. Objectives and Purpose

The Consultant will provide technical support and expertise to the RESIslands project, assisting in the preparation of climate projects concept notes and pipelines, development of training materials, elaboration of technical reports and knowledge products, and providing advice on climate finance and funding mechanisms.

In particular, the Consultant will:

• Conduct desk review of relevant country policies and strategies, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs), National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies (NDRRSs), Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS), and other relevant country policy documents, and gather all necessary data and input for the development of country pipelines.
• Facilitate the preparation of climate related project proposals, drafting concept notes, terms of reference, and assist Member States.
• Provide technical support to countries in the identification and prioritization of climate project pipelines.
• Develop training materials on climate project formulation and concept note elaboration, related to CIEWS, innovative climate finance and other priority areas included in the Guinea-Bissau Pathway for African Island States.
• Contribute to the development of relevant knowledge products and the project’s knowledge management platform.
• When needed, facilitate writeshops in the countries of responsibility to collect inputs and prepare the draft concept notes.
• Promote matchmaking with potential Accredited Entity (AE)/Direct Access Entity (DAE) that might be available to submit the concept notes prepared.
• Present the concept notes in the validation workshops in each country of responsibility.

4. Responsibilities and Assignments

The Consultant will be responsible for:

A. Concept Note Development and Technical Support

• Support the identification and prioritization exercises for the national climate pipelines.
• Assist countries in preparing high-quality concept notes for climate projects, ensuring they meet the requirements of GCF and other funding bodies.
• Provide technical expertise in climate resilience and adaptation, disaster risk reduction, climate finance, and/or other relevant fields to support the development of concept notes.
• Support the preparation of technical and financial components of project proposals, including budgets, timelines, and procurement plans, ensuring alignment with national and regional climate strategies and development agendas.
• Facilitate the preparation and delivery of technical write shops, validation workshops, matchmaking activities and other meetings to support the concept notes development.

B. Capacity-building and Training

• Design and produce training materials on concept notes elaboration, related to CIEWS, innovative climate finance and other priority areas included in the Guinea-Bissau Pathway for African Island States.
• Develop and facilitate capacity-building workshops and training sessions for national and regional stakeholders on climate finance tools and strategies.
• Create and adapt learning resources for governments officials and other target groups if needed, ensuring that the materials responds to the national climate finance needs of the target countries.
• Coach country leads and National focal Points on areas related to the project when needed.

C. Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the development of the relevant climate knowledge products for the project platform by providing technical content and insights.
• Document and compile lessons learned and best practices, from the countries of responsibility to inform project design and climate finance strategies.

D. Any other tasks that may be required.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in Climate Finance, Climate Science, Environmental Policy, Project Management, Risk Management, Public Finance, Development Studies or a related field is required. A first-level university degree combined with a minimum of two (2) additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

A minimum 5 years of professional experience in climate finance, CIEWS, risk management, or related fields is required.

Demonstrated experience in preparing climate finance projects, including proposal writing, financial reporting and training development is required.

Experience working with national governments and international organizations on climate finance and resilience projects is required

Expertise in the development of concept notes, project proposals, and financial frameworks for climate projects is desirable

Familiarity with the strategies, policies, procedures, and methodologies of the GCF and/or other climate funds and prior experience working on concept notes development for such funds is desirable

Prior engagement at international level in climate, environment or risk management preferred is desirable

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, the consultant shall have excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Spanish is an asset

Additional Information

Women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. As per the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, do you identify as a person with a disability? If Yes, please specify if you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process?

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.