The Africa Region Country Advisory and Economics team (CAE) supports the Africa region by:
Producing both regional and country-level economic assessments to support IFC’s strategy and operations.
Collaborating with regional and industry colleagues to produce analytical products such as Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs) and IFC Country Strategies.
Significantly contributing to WBG products such as Systematic Country Diagnostics (SCD), Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDR), and IBRD/IDA lending operations; and
Putting IFC’s country strategy and diagnostic recommendations into practice through Advisory projects that engage with governments, regulators, civil society, development partners and other relevant stakeholders to reform markets and sectors and address key bottlenecks to private sector development.
To ensure the role of the private sector in adapting to the effects of climate change and mitigating GHG emissions is fully incorporated into WBG analysis and implementation, IFC is seeking to hire a Regional Climate Specialist on an Extended Term Contract (ETC) basis to guide and support the team on climate solutions.
Roles & Responsibilities:
The Africa Regional Climate Specialist will serve as the regional lead for climate solutions to support real sector / industrial transition in our client countries. Some of these sub-sectors / topics identified for engagement include industrial decarbonization, promoting circular economy, enabling green manufacturing, developing eco industrial parks and other resilient industrial infrastructure as well as efficient logistics solutions. To that end, the Specialist will facilitate expert industry inputs, interaction and interface between regional economics, country, industry, upstream, advisory teams of IFC as well as WB counterparts to identify the key constraints and solutions for private investment in climate solution, including those that can be addressed through CAE advisory reform action to deliver on climate opportunities.
Specific responsibilities will include the following:
Coordinate the delivery of ongoing Country Climate Development Reports (CCDRS), serving as go-to resource for the CCDR focal points, ensuring there is a smooth and defined progress tracking system for timely delivery of CCDR inputs and reports as well as timely implementation and delivery of green surveys in candidate countries.
Identify climate investment opportunities in IFC sectors of focus in CCDR countries selected/ and beyond, ensuring alignment with the IFC country and industry strategies, in close cooperation with IFC country, industry, and advisory colleagues.
In coordination with IFC’s Climate Business Department, play a key role in in the region in developing and promoting climate products, tools, and services (e.g., green transport, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, sustainability-linked, green, and blue loans and bonds, and green buildings), including climate finance structures.
Serve as a bridge between the different IFC and WB teams to help translating needs/views from industry experts into climate investment opportunities, including through inputs into WBG analyses, strategies, reform asks and Development Policy Lending operations.
Ensure quality and timely inclusion of climate-specific inputs into advisory reform support in selected sectors and projects. Closely liaise with upstream and industry colleagues in preparation and execution of CAEAE advisory projects in the country cluster.
Support Government clients to understand latest developments in decarbonization technologies and proactively support the identification of and design reforms to regulatory barriers that constrain greater adoption of these technologies.
Prepare and disseminate knowledge materials on best practices by Governments on increasing private investment in climate adaptation and mitigation and greening of financial, real and infrastructure sector practices.
Build capacity of CAEAE colleagues, governments, and private sector in client countries on reforms to enable private investment to address climate change.
Selection Criteria
Master’s degree in environmental sciences/ economics/ business/ finance or equivalent, with a strong grasp of core business, economic and financial concepts and understanding of development issues and impact, and at least 8 years of relevant professional experience focused on climate-related issues, ideally with developing countries and fragile economies experience.
Solid understanding of climate business opportunities, gained through working in areas relevant to climate business (e.g., renewable energy, transport, infrastructure, green buildings/resilient housing, agriculture, manufacturing, weather risk insurance, clean cookstoves, green mining, decarbonization strategies and climate tech) with a view to convert them into investment opportunities.
Experience in researching or working in climate finance, ideally with the private sector.
Prior exposure to private sector development issues in Africa and good network amongst climate professionals within the region a plus.
Track record of relevant analytical work, demonstrated by completed assignment reports, and experience with implementing surveys a plus.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to operate in a matrixed structure.
Strong communications skills, including the ability to present complex climate issues to varying audiences.
Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to work in teams across organizational boundaries within a multi-cultural environment.
