The Project Officer, as part of the Private Sector Facility (PSF), will be responsible for undertaking a range of proposal cycle administrative, operational and analytical tasks necessary for meeting the private sector targets of the GCF. The candidate is expected to provide technical, analytical and operational support within an integrated approach to programming which may include a combination of country engagement, proposal for Board consideration and portfolio implementation in GCF’s private sector.
Purpose
Contribute to achieving the Fund’s private sector strategy and overall strategic objectives for increasing the share of PSF proposals in GCF portfolio and increasing private capital mobilization for climate action;
Provide operational support in pipeline development, proposal development and review, and portfolio monitoring of PSF transactions;
Provide analysis on key aspects of a proposal and its alignment with the Fund’s strategic objectives as well assess the risks;
Perform financial modelling and analysis to support decision making for financial structuring, tracking and reporting;
Develop report on financial parameters and prepare reports as needed for PSF leadership review;
Engagement:
Liaise with domain-level specialists such as risk, legal, environment and social safeguards and gender within GCF to obtain their specific inputs on Funding Proposals and Readiness proposals and work with third-party advisors and consultants;
Gain market intelligence on trends of climate finance including central banks, non-banking financial institutions, and supervisors, and help promote awareness of the Fund’s offering in the marketplace as well as develop effective relationships with new and existing partners;
Collaborate with other relevant divisions (Legal and Risk&Compliance among others) in building and managing financial models, reviewing, drafting and negotiating term sheets with AEs, and preparing assessment notes for investment committees; collaborate effectively with Regional Teams to strengthen upstream engagement with NDAs, accredited entities (AEs) and relevant stakeholders;
Conduct market research, data collection and analysis of financial model to guide accredited entities in strategic utilization of GCF’s financial instruments for proposed project;
Delivery:
Coordinate and support country engagement
Coordinate delivery of proposal reviews and assessments to counterparties and internal stakeholders in a timely manner;
Support the post-approval FAA process as well as other aspects of implementation including but not limited to monitoring/evaluation/reporting, disbursement of funds and amendments to legal agreements as necessary.
Master’s degree in a relevant finance field; MBA / CFA / Professional Designation and /or project management certification for financial sector is preferred; Bachelor's degree in similar fields with an additional two years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the Master’s degree requirement.
At least 2 years of full-time work experience for IS1 level; 4 years for IS2 level in climate finance, structured finance, investment banking, impact investing, corporate banking, asset management or related fields; Experience or knowledge in the area of climate change (mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and climate policies) is advantageous;
Understanding of the different financial tools – equity, debt, guarantees and grants is mandatory;
Evidence of intermediate / high proficiency in financial modelling, impact modelling and/or portfolio optimization;
Proven work experience in supporting front-office deal teams in structuring financial products in or with financial institutions, including for investments and risk management in sectors and areas relevant for climate change mitigation and adaptation;
Experience/knowledge of other areas of finance is desirable; this role will be expected to provide support (back-up) to other team members within PSF as and when necessary;
Experience in identifying risks associated with projects and programmes and developing solutions to help mitigate them;
Self-starter focused on results and delivery of high-quality work with limited guidance at times;
Flexibility and ability to take initiative, embrace and adapt to change;
Demonstrable global mind-set;
Team player who is able to collaborate with peers within the team and across the organisation;
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position; knowledge of another UN language an advantage.
