Carbon Finance Senior Officer at The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

POSITION SUMMARY

• The Carbon Finance Senior Officer will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will lead the implementation of the Kenya Article 6 Readiness Project. The position-holder will be administratively supervised by the Head of GGGI Kenya and receive technical guidance from the Manager, Carbon Finance Unit.
• The Carbon Finance Senior Officer will serve as GGGI's recognized focal point for the project in Kenya and will have overall responsibility for the timely and high-quality delivery of project activities and outputs. The position-holder will provide technical leadership, strategic guidance, and day-to-day project management, while working closely with government counterparts, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and other relevant institutions to ensure effective project implementation and achievement of project objectives.
• In addition to project delivery, the position-holder will serve as GGGI Kenya's technical focal point on Article 6 and carbon markets, supporting the Government of Kenya in advancing its carbon market framework, identifying priority mitigation activities, and developing carbon finance opportunities that contribute to GGGI Kenya's broader programme objectives and investment pipeline.

PURPOSE

• Lead the the implementation of the Kenya Article 6 Readiness Project in close coordination with the GGGI Kenya Country Team (based in Nairobi), the Carbon Finance Unit (based in Seoul) and relevant government and private sector project stakeholders.
• Provide high-quality technical advisory services on Article 6, carbon markets, carbon finance, and emissions reduction trading to support both the Kenya Article 6 Readiness Project and GGGI Kenya's broader climate finance and green investment objectives.
• Provide high-quality technical inputs and advisory on issues related to Article 6, carbon markets, and emissions reduction trading in support of Article 6 Readiness delivery in Kenya and GGGI’s Kenya’s portfolio and strategic priorities more generally.

ENGAGEMENT

• Work closely with the GGGI Kenya Country Team and the Carbon Finance Unit to ensure timely and high-quality project delivery and to strengthen the application of Article 6 frameworks and approaches within the Kenyan context.
• Develop and foster strong relationships with key government stakeholders, leading the day-to-day communication (supported by GGGI Kenya).
• Work closely with government partners and private sector in implementing the project, recognizing the importance of government buy-in and ownership.
• Coordinate with other organizations supporting engagement with international carbon markets in Kenya and ensure visibility of the Kenya Article 6 Readiness Project and associated carbon engagements.
• Maintain active flexibility through professional relations with key stakeholders to capture and integrate their changing needs and manage expectations.

DELIVERY

• Identify and support the development of new funding opportunities and strategic partnerships that strengthen Kenya's carbon market ecosystem and expand GGGI's carbon finance portfolio
• Deliver high-quality project outputs on time and within budget that meet program objectives, donor requirements and government requirements.
• Quickly absorb and apply sufficient technical knowledge on Article 6 concepts, requirements, frameworks and approaches.
• Ensure quality monitoring and evaluation, timely submission of donor reports and deliverables, regularly evaluate project results, and guide project implementation to achieve maximum impact.
• Assess effectiveness of project activities and recommmend improvements to meet key milestones for the program.
• Ensure that experiences and best practices are documented and shared across relevant sectors in Kenya.
• Plan and co-deliver capacity building events that introduce key Article 6 concepts and options to key government and other stakeholders.
• Lead the design of governance frameworks in Kenya that meet Article 6 requirements and are relevant to the Kenyan institutional context.
• Lead the identification of priority sectors and mitigation activities for Article 6, in collaboration with the Government of Kenya and private sector.
• Develop Mitigation Activity Idea Notes (MAINs) for up to 3 mitigation activities.
• Support bilateral engagement between Government of Kenya and potential cooperation partners.
• Support the process of facilitating key agreements between government, private sector and other international partners.  
• Lead the planning and facilitation of key project workshops and meetings with key stakeholders in Kenya.
• Plan and organize the work of consultants under the project to ensure high quality and timely delivery of the outputs.
• Support the integration of carbon market and carbon finance opportunities across GGGI Kenya's broader portfolio and investment pipeline.
• Clear and timely reporting on project delivery as required by the Article 6 Readiness Facility Committee.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Master's degree in a relevant area, such as Economics, Finance, Business Administration, Environmental Engineering, or other related disciplines.
• At least 8 years of experience in climate finance, green investment, or other relevant fields.
• A proven track in successfully managing projects linked to climate action and finance.
• Understanding of and experience in international carbon markets, the Clean Development Mechanism, and/or Article 6 is a strong advantage.
• Experience in day-to-day engagement with government ministries and agencies, ideally in developing countries.
• Experience in close engagement with the private sector is a strong advantage.
• Experience in organizing consultations, validation meetings, workshops and capacity building events.
• Experience working in developing countries, with experience Kenya or any other African country is an advantage.
• An excellent command of spoken and written English.

FUNCTIONAL

• Strategic thinker and solutions-oriented, with good ability to multitask and work in a matrix environment.
• Able to review, synthesize information and produce high quality reports.
• Able to establish priorities in a time-sensitive environment and meet deadlines with strong attention to detail.
• Able to absorb and understand technical information and relay it to others.
• Detail-oriented striving for quality and consistency in all outputs and communications.
• Output-oriented, demonstrating creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial drive.
• Problem solver, able to find and implement solutions
• Highly organized and able to effectively and efficiently multi-task and prioritize.
• Excellent communication (both written and oral) and facilitation skills.
• Comfortable working both in a team and independently.

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively support GGGI's mission, vision and values.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership.
• Excel at problem solving, ask questions and seek support when needed, and share easily information and knowledge with others both internally as externally.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, build rapport and resolve conflict easily.
• Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity.
• Be able to lead and manage a project independently, while knowing when to seek advice and liaise closely with the Kenya Country Office and the Carbon Finance Unit.