Carbon Markets Senior Advisor at Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD Kenya)

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy Guidance and Review

• Support development of policy products, guidelines, regulatory and legal reviews related to investments in carbon markets, carbon trading, carbon finance and related developments in Kenya.
• Advise on the development of voluntary and compliance carbon markets in Kenya including carbon market frameworks, registries, adjustment agreements, emission trading schemes, carbon platform/exchange development etc.
• Advise the Office on all issues related to carbon markets, and emerging opportunities under Article 6.
• Provide leadership and insight on policies and action plans that note Kenya’s strategic advantages and key bottlenecks; draw from other countries and note replicable best practices.
• Provide guidance in the development of legislations, policies, regulation and guidelines on carbon markets.
• Provide advice, guidance, talking points and briefs to the Office on issues related to carbon markets, carbon pricing, and carbon trading.
• Provide expert advice and strategic direction on carbon market mechanisms and policy direction which guides decision makers in considering carbon markets in their respective practices, projects and budget allocations for sectors and overall development choices.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Stakeholder Convening and Coordination

• Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, private sector stakeholders, NGOs, international organisations, and local communities to foster collaboration and alignment on carbon market initiatives.
• Engage stakeholders in carbon markets to create an enabling investment climate leveraging on carbon credits.
• Identify and convene key public sector stakeholders in carbon markets in Kenya including Ministries, Departments Agencies, and Counties, to build common understanding of priorities and delivery mechanisms.
• Identify and convene key private sector, funding, and development finance stakeholders in carbon markets in Kenya across the carbon market value chain and ecosystem.
• Identify and convene key community-based and civil society stakeholders, with a focus on experiences with carbon markets and related actors, to ensure awareness of carbon markets opportunities and regulations at a community level.
• Organise closed-door and public-facing convenings and meetings to identify and act on points of synergy and departure of stakeholders, increase levels of preparedness, and address capacity gaps, concerns, and bottlenecks etc.
• Derive policy measures to accommodate the different needs and roles needed to build equitable and dynamic carbon markets.
• Provide insight on points of synergy and departure of different stakeholders, and actions that can be implemented through The Office of the Special Climate Envoy.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation

• Create and maintain local, regional, and global partnerships of strategic importance to The Office on carbon markets.
• Identify and generate investment opportunities and projects in partnership with private sector, national partners, development partners, international organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies.
• Identify investment opportunities for low carbon development and support development of relevant policy products in support of investments in carbon markets.
• Mobilise resources (including but not limited to financial) focused on supporting the objectives of The Office regarding carbon markets.
• Assess external and internal co-opportunities for resource mobilisation with current and potential partners.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Thought Leadership, Capacity Building, and Diplomacy

• Review recent national, regional, and international developments in carbon and climate change negotiations.
• Provide technical support and capacity-building activities to enhance the understanding and implementation of carbon market mechanisms among relevant stakeholders, including workshops, seminars, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Lead in the engagement and dialogue with diplomatic missions, development partners, international organizations, and bilateral and multilateral agencies on behalf of The Office to facilitate coordinated carbon market development.
• Represent The Office in meetings, conferences, forums, workshops, and other public or closed-doors convenings on carbon markets.
• Develop written, spoken, and appropriate communication material that represent and effectively articulate the position of The Office of the Special Climate Envoy on carbon markets, including through press releases and social media.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 15 years of experience, of which at least 5 are in carbon policy, green/climate finance policy, and developing strategy and legislation pertinent to carbon markets.
• An academic background with relevance to carbon markets, pricing, and economics (such as environmental economics, development finance, energy economics).
• Demonstrated expertise in carbon market mechanisms such as carbon offsetting, carbon pricing, emissions trading and voluntary carbon markets including the roles of carbon markets in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and global climate and carbon diplomacy.
• An understanding of domestic and international carbon markets, including voluntary carbon markets.
• Knowledge of UNFCCC climate change negotiations including the Paris Agreement (Article 6 & NDC Implementation);
• Experience in multi-stakeholder partnership and relationship development.
• Knowledge of existing structures in Kenya and Africa in line with carbon markets and low carbon development is considered an advantage.
• Proven track record of successful management of a carbon projects (identification, design, implementation or monitoring) will be an added advantage.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with internal and external stakeholders including influencing a wide range of stakeholders.
• Results-oriented, highly motivated, and capable of working independently. Demonstrated ability to handle uncertainty, balance multiple tasks, work under pressure, and deliver assignments on time.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and diplomatic skills with the ability to manage and interact at all levels of international, multicultural and multilingual organisations.
• Strong record of collaboration across different stakeholders from government and/or private sector to build consensus around a common vision.
• Skilled in building and maintaining alliances and partnerships between government and private sector organizations.
• Demonstrated fluency in English, fluency in Kiswahili an added advantage. Competence in the use of Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Ability and willingness to travel internationally.