Climate Finance Specialist at Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)

The role 

• The Climate Finance Specialist will be responsible for identifying, developing, and managing climate finance activities that contribute significantly to the achievement of AECF’s mission of building resilience, low-carbon economies, and sustainable incomes for rural and marginalised communities in Africa. In particular, s/he will support the design and development of climate-responsive projects and programmes that offer resilience, low-carbon development pathways, and growth opportunities for enterprises and low-income households.  Further, he/she will principally be responsible for mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation measures into AECF’s interventions. 
• The Climate Finance Specialist will guide an interdisciplinary team of sector experts and work alongside the AECF Partnership team to integrate climate change measures into AECF’s work and undertake the programme design, which includes preparing project documents in line with different climate funds, feasibility studies, stakeholder consultations, environmental and social studies, climate screening and risk analysis, adaptation and vulnerability assessments, and gender analyses among others. 

Key Responsibilities 

The Climate Finance Specialist will lead, coordinate, and deliver the following project activities in a timely manner: 

• Integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation into AECF’s current programs. 
• Research and analyse information of climate funds available (Donor mapping understanding their requirements) and accessible by AECF. 
• Support AECF Climate Finance Resource Mobilisation Strategy and Cooperation with partners. 
• Develop quality and bankable projects and funding proposals. 
• Design and implement capacity-building training for AECF staff on climate change and climate finance. 
• Prepare guidelines and tools for climate-related assessments and for identification and formulation of proposals for funding. 
• Structure relevant financing instruments and tools and develop innovative financing and investment mechanisms for climate change projects and programmes. 
• Recommend the type of engagements for climate financing including organisational risk appetite on climate financing. 
• Design and implement a monitoring and evaluation framework for the climate finance projects. 
• Support Information creation and evidence generation and build knowledge products on climate change. 
• Facilitate effective communication and provide policy-academia-practitioner engagement platforms on climate change and financing. 
• Support development of AECF climate finance work programs, green project pipeline and deal flow, budgets, action plans and ensure compliance with all reporting requirements internally and to all external partners. 

The Candidate 

Suitable candidates should have the following: 

• A Master’s in climate change, environment and natural resource management,  green finance,   energy policy,   international development, economics, or any closely related field. 
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience managing climate change projects and programmes preferably in sub-Sahara Africa in a combination of related fields such as national and international climate policies and measures, including climate and green growth; energy and project management; climate finance; and climate-smart agriculture. 
• Demonstrated experience in developing quality and bankable projects for financing from various climate funds such as the GCF, LDCF, SCCF, GEF, AF, bilateral climate finance, regional funds, climate innovative funds, and non-governmental climate finance among others. 
• Experience working with climate finance instruments, renewable energy technologies and private sector development. 
• Knowledge on the interlinkages between climate change and other sustainable development goals. 
• Understanding of environmental and social safeguards and gender issues. 
• Solid knowledge of climate governance frameworks and global climate finance architecture relating to Africa. 
• Experience in mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation measures into development interventions in Africa. 
• Experience in researching and drafting the technical content of proposals for climate funds or similar multilateral funds. 
• Strong oral and written English proficiency; a good French command is an added advantage. 
• Exceptional communication, analytical and writing skills. 
• The ability to think strategically, troubleshoot decisions based on expert judgment and to provide credible leadership. 
• Intellectual leadership and ability to integrate green finance with a broader strategic overview and corporate vision. 
• The ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships. 
• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products.