Senior Strategy Officer

Job title:

Senior Strategy Officer

Company

World Bank

Job description

Senior Strategy Officer Job #: req30570
Organization: World Bank
Sector: Climate Change
Grade: GG
Term Duration: 2 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC,United States
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s): French, Spanish
Closing Date: 12/9/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTCDescriptionClimate change will greatly affect the poorest people in the world, who are often hardest hit by weather catastrophes, desertification, and rising sea levels and least able to respond. In some parts of the world, climate change has already contributed to worsening food security, reduced the predictable availability of fresh water, and exacerbated the spread of disease and other threats to human health.Helping the most vulnerable countries and communities adapt to increasing challenges of climate change is an imperative for the international community, requiring significant resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Adaptation Fund is an innovative financing mechanism set up by the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the purpose of financing concrete climate change adaptation projects and programs in developing country Parties. At the request of the COP, the GEF is providing secretariat services to the Adaptation Fund Board (the Board) on an interim basis, through a dedicated team. Since becoming fully operational in 2010, the Board has approved 160 projects and programs worth more than USD 1 billion in over 100 countries.Launched under the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC, the Adaptation Fund has been formally serving Paris Agreement since 2019.
The Adaptation Fund is implementing its second medium term strategy (2023-2027) that rests on the three pillars of adaptation action, innovation and learning/knowledge management.
The Adaptation Fund supports country-driven projects and programs, innovation, and global learning for effective adaptation. All of the Adaptation Fund’s activities are designed to build national and local adaptive capacities while reaching and engaging the most vulnerable groups, and to integrate gender consideration to provide equal opportunity to access and benefit from the Fund’s resources. They are also aimed at enhancing synergies with other sources of climate finance, while creating models that can be replicated or scaled up.
The Secretariat is recruiting a Senior Strategy Officer who will function in an advisory role to enhance the effectiveness of the managerial and leadership function of the Fund and to support the development of the strategic directions and priorities of the Fund. To this end, the successful candidate engages in assessing the political and institutional landscape of the climate sector aid architecture and UN processes and engages Adaptation Fund stakeholders, such as board members, government officials, and implementing entities, to advance key strategic initiatives.
The Senior Strategy Officer reports to the Head of the Fund and will be a member of the Fund’s management team.Duties and AccountabilitiesThe successful candidate will be expected to carry out the following duties and responsibilities under the supervision of the Head of the Fund:

• Work closely with and support the HoF, through strategic/tactic advice and related task implementation, in exercising HoF management / leadership function, with the goal of operationalizing the Fund’s mission as outlined in the Fund’s Medium-term Strategy and implementing the strategy, as well as subsidiary strategies (e.g., Resource Mobilization Strategy).
• Coordinate the work of the Management Team (MT): Be an active member of the MT, coordinate and participate in MT meetings, share advice, play key role in organizing the follow-up work of MT meeting conclusions.
• Conduct both desk-based and consultative research and analysis, on areas identified in consultation with the HoF, for both internal and external purposes. Such areas may relate to the work of the Fund itself, to that of its stakeholders, or to the broader operating environment.
• Conduct ongoing strategic surveillance of the work of the Fund, with an objective of identifying opportunities and risks both in the current situation and in foreseeable future, and report in an on-going manner to the HoF. Such surveillance relates both to the internal organization of work of the Fund (inefficiencies, weak links, etc.) as well its external-facing operations and partnerships.
• Assumes leadership, as assigned by HoF, of specific projects or partnerships related to strategic advancement of the Fund.
• Remain up-to-date on technical, institutional and political developments in the international operating environment of the Fund, and advise the HoF on salient aspects.
• Play an active role in the development and implementation of tools and resources to improve efficiency of the Fund’s processes, systems, programs and initiatives.
• Work in partnership with the HoF and the relevant administrative staff to be a central point of contact for the coordination of HoF’s external activities and ensure preparation of relevant documents and briefing material.
• Support the HoF’s participation in internal and external meetings/events – Board meetings, workshops, seminars, etc. – including drafting and coordinating the inputs for technical reports, board papers, briefing materials, talking points, , speeches, and other materials required by the HoF.
• Represent the HoF in meetings with external stakeholders, with objectives agreed with the HoF, and report to the HoF.
• Contribute to keeping brief written records of work belonging to the area of responsibility, as further specified by the HoF.
• Along with other members of the Management Team, perform managerial tasks as an officer-in-charge on behalf of the HoF during periods of absence, as needed.
• Provide technical backstopping to other staff, as required.
• Keep the HoF apprised of the work done in the areas of responsibility, and perform any other task as required.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree or higher in finance, business administration, law, accounting or other relevant field with at least eight years of relevant experience.
• Substantial experience working in the international climate field, including having a sound knowledge of the UNFCCC and climate aid architecture, with familiarity with adaptation or other climate project or program interventions .
• Excellent ability to think strategically and to rapidly analyze diverse information from varied sources.
• Ability and the necessary organizational skills to take initiative, personal ownership, and accountability to meet deadlines, work under pressure, balance competing demands and achieve agreed-upon results.
• Substantial experience of providing sound advice on complex matters, to persons in leadership functions. Own experience of successfully leading and supervising and motivating direct reports and of building efficient teams would be an added benefit.
• Demonstrated political awareness and ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and to otherwise cultivate effective, productive client relationships/partnerships.
• Demonstrated capacity to pay attention to details.
• Capacity to multi-task and work under pressure-working on a variety of tasks simultaneously, independently adjusting to priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communications and editing skills; strong command of English; knowledge of other UN languages would be desirable, especially French and Spanish.
• Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients, stakeholders and colleagues.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally, including to visit projects in the field in developing countries, and to attend international meetings.

COMPETENCIESDeliver Results for Clients

• Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally and socially sustainable
• Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients
• Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes.

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries

• Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect
• Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due. Leverages expertise of all team members to

ensure successful outcomes

• Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG / Adaptation Fund corporate perspective in mind.

Lead and Innovate

• Encourages and works with others to identify, incubate and implement relevant solutions.
• Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG / Adaptation Fund’s values and mission
• Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge

• Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG / Adaptation Fund, clients, and partners
• Is known across WBG / Adaptation Fund in his/her subject area and is sought out by WBG / Adaptation

Fund colleagues to advise, peer review, or contribute to knowledge products of others.

• Seeks mentoring opportunities with more experienced staff to deepen or strengthen their professional knowledge and mentors junior staff.
• Builds networks across the WBG /GEF and as part of external professional groups/networks Make Smart Decisions.
• Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the Adaptation Fund’s strategy.
• Evaluates risk and anticipates the short and long term implications of decisions.
• Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.Learn more about working at the and , including our values and inspiring stories.

Expected salary

Location

Washington DC

Job date

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 01:54:21 GMT

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