Senior Operations Officer - Climate Change Specialist

Job #:
req30665
Organization:
IFC
Sector:
Operations
Grade:
GG
Term Duration:
3 years 0 months
Recruitment Type:
International Recruitment
Location:
Manila,Philippines; Jakarta, Indonesia

Required Language(s):
English
Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
12/16/2024 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

IFC - a member of the World Bank Group (WBG) - is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

The IFC 3.0 strategy aims to stimulate more investment activity across emerging markets, especially in Low Income Countries (LICs) and Fragile and Conflict affected States (FCS). Our goal is to create, deepen, and expand markets and design and develop impactful investment projects. This strategy is, in part, premised on improved country/sector diagnostic, strategic, and public sector engagement capabilities, which seek to: 1) resolve obstacles to private sector growth via diagnostic and strategic work that informs both IFC operations and relevant IBRD/IDA policy operations; and 2) overcome the shortage of investable projects in priority markets by proactively improving the private sector ecosystem at the country and regional level.

The Country Advisory and Economics Unit of the East Asia and Pacific region (CEAAE) supports the IFC business by: (i) developing diagnostics and supporting targeted reforms that help remove market barriers; (ii) providing direct support to operational teams and country units; and (iii) leveraging coordination across the WBG. The Unit is composed of economics, strategy, and operational staff responsible for:

• Producing regional and country-level economic assessments to support IFC's strategy and operations.
• Collaborating with regional and industry colleagues to produce analytical products such as Country Private Sector Diagnostics (CPSDs) and IFC Country Strategies.
• Significantly contributing to WBG products such as Country Partnership Frameworks (CPF), Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDR), and IBRD/IDA lending operations; and
• Implementing IFC's country strategy and diagnostic recommendations into practice through advisory projects that engage with governments, regulators, civil society, development partners and other relevant stakeholders, to reform markets and sectors and address key bottlenecks to private sector development.

The advisory role of CEAAE works with client country governments to address key legal and regulatory issues that constrain private sector development. Efforts are focused on improving the enabling environment to facilitate private investment opportunities, including foreign direct investments. CEAAE addresses if-then" reform asks in IFC strategies, complementing World Bank efforts, while strengthening IFC's relationships with client countries in support of IFC 3.0. Specifically, the CEAAE team works proactively with governments and regulatory agencies to create effective and efficient market conditions, both at economy wide as well as industry/sector level, for increased private investments. CEAAE collaborates extensively with IFC Industry teams, cross-cutting teams, and other teams across the World Bank Group in the design and delivery of advisory services.

Rising emissions in EAP highlight the challenges the region faces in meeting individual country emission reduction targets (National Determined Commitments - NDCs). At the same time, countries in EAP are set to gain from green growth, which opens opportunities to diversify and upgrade their economies especially by embracing new technologies, attracting green investments, raising their position on global supply chains and ultimately creating more and better jobs.This will require embracing a new green industrial revolution", improving the environmental, social and economic performance of existing industries, while creating competitive industries delivering sustainable goods. IFC has identified industrial decarbonization, circular economy, green manufacturing, eco industrial parks as key thematic areas of intervention.

IFC has made climate a central theme in its country strategies and ensure the WBG CPFs present a one WBG approach to supporting sustainable private sector investment. This in turn requires that core WBG analytics including CCDRs and CPSDs provide a thorough analysis of private sector issues around climate change.

In this context, CEAAE is seeking a Senior Operations Specialist who will serve as the Regional Specialist for Climate Solutions to support real sector/industrial transition in EAP client countries. Some of the sub-sectors / topics identified for engagement include industrial decarbonization, promoting circular economy, enabling green manufacturing, developing eco-industrial parks and other resilient industrial infrastructure as well as efficient logistics solutions. The ideal candidate will combine sector expertise and technical knowledge with strong advisory, consulting or investment experience. The preference is for a specialist with deep experience and expertise in industrial decarbonization (mainly from a private sector perspective) - expertise in carbon markets and climate finance will be a plus, and a proven track record of impact in these sectors. They will appreciate the need for a carbon" orientation and be able to clearly convey ideas across and obtain buy-in from other units with deep interest in the subject, as well as deploy distinct skills as a team player and aggregator.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Support government clients to understand the latest developments in decarbonization technologies and proactively support the identification and design of reforms to regulatory barriers that constrain greater adoption of these technologies.
• Work closely with IFC's Climate Business Department (CDB), Economics and industry teams to diagnose regulatory barriers to private investment to address climate change, and design and implement advisory services to enable the needed reforms to create markets for such investments.
• In close coordination with IFC industries, including upstream and investment teams, identify and develop advisory projects to promote circular economy through use of renewable inputs (e.g. bio-based raw materials), waste and water recycling, lean manufacturing, product innovation and re-purposing.
• Identify and develop advisory projects to develop carbon markets and facilitate, in coordination with the team's climate finance experts, access to climate finance (e.g. green, sustainability-linked) for decarbonization projects/investments.
• As requested by investment teams, interface with the CBD team regarding Paris Alignment issues/risks related to manufacturing companies at investment cycle stages.
• Prepare and disseminate knowledge materials on best practices by Governments on increasing private investment in climate adaptation and mitigation and greening of financial, real and infrastructure sector practices.
• Develop, maintain and monitor implementation of a matrix of country-specific reform needs and global best practice examples, and work with in-country CEAAE teams, CMUs, and the World Bank to advocate for these reforms.
• Coordinate/collaborate with World Bank teams to incorporate a private sector perspective and relevant regulatory interventions to enable investments to address climate change into WBG country engagement products (CPFs, CCDRs), analyses, strategies, reform asks and Development Policy Lending operations.
• Develop relationships with private sector clients and other external stakeholders and assist team members in managing and maintaining client and stakeholder relationships while growing the business.
• Maintain an active network of industry stakeholders to keep updated on developing market drivers and trends, including technology and policy developments.
• Share project and country knowledge, project lessons learned, and best practices with the wider WBG network and external clients and stakeholders to support IFC's positioning as a thought leader.
• Support efforts to fund raise with donors.
• Participate in internal and external conferences, workshops and other subject matter fora as an expert speaker.
• Mentor junior colleagues and provide quality control of strategic and analytical work, as well as operational projects.

Selection Criteria

• Master's degree in environmental sciences, engineering, business, finance, public policy, economics, or an area of expertise specific to climate science or sustainable finance.
• At least 12 years of relevant experience working with governments and private sector on decarbonization strategies, sustainability, sustainable finance, and/or climate science.
• Deep understanding of climate business opportunities, gained through working in the private sector in areas relevant to climate business (e.g., renewable energy, battery storage, hydrogen, EVs, greening of transport and logistics, water and waste management, circular economy and decarbonization strategies, and climate tech).
• Knowledge of Paris Agreement objectives and alignment process and sector decarbonization roadmaps (especially for hard-to-abate base material manufacturing sectors).
• Robust expertise in carbon markets and in the related legal/regulatory frameworks and implementation mechanisms. Knowledge of climate financing products (e.g. Green and Blue Loans / Bonds, Sustainability Linked Financing, Transition finance) is advantageous.
• Some experience in infrastructure or natural resource sectors (e.g., transport, energy, mining, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, water or waste) required.
• Demonstrated professional leadership and ability to lead a team of professionals in the execution of projects.
• Excellent communication skills in English, including articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills to manage relationships and sensitivity in dealing with authorities and regulators.
• Willingness to travel to work with country clients and collaborate with WBG teams.
• Passion for promoting development solutions and ability to link climate and development objectives.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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 World Bank and IFC , including our values and inspiring stories.

Job ID req30665