Regional Climate and Environment Specialist (supporting East and Southern Africa Division)

Duration of Assignment
	3- year fixed term (possibility of renewal subject to availability of funding)
	Organizational Context
	During the past 30 years, IFAD has assisted poor rural people living in marginal or unfavourable agro-ecological conditions to manage their natural resources more sustainably, increasing at the same time agricultural productivity and reducing their vulnerability to external shocks. But the speed and intensity of environmental degradation and climate change is outpacing the ability of poor rural people and societies to cope. Many smallholders that IFAD works with are already reporting impacts – in the key ecosystems and biodiversity that sustain agricultural production, rural infrastructure, market opportunities and rural livelihoods. The world’s response will also have an impact on the ground through the size of the temperature increase, whether smallholders will be able to benefit from credible financial mechanisms for mitigation, and whether additional public climate financing will reach the rural poor. IFAD has just published a new Climate Change Strategy and is finalizing a wider Environment and Natural Resource Management Policy. The key message is that environmental threats and IFAD’s mission of helping poor smallholder farmers are inseparable. IFAD’s approach has three elements: to help poor farmers build their resilience and improve their natural resource management; to help them gain from available incentives for environmental services; and to use this experience to inform a more coherent dialogue on the environment, climate, and rural development nationally and internationally. Hence IFAD is enhancing its approach to rural development in the context of increasing environmental threats such as climate change. Climate change is multiplying existing risks for smallholders, creating new risks, and – depending on the global response – creating some new opportunities too. Our programmes will continue to reflect the complex reality of poor smallholder businesses, where issues are not contained neatly in boxes labelled according to global issues. But there is recognition that climate and environment-related risks and opportunities can be addressed more systematically within our projects and policy advice. IFAD’s Regional Divisions lead the development and implementation of our programmes. They are working to build the capacity of our country programmes to more systematically respond to increasing demands for help and innovations on climate change and environment from our clients. This means integrating sustainable natural resource management across IFAD’s work, including at upstream country programme design, at the early project design stage, through to project implementation and knowledge development.
	Division Context
	A new Climate and Environment Division has been created to support this integration. This new organisational structure brings together and increases IFAD’s staff capacity on climate and environment. This Division will share key operational staff with Regional Divisions in pursuing a common agenda of climate and environment integration across IFAD. It will facilitate i) innovation and knowledge management on environment and climate change; ii) more support to Regional Divisions on COSOPs and non-GEF programme development; iii) continuation of the development of the existing and new GEF pipeline; and iv) managing external partnerships and global initiatives on climate and environment. In this context, IFAD is strengthening its staff capacity through creating Regional Climate and Environment Specialists (RCES) positions to support regional divisions. To ensure full integration of agendas, the RCES will be members of the East and Southern Africa Division and the new Environment and Climate Division.
	Duties and Responsibilities
	Under the joint overall supervision and strategic, policy and management guidance of the Director of the Environment and Climate Division and the respective Regional Division Director, the incumbent will be responsible for: • Providing technical support to ensure IFAD’s Regional portfolio is environmentally sustainable and climate-smart - assisting in project and country strategy design teams to ensure climate and environment risks and opportunities (such as climate adaptation) are fully integrated into early identification and design of projects and country strategies • Identifying and assisting in the programming of new sources of funding in the areas of environment and climate change, to complement and diversify the Regional portfolio. • Identifying and designing GEF-funded components for IFAD-supported programmes, in coordination with the Country Program Managers (CPMs). Liaising with the GEF Secretariat and GEF agencies to ensure synergies and coordination on relevant projects to maximize opportunities under the 5th GEF Replenishment and other GEF-managed funds. • Providing technical support for the implementation of GEF-funded components for IFAD-supported programmes, in coordination with CPMs • Supporting ECD knowledge-sharing and coordination with Nairobi-based environmental organisations such as UNEP, ICRAF, and ILRI. • As an active member of the Environment and Climate Division, the RCES will also be assigned various thematic, sector and corporate-level tasks as appropriate. AT P-5 GRADE, and in addition to the above, the incumbent is expected to work with greater autonomy and less supervision to achieve the following tasks: • Design and lead the development of a regional strategy on environment and climate change that commands the support of the Regional team. This will include leading the implementation of IFAD’s Climate Change Strategy for the Division. • Design and the lead the implementation of a strategy to significantly strengthen IFAD’s presence and impact on climate discussions as they relate to agriculture and rural development in the Region, including mobilizing the President and other members of senior management to achieve this goal. This should identify clear milestones and influence targets to shape agriculture and climate discussions in the Region. • Identify and develop a new advisory support service for environment and climate for use in project and policy development in the Region – this should lead to new knowledge and advisory partnerships available to the Region to strengthen access to the latest sources of knowledge and innovation on climate change and the environment. • Generate a rapid increase in available cofinancing accessible to the Regional Division, including a significant increase in the take-up of GEF components to IFAD projects – identifying at least two new funding partners to match with IFAD CPMs. • As part of the ECD team, be called upon to lead some wider IFAD and Rome-based discussions on the development of sustainable approaches to agricultural development – helping to add a regional perspective to IFAD’s wider corporate policy development and communications efforts.
	Education and Experience
	• Master’s degree or equivalent in Agriculture, Rural Development, Natural Resource Management, Economics or related discipline. • Experience of at least 8 years (10 years for P5-level) in the formulation, management and supervision of development investment programmes. • Professional experience in, and strong understanding of, sustainable natural resource management for poverty reduction – in particular on sustainable land management practices, and on adaptation to climate change. • Relevant regional experience is preferable. • Experience in international policy frameworks related to global environment, natural resource management and rural development is an asset. • Project management experience of Global Environment Facility-supported projects is desirable. • Proven ability to mobilise supplementary funding (at P-5 level) is preferable.
	Tech/Functional Competencies
	• Teamworker: capacity to foster and coordinate teamwork; and establish harmonious working relationships in a multicultural environment. • Self-developer/Innovator: willingness to learn, share and acquire new competencies and seek new challenges by exploring new approaches. • Performer: Accomplishes work objectives while creating an enabling environment for staff growth and development of their knowledge and competencies in order to attain excellent standards of performance. Manages the performance of others. • Negotiator and communicator: Works effectively with others to meet mutual goals, negotiates to align parties, builds networks, listens and communicates effectively to engage others. • Facilitator of change: Produces adaptive change and moves people to a place in which they are genuinely better off. Encourages others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities, facilitating the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace.
	Communication
	• Full command of English, including the ability to set out a coherent argument in English in writing, presentations and group interactions. • Language skills relevant ESA Division would be a strong asset. • Good working knowledge of Windows-based computing, and electronic communication.
	Other Information
	Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD. IFAD reserves the right to appoint a candidate at the appropriate grade commensurate with experience and knowledge. Interested candidates are requested to apply through IFAD’s online system only by completing IFAD’s Personal History Form (PHF) in English. A separate CV may be attached if you so desire, only as a supplement and not a substitute to the PHF. In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful. Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.

Regional Climate and Environment Specialist (supporting East and Southern Africa Division)