Climate Finance Specialist (Retainer modality, home based in Lome, Togo)

Overview

This role supports Togo's climate finance access, capacity building, and national strategies, working with government ministries and the NDC Partnership to advance climate objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Research and identify climate finance sources, provide guidance on mobilization, and evaluate suitability for projects.
• Collaborate to construct a list of key project documents for NDC implementation and draft monthly progress reports.
• Organize consultation meetings to discuss NDC priorities and identify actions for sectoral portfolios.
• Support stakeholders in preparing concept notes and identifying financing sources.
• Provide technical assistance and policy recommendations for the MERFPCCC/TGF and MFB on green taxonomy, sovereign green bonds, climate-related pricing, and sectoral planning.
• Advise and assist in designing innovative financial mechanisms for priority projects.
• Support the preparation and submission of funding proposals for climate-related projects and enhance GCF readiness activities.
• Improve project documents to align with financial institutions' requirements.
• Develop concept notes for flagship projects and submit proposals to the Green Climate Fund.
• Provide strategic and technical advice to establish and streamline the Climate Finance Working Group.
• Create a report outlining the operational framework for the Climate Finance Working Group.
• Develop and maintain a climate finance pipeline and resource mobilization strategy.
• Identify and prioritize financing opportunities for climate projects.
• Assess financing readiness, eligibility, and recommend financing pathways.
• Develop and maintain a financing matrix mapping projects to funding sources.
• Support the preparation of concept notes, project proposals, and investment cases.
• Track funding opportunities and provide recommendations.
• Support engagement with development partners to secure co-financing.
• Identify opportunities for blended finance and private-sector participation.
• Develop practical tools and templates for climate finance project development.
• Organize capacity-building sessions for national stakeholders.
• Establish a system for tracking proposals, commitments, and lessons learned.

Required Experience

• Relevant experience in the public and/or private sector with a focus on climate change, project management, stakeholder and donor engagement and/or preparation of cross-cutting work plan /proposal development or related areas.
• Experience in multilateral, national and grassroots governance and processes related to climate change, policy and/or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Knowledge of the country’s context of policy frameworks, national plans and strategies related to climate change is required.
• Working knowledge of GCF readiness and project cycle processes, and familiarity with other relevant climate finance mechanisms such as the GEF and Adaptation Fund.
• Familiarity with UNFCCC processes including Subsidiary Body and Conference of Parties (CoP), NDC and past experience on government climate change process.
• Experience of other national contexts that indirectly contribute to climate change is desirable.
• Ability to foster formal and informal networks to strengthen cooperation between agencies.
• Strong knowledge of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) processes and requirements.
• Proven expertise in developing green finance instruments.
• Experience with multilateral and bilateral climate/environment funds and development finance institutions.
• Experience in financial structuring, blended finance, public-private partnerships, investment planning or financial modelling for climate-related projects.
• Demonstrated ability to translate project pipelines into bankable/investable financing opportunities and to coordinate multiple public and private stakeholders.
• Knowledge of national climate finance architecture and experience supporting a national climate fund or equivalent financing mechanism would be an advantage.

Qualifications

Master's degree (or equivalent) preferably in finance, environmental economics or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience OR Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) preferably in any of the above or related fields with 2 additional years of relevant experience is required.

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