Background

The Green Climate Fund (GCF)—a critical element of the historic Paris Agreement—is the world’s largest climate fund mandated to support low-emission, climate-resilient development pathways. As an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF contributes to the goal of keeping an average global temperature rise well below two degrees Celsius.

The Fund seeks to engage a Readiness Consultant to provide services for up to 240 days over a 12-month period, with the possibility of a one-year extension based on performance. The consultant will be based at GCF headquarters in Songdo, Republic of Korea. This engagement underscores our commitment to fostering a hands-on approach in readiness and preparatory support, enhancing direct interaction with the GCF team to align strategies and actions effectively as we advance towards our climate goals.

Role

Under the overall supervision of the Department of Investment Services (DINVS) the consultant will provide support to the Readiness team in the design, review and enhancement of Readiness processes, procedures, systems, tools and guidelines for originating and managing support under the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The consultant will also provide support in managing the contractor portfolio and performance, specifically with respect to UNOPS.  The consultants will be reporting to the Coordinator of Support Programmes.

Duties and responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

Support the operationalization of the 2024-2027 readiness strategy in the second replenishment period of the GCF, including but not limited to:

• Provide support to the Readiness team in the design, review and update of Readiness process, procedures, and guidelines for originating and managing Readiness activities.
• Lead the mapping of new Readiness processes—covering both origination and implementation—followed by the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and delivery of related training sessions.
• Support the automation and digitization of templates and processes, with the subsequent update of SOPs and delivery of related training sessions.
• Collaborate with the Department of Information and Technology (DIT) in the development and enhancement of systems, tools and guidelines for submitting and review Readiness proposals, reports and requests. 

Support the overall management of the service contract with UNOPS, including the following responsibilities:

• Assist the Senior Readiness Specialist in managing and overseeing DINVS’ current contracts with UNOPS, with a focus on improving processes and optimizing existing procedures to enhance efficiency.

• Coordinate and facilitate communication between internal regional teams and UNOPS on the portfolio management of readiness grants.

• Coordinate with UNOPS matters concerning the current service contracts, to ensure alignment and agreement on key clauses of current and side letters.
• Coordinate the end-to-end process of finalizing current and future readiness agreements, including revision of the current Framework Agreements (FWAs) as well as new Direct Access grant agreements, by ensuring timely and thorough review across all relevant teams, consolidation and clearance of comments, and completion of internal approvals. In close collaboration with the Office of General Counsel (OGC), this role will focus on the operational coordination required to ensure agreements are ready for signature and become legally effective.
• Conduct sanction screenings for disbursements related to contracts with UNOPS and assist other workstreams in enhancing the automation of screening processes and in designing process workflows.

Support other workstreams, including but not limited to:

• Support preparation of presentations and briefing notes for senior management as well as for sharing with internal and external stakeholders as may be required.
• Engage and participate in virtual and physical meetings to provide feedback to internal stakeholders on actions and measures required to improve portfolio performance and/or ensure compliance with the GCF terms and conditions.
• Conduct readiness portfolio/pipeline research and analyses to support the DINVS knowledge management and learning loops.
• Support the review of financial reports and requests for readiness grants under implementation, as required.
• Support regional teams in the closure of legacy readiness grants.
• Perform other tasks as deemed necessary.

Required experience and qualifications

• Master’s degree in international relations, economics, finance, sustainable development, project management or a relevant Bachelors’ degree with 2 additional years of experience.
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in project development and implementation, especially related to climate change interventions.
• Proficiency in using data management-related software programs (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, etc.) and standard software programs (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Required skills

• A self-starter and organized multi-tasker who can effectively manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, and anticipate project needs to deliver results.
• Detail-oriented with understanding of compliance and regulatory requirements related to legal agreements
• Strong organizational skills to oversee the implementation and optimization of processes and systems.
• Collaborative nature to ensure that all internal clearance for the review of reports and disbursements are processed in an efficient and effective manner.
• Strong communication and coordination skills to manage the inputs effectively and efficiently from across the different divisions in GCF, as well as smoothly manage any direct contact with external stakeholders.
• Ability to perform additional tasks as required and adapt to changing priorities and needs within the organization.
• Strong information management and database skills to keep all electronic records in an organized fashion for audit purposes.

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience relevant to the role. Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Please indicate your earliest availability to take up the assignment and notice-period required, if employed. The closing date for applications is 5 May 2025, 23:59 (KST). Applications submitted after the closing date may not be considered.