Sub-Regional Head - Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Middle East (2 positions)

Grade: IS-7
Deadline: 06 April 2025 (11:59 PM KST)
Job Category: International
Salary: USD 198,000 (plus attractive benefits, that include the following allowances (as applicable)): Relocation, dependency, housing, education assistance and home country travel.

Introduction
The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund and invests in impactful, innovative, catalytic programs and projects in developing countries across the globe. The GCF has a portfolio of 297 projects across 133 countries, with a total commitment of USD 16.6 billion to date.

In 2023, an additional USD 12.8 billion was pledged, to support our new strategic and programming cycle from 2024-2027; our ambition is to grow to become at least a USD 50 billion fund by 2030. Rooted in the core objectives of impact and efficiency, access and a focus on the most vulnerable, and mobilizing a much higher scale of public and private sector financial flows for climate action we have an unparalleled scale of resources, which, together with our risk appetite and flexibility allows us to bring together different partners and stakeholders in innovative partnerships for profound impact. 

GCF is seeking a top-tier individual with a demonstrable track record of harnessing experience, energy and networks to tackle complex global climate change challenges. You will be committed to making a positive, measurable difference through a mission-driven role, and thrive in a fast-paced, diverse environment.  

You will be able to quickly scan and analyze complex, competing issues and lead significant sized teams to find solutions in evolving contexts, across multiple geographic locations. 

You will be a nurturer of people: recognizing and growing the talent around you, exemplifying values of transparency, respect and innovation.

You will be committed to learning, knowledge-sharing, convening and communicating with partners to work together to ideate, develop and implement climate action initiatives that make a profound difference to people and planet.

You will join a team of talented, committed individuals representing almost 80 nationalities contributing skills and experience from academic, scientific, private, government and nonprofit backgrounds.  Together, we work with governments, communities and civil society, technical agencies, and the private sector across the world.

Interested in more information? 
Learn about working for GCF: https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/careers 
View current vacancies: https://jobs.greenclimate.fund/

About the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Set up in 2010 by the 194 countries who are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF takes its responsibility as the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund to heart.  GCF funds transformative climate projects across the developing world, supporting countries in their responses and actions to tackle climate change while fostering sustainable development within their communities. 

Our country-driven approach ensures that our actions are tailored to the unique circumstances and national aspirations of each nation we support. Besides channeling public and private sector investment through a broad range of financing instruments, GCF builds the capacity of developing countries to take climate action through an extensive Readiness Programme ensuring countries are increasingly well-equipped and financed to manage their climate futures.

Headquartered in the Republic of Korea, GCF operates with a diverse and talented workforce of over 300 people. 
 

The recruitment process will be handled by the external search firm- Egon Zehnder. Qualified candidates will be contacted directly by their team.

The Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Middle East region is divided into two sub-regions, each with distinct language requirements:

• Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Russian
• Middle East: Arabic

Position Objective
The Sub-Regional Head, reporting to a Regional Director, holds a strategic management role within GCF. This role is responsible for developing and strengthening relationships with country and sub-regional stakeholders while leading a team of professionals across the investment cycle—from ideation and origination to appraisal and execution. Working in close collaboration with the Department of the Private Sector Facility (DPSF), the Sub-Regional Head also supports DPSF’s projects and programmes. Additionally, s/he partners with the Department of Investment Services (DINVS) to ensure alignment and coordination on readiness, accreditation, and project preparation efforts as well as with the Department of Strategic Investment Partnerships and Co-Investments (DSCI) in its outreach and development of various initiatives.

Purpose 

Either in support of the Regional Director, or directly s/he will carry out the following key tasks at the Sub-Regional level:

• Defines and drives GCF’s investment strategy for the sub-region, ensuring alignment with programmatic priorities, Fund objectives, and institutional policies. Develops and manages the investment pipeline, overseeing internal and external clearances up to Board submission; in collaboration with DPSF and DSCI as applicable.
• Drives country-led programming efforts, leveraging Readiness and Preparatory Support and the Project Preparation Facility to enhance project development and implementation in close alignment with the Department of Investment Services.
• Leads complex, high-impact projects in the sub-region to advance GCF’s mandate.
• Ensures the consistent application of all institutional policies.
• Delivers  onkey GCF objectives, including the successful implementation of planned initiatives and capital deployment in line with the 50by30 strategic goals.
• Leads portfolio implementation and management, making strategic decisions to assess performance, identify risks, and ensure efficient portfolio reviews.
• Manages and oversees sub-regional teams in alignment with the GCF values, ensuring effective performance management, budget administration, and delivery of key annual performance indicators.
• Ensures Project Leads conduct origination and due diligence transparently and efficiently, adhering to GCF standards to accelerate and enhance climate finance delivery.
• Drives continuous improvement in processes and operations, including refining standard operating procedures, enhancing tracking and reporting mechanisms, and optimizing information flows for greater coherence within the team.
• Enhances operational efficiency through measurable process improvements and cost savings.
• Fosters a culture of adaptability and innovation, ensuring strategies remain responsive to evolving global climate finance challenges.

Engagement

• Engages with stakeholders (national designated authorities, accredited entities, delivery partners, private sector, civil society and senior government representatives) across the sub-region to identify country needs and climate finance opportunities, strengthening relationships and overseeing country engagement including identification of strategic partners for accreditation, portfolio origination, and investment execution.
• Fosters cross-functional collaboration by establishing and overseeing quality control processes and service standards, ensuring consistency and efficiency across project teams.
• Ensures GCF’s contributions with countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), long-term strategies, and GCF’s programming priorities; mobilizes Accredited Entities and Delivery Partners to align with and support country-driven and transformational climate finance initiatives tailored to sub-regional needs.
• Drives GCF’s outreach efforts in the sub-region, effectively communicating its mission, objectives, and activities while advocating for strong climate policies and practices across government, civil society, and the private sector.
• Engages in policy dialogues with government officials and stakeholders to promote policy measures that advance development goals and inform country programmes, integrating regional financial institutions into programmatic initiatives.
• Represents the Fund at key events, including country or regional dialogues, enhancing outreach to recipient countries and strengthening collaboration with partners. 
• Supports Secretariat Committees on programming matters and ensures accurate and timely Board reporting and the implementation of Board decisions under the guidance of the Regional Director.
• Strengthens relationships and satisfaction among stakeholders through feedback mechanisms such as surveys and proactive change management.

Delivery

• Drives adaptive management measures to enhance effectiveness.
• Provides technical expertise on portfolio management, contributing to internal discussions and advising the Board, committees, panels, and teams. Develops policies and frameworks to support effective investment implementation while addressing and mitigating risks.
• Develops and enhances monitoring and evaluation systems to track portfolio performance against established standards, ensuring timely deployment of adaptive measures. Oversees origination efforts, appraisal frameworks, and resource management processes to optimize GCF investments across all results areas.
• Integrates lessons learned from project implementation into new project origination and design, ensuring continuous improvement and knowledge-sharing across operational teams.
• Provides institutional leadership in the design and execution of frameworks for monitoring and managing investment portfolios.

Requirements (Education, experience, technical competencies required of the job)

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field; a higher-level degree is preferred; or a Bachelor’s degree plus additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree.
• At least 15 years of experience, including management roles, with like-minded institutions such as International Development Agencies, Regional Multilateral Development Banks, Development Finance Institutions, Investment Banking; and others.
• Extensive expertise in project origination, transaction appraisal, financial structuring, deal management, execution, and portfolio management.
• Deep operational knowledge of project finance and investment, covering the full cycle from origination to implementation.
• Strong understanding of climate change and climate finance operations.
• Proven track record in integrated climate or development finance, with experience across key areas such as country engagement, origination, project processing, and portfolio management.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to build and manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including internal teams, government entities, private sector partners, investors, NGOs, and international organizations.
• Solid understanding of international climate organizations and their programming activities.
• Proven leadership experience in recruiting, managing, and mentoring culturally diverse, highly skilled technical teams.
• Language Requirements:
  • Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Fluency in written and spoken English is required, along with proficiency in Russian.
  • Middle East: Fluency in written and spoken English is required, along with proficiency in Arabic.

Competencies

• Demonstrates strong leadership, vision, and performance management skills, empowering teams and driving organizational success.
• Inspires and motivates teams through effective decision-making, clear vision-setting, and strategic guidance.
• Communicates effectively by conveying complex information clearly, fostering open dialogue, and promoting transparency across the organization.
• Thinks strategically, analyzing complex situations and making informed decisions that align with organizational objectives.
• Builds and nurtures high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, recognizing individual strengths, and cultivating a positive and inclusive work environment.
• Values staff contributions, demonstrating appreciation for expertise, effort, and achievements.
• Provides ongoing feedback and coaching, ensuring continuous professional growth and high performance.
• Upholds high ethical standards, ensuring fairness, integrity, and respect in all professional interactions.
• Broad expertise in climate finance, including financing tools, enablers, and implementation models across mitigation, adaptation, and results-based/nature-based solutions.
• Proven track record of private and public sector engagement in the relevant sub-region region.
• Demonstrated capability in delivering organizational strategic objectives with measurable impact.
• Extensive experience in public finance, capital structures, and procurement models, including Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Private Sector Participation (PSP).
   

The closing date for application is 06 April 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

*The person assessed by the Selection Panel as most suitable for the position will be proposed for appointment. Selection among short-listed candidates will also take into account performance at interview, appropriate testing, and references. 

Applications from women and nationals of developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply.