Climate Finance Senior Associate

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

GGGI has been working with the Government of Rwanda since 2012 to achieve the country’s ambition of becoming a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy by 2050. As part of its Sustainable and Innovative Finance portfolio, GGGI has entered into a three-year partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to support the operationalization of the Climate Finance Department (CFD). The CFD is expected to significantly strengthen Rwanda’s climate finance architecture by fully embedding climate and nature priorities into national development planning and implementation, while mobilizing climate finance at speed and scale to deliver on the country’s ambitious climate objectives.

GGGI is now seeking a Climate Finance Senior Associate (CFSA) to work as part of the CFD technical advisory project under the supervision of the Project Manager-Climate Finance Senior Officer.

POSITION SUMMARY

Embedded within the MINECOFIN CFD, the Climate Finance Senior Associate will support the implementation of the project activities in Rwanda with support and guidance from GGGI's internal structures.

(S)he will be based in Kigali and will report to the Climate Finance Senior Officer, supporting internally as well as externally to ensure an impactful delivery of the project and its outputs.

The Climate Finance Senior Associate will demonstrate good understanding and knowledge of Rwanda’s macroeconomic landscape, green investments, and climate finance, with particular focus on innovative blended financing instruments, including Green, Social, and Sustainability (GSS) bonds and carbon markets.

PURPOSE

• Support the operationalization of the CFD and effective implementation of the project in Rwanda, in close alignment with GGGI’s global strategies and internal structures.
• Contribute to the identification of technical and innovative solutions to achieve ambitious climate finance targets and help mainstream green finance into national financial systems within the mandate of the CFD. Including the application of fit-for-purpose blended financing instruments such as thematic bonds (green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked), Article 6 carbon market mechanisms, debt-for-nature swaps, etc.
• Support the development and coordination of a prioritized pipeline of bankable public, PPP, and private climate and nature projects; support advancement of selected projects through preparation and financing readiness; support structured engagement and pitching activities with partners and investors, under the guidance of the climate finance senior officer; and apply CFD coordination processes to support engagement with financiers and enhance disbursement without duplicating existing institutional roles.
• Support the delivery of needs-based, targeted capacity building for CFD and MINECOFIN staff on climate and nature finance mechanisms, including sustainable and carbon finance instruments.
• Support knowledge sharing efforts by ensuring that lessons learned, success stories, and best practices are effectively captured and disseminated across the project and within GGGI’s global network.
• Support the implementation of the Rwanda Country Program green investment initiatives, including the implementation of the Country Investment Plan that is anchored on the government’s flagship projects and sector priorities.

ENGAGEMENT

• Engage and work closely with the MINECOFIN CFD team and other relevant departments within MINECOFIN to enhance project delivery.
• Develop and foster strong relationships with key government stakeholders, such as the Rwanda Green Fund, supporting the day-to-day communication and collaboration.
• Work effectively with key GGGI departments (Rwanda Country team, green investment/sustainable finance team, HR, legal, procurement, Africa Regional team, Carbon Pricing Unit, Communication, etc.) to ensure efficiency and high-quality delivery.

DELIVERY

• Support the timely, high-quality project implementation across all outcome areas, contributing to institutional setup and capacity-building activities, as well as the development of a robust pipeline for climate and sustainable financing in Rwanda.
• Support the delivery of impactful, high-quality project outputs on time and within budget that meet project objectives, GGGI standards, as well as government and resource partner requirements.
• Support the planning and delivery of climate finance capacity-building events to target beneficiaries, including the public and private sectors.
• Support the negotiation and documentation of key agreements with the government.
• Support the planning and facilitation of key project workshops and meetings with key stakeholders in Rwanda.
• Support robust quality monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) of the project by contributing to quality data collection, regular assessment of project performance, and timely submission of donor reports and deliverables to achieve maximum impact.
• Support clear and timely reporting on project delivery as required by the Funding Agreement and Operational Guidelines.
• Undertake other assignments as agreed, contributing to broader objectives and regional climate finance efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree relevant to climate/green finance (e.g. economics, finance, or similar). Others can be considered if relevance can be determined through complementary academic achievements.
• At least 5 years of professional work experience in climate/green finance solutions, preferably in one of the following: climate/green project bankability and structuring, blended finance instruments, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), guarantees, debt instruments (GSS bonds, debt-for-nature swaps), green loans, and Article 6 carbon markets.
• Good understanding and knowledge of national development strategies and climate-related policies such as  Vision 2050, NST2, GGCRS, NDC 3.0, Green Taxonomy etc.
• Good understanding of the international climate finance landscape, the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
• Experience in day-to-day engagement with key stakeholders (Government ministries and agencies, CSOs, Private Sector etc).
• Good understanding of the requirements and procedures of climate funds (e.g. GCF, GEF)
• Experience in organizing consultations, validation meetings, workshops, and capacity-building events.
• Skills in using Microsoft 365.

 FUNCTIONAL

• Ability to review and synthesize information and produce high-quality reports.
• Ability to absorb and understand technical information and relay it to others.
• Strong communication and public speaking skills (presentations, speeches, trainings)
• Detail-oriented striving for quality and consistency in all outputs and communications.
• Output-oriented, demonstrating creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial drive.
• Problem solver, able to find and implement solutions.
• Ability to establish priorities in a time-sensitive environment and meet deadlines with strong attention to detail.
• Highly organized and able to effectively and efficiently multitask and prioritize.
• An excellent command of spoken and written English.
• Excellent communication (both written and oral) and facilitation skills.
• Comfortable working both in a team and independently.

CORPORATE 

• Understand and actively support GGGI's mission, vision, and values.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect, and partnership.
• Excels at problem solving, asking questions, and seeking support when needed; easily shares information and knowledge with others both internally and externally.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, build rapport, and resolve conflicts constructively.
• Ability to work effectively in hybrid/remote settings with global teams.
• Ability to work independently, while knowing when to seek advice and liaise closely with the relevant GGGI structures.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Climate Senior Associate is an X7 grade level in GGGI's national salary scale, details of which can be found in the GGGI Staff Regulations on GGGI’s website. In addition, GGGI provides 27 days of annual leave, flexible work arrangements, and a contribution towards private health insurance that covers dental and vision. 

This position is contingent upon the availability of funding.