Senior Program Officer Green Infrastructure, South Asia

Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)

Dhaka, Bangladesh 🇧🇩

Job description

VACANCY TITLE: Senior Program Officer Green Infrastructure, South Asia 

GCA PROGRAM: Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions 

LOCATION: Dhaka, Bangladesh

LEVEL OF EFFORT: Full time

ANTICIPATED START DATE: 27 February 2023

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 08 January 2023

ABOUT GCA

ABOUT THE ROLE

Profile

GCA seeks a dynamic and creative individual with strong analytical and communications skills to fill the role of Senior Program Officer Green Infrastructure for South Asia. This position will be based in GCA’s Regional Office in Dhaka, Bangladesh but will report to the Global Lead for Infrastructure and Nature Based Solutions Program in Rotterdam. All work programs in Bangladesh are managed under the guidance and supervision of the Bangladesh Country Manager.

While this role will primarily focus on the implementation of projects in Bangladesh, there may also be opportunities to support projects or initiatives in other countries, including in South Asia and in Africa.

ABOUT GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyse action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure shared learning and collaboration for a climate resilient future. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam. Adapting to the impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate-related threats.

GCA operates through three strategic pillars: I. Global Programs, II. Advocacy and Agenda Setting, and III. Research for Impact. There are six Global Programs, which are managed out of the Headquarters in Rotterdam. These include: 1) Food security, 2) Infrastructure and Nature Based Solutions (NBS), 3) Urban Resilience and Water, 4) Youth and Jobs; 5) Climate Finance, and 6) Locally Led Action. The Global Programs support a range of projects that ultimately aim to ensure that large-scale investments reflect and integrate adaptation solutions.

In Bangladesh, the Infrastructure and NBS Program supports three types of projects. These include developing a National Infrastructure Stress Test Facility, which aims to develop the pipeline of adaptation investments in Bangladesh by stress testing national infrastructure systems and networks against projected climate change scenarios and using this data to prioritize adaptation needs and investments, with a particular focus on NBS. The Program also supports investments projects financed by the Government and Multilateral Development Banks, including through Public-Private Partnerships, by providing upstream climate analytics to mainstream adaptation into the investment design. Finally, the Infrastructure and NBS Program aims to embed capacity within the public and private sector by developing and delivering the Masterclass on Climate Resilient Infrastructure.

Areas of responsibility

Technical Expertise:

  • Use climate data and analytics to quantify the impacts and consequences of climate risks to infrastructure systems, assets, and services.
  • Appraise innovative adaptation and resilience solutions including NBS to address climate risks for public and private infrastructure investment projects.
  • Identify, design, and support the implementation of NBS for resilient infrastructure, including to structure bankable and marketable NBS investment models for resilient infrastructure.
  • Develop and review reports, presentations, and project briefs, ensuring that all project outputs are technically robust and with a clear narrative.
  • Participate in the preliminary evaluation of project proposals to assess their feasibility for financial support and/or technical assistance by GCA. This involves the initial screening of projects, carrying out desk reviews, preparing preliminary evaluation notes for presentation to the Global Lead for infrastructure and NBS, as well as to GCA senior management.
  • Participate in relevant missions with project partners to prepare project appraisal reports, including various financial and risk analysis, development outcome analysis, strategic alignment with GCA goals.
  • Support the preparation of knowledge products – e.g. policy briefs, news stories, reports – on GCA’s activities and the Work Program in Bangladesh and South Asia, as well as capacity building activities under the NBS for Resilient Infrastructure workstream.

Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Support the development and expansion of the NBS for Resilient Infrastructure workstream, engaging with international, national, regional and local partners, and identifying forward-looking adaptation projects and investment programs on resilient infrastructure and NBS.
  • Work collaboratively with the ‘ecosystem’ both in the region and at headquarters to ensure timely and effective delivery of business objectives. This would involve active consultation and communication through personal action and active follow up where necessary.
  • Participate in discussions with potential project partners to originate new projects and foster business relationships with the GCA.

Programmatic and Strategic Support :

  • In coordination with the Global Lead for Infrastructure and NBS, contribute to the strategic development and implementation of the NBS for Resilient Infrastructure workstream, including to facilitate interaction with Development Finance Institutions and project partners.
  • Facilitate the day-to-day implementation of GCA’s NBS for Resilient Infrastructure workstream and support the coordination of the overall GCA Work Program in Bangladesh and South Asia, including but not limited to the preparation of project concepts, procurement documents, contract management, planning tools, and progress monitoring and reporting.
  • Participate in the preparation of annual work program/budget of the team.
  • General support to the implementation of initiatives in the GCA South Asia portfolio.
  • Perform any additional tasks as requested.

Job requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  • Master’s degree or PhD. in civil/environmental engineering, infrastructure project finance, environmental studies, development studies, social sciences or other relevant fields.
  • Preference for at least 10 years’ experience in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects and programs, preferably in South Asia.
  • Previous experience working in multilateral financial institutions, international organizations, development agencies or private sector (e.g., infrastructure operators, equity investors, risk management, etc.), and performing roles such as project preparation, appraisal, advisory services or implementation of donor funded projects related to climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure.
  • Understanding of climate stress test of infrastructure systems, identification and appraisal of adaptation and resilience investment options, and Nature-Based Solutions for adaptation of infrastructure.
  • Experience with infrastructure project finance, structuring financial instruments (debt and equity), and/or developing financial models for infrastructure projects.
  • In-depth knowledge of social, economic, and environmental development issues across infrastructure sectors in the country.
  • Strong planning, management and operational skills to effectively coordinate project teams, implementation partners and other stakeholders, with a demonstrable sense of urgency and ability to work under tight deadlines while maintaining a solutions-oriented and proactive problem-solving approach.
  • Ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders at different technical and strategic levels – senior government officials and other authorities, representatives of multilateral development banks, implementation partners, and so on.
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills, with proven ability to function effectively and collaboratively as an empowering team leader or team member of multi-disciplinary and multicultural teams, working in multiple locations, and to resolve conflicts constructively.
  • Excellent report writing, presentation and communication skills, backed by an ability to articulate complex ideas into clear outputs with a coherent narrative to a diverse audience of stakeholders at technical and strategic levels.
  • Excellent spoken and written English. Strong skills in Bangla and other South Asian languages will be an added advantage.
  • Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite). Strong knowledge in geospatial analysis software (QGIS and ArcGIS) will be an added advantage.

WHAT WE OFFER

With our global headquarters in Rotterdam on the world’s largest floating office, and regional offices around the globe, the GCA offers a dynamic, high-profile and international working environment in a growing organisation. You will be contributing to our global mission on climate adaptation. You will have the opportunity to draw upon the substantial expertise available at the GCA and its partner organizations across the world and you will be given an opportunity to support the shaping of international policies and global action on climate change, working at the highest governmental levels and collaborating with governments on all continents.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this position, please submit your motivation letter and CV by following the link https://gca.org/about-us/join-us/ before 8 January 2023, 5 pm CET. Kindly mention the date as of which you would be available to start in Dhaka and/or remotely in case there are Covid-19 restrictions.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

The GCA celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. GCA does not discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

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