Job description

1. Objective

The Climate Finance Specialist will be responsible for leading FSD Kenya’s activity in Climate Finance both in strategy and praxis.

2. Role

Strategic and technical functions:

• Generate relevant cases on how finance (public, private, DFI etc.) can be successfully leveraged for climate change mitigation and adaptation measures
• Structure climate finance interventions with an understanding of global, regional, and national climate financing issues
• Integrate climate finance with FSD Kenya’s broader strategic vision

Execution and delivery:

• Lead in managing the implementation of climate finance interventions and delivering on anticipated outputs and outcomes
• Manage relationships with partners and funders such that FSD Kenya’s climate finance strategy objectives are met

Knowledge generation and management:

• Collaborate with national, regional and international organisations to facilitate the transfer of expertise on climate finance
• Develop, strengthen and/or maintain links and mechanisms for sharing knowledge and experience on climate finance particularly at county level
• Support information sharing, knowledge exchange and lessons learned with regional, national and sub-national governments, civil society and private sector stakeholders
• Generate and disseminate new ideas on how finance can innovate to support a climate change mitigation agenda.

Capacity Building:

• Develop and implement plans of action for enhancing skills and expertise of staff in public and private sector organisations to strengthen institutional capacity to absorb and deploy climate financing opportunities at national and county level
• Facilitate domestic processes for strengthening the role and potential of climate finance in both public and private sector planning and action  

Partnership management :

• Identify focal points to engage with regional, national and county government, civil society and private sector on climate finance opportunities
• Develop and strengthen partnerships between local, national and international climate finance stakeholders

3. Conduct of work:

The Climate Finance Specialist will work as a full-time member of the FSD Kenya team, reporting to the relevant project strategy team (PST). In line with FSD’s strategy, the Climate Finance Specialist is expected to work across a number of areas and different projects. S/He will ensure stewardship for the Trust’s resources and adhere to policies and procedures. It is expected that s/he has gravitas, credibility and ability to influence at the senior management level.

Working arrangements will be flexible with the approach taken driven by the demands of the role. Communication and collaboration are of paramount importance to the FSD team’s effectiveness. Guidelines on effective remote working and flexitime are set out in FSD’s policies and procedures which should be strictly adhered to. Use of timesheet is mandatory and salaries will only be processed upon confirmation of updated timesheets by 20^th of each month. Successful remote and flexible working requires liaison with PST and task teams and the full adoption of FSD’s technology-based communication tools.

An initial 6-month probationary period is envisaged and subject to satisfactory performance appointment made for a period of 2 years in line with the employment terms of the FSD Trust. This includes 30 days annual leave, personal accident insurance, comprehensive medical cover as well as flexible working hours.

4. Outcomes and deliverables:

The Climate Finance Specialist will be responsible for identifying, developing and managing activities which contribute significantly to the achievement of FSD’s mission: “to support the development of inclusive financial markets in Kenya as a means to stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty”. In particular, s/he will support development of financial markets in Kenya that offer resilience and growth opportunities for enterprises and low-income households.

FSD is managed on a strongly results based approach and each person is expected to deliver specific annual targets agreed with their PST members to support the strategy and business plan. The Climate Finance Specialist will work in collaboration with the rest of the FSD team to facilitate robust innovative initiatives targeting low income households. Programme and project reporting, as formally specified in the policies and procedures must be delivered on time and to the highest standards.

5. Mandatory requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from a recognized tertiary institution (Master’s degree preferred) – Social sciences, Business, Law or other relevant
• 8 years working on the environment, climate change, sustainable development, and/or financial or policy solutions for vulnerable groups
• 3 years of working in senior decision-making role in Government, Private Sector or Non-Government organisation dedicated to mitigation of climate change or other natural disasters
• 3 years of working in a economic development role focused on Kenya/Africa
• Proven technical and intellectual skills in understanding and interpreting global, national and local climate finance issues and dynamics
• Technical skills for assessing climate change impacts, undertaking action from mitigation and adaptation perspectives
• Ability to formulate project proposals in compliance with climate finance principles and regulatory requirements and project financial analysis
• Keep abreast of developments in the climate finance sector
• Intellectually curious problem solver

6. Assessment criteria:

• Understanding of climate change, adaptation and mitigation measures - 30%
• Understanding of the role of finance in climate, adaptation and mitigation - 30%
• Written and oral communication (presentation + substantive self-written work required) - 25%
• Remuneration expectations - 15%

7. Competencies:

• Initiative and decisiveness
• Innovation and value addition
• Drive for results
• Thinking and problem analysis
• Learning and resourcefulness
• Relationship building
• Communication and influencing