View Vacancy - International Climate Finance – Technical Assistance Programme

Main purpose of job:

The UK International Climate Finance (ICF) fund is a £5.8bn portfolio of Official Development Assistance activity (covering the period 2016-21) which includes innovative private sector pilot projects and innovative financial approaches to shift conditions and perceptions of risk in investments in low carbon activities (especially renewable energy and energy efficiency) in developing countries. This includes helping developing countries turn their National Determined Contributions (NDCs, as agreed at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015) into meaningful policy frameworks and investable plans that provide a credible pipeline of projects for investors.

A new Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) will be developed as part of ICF, to deliver technical support in green expertise to China, Colombia and Mexico to help these priority countries increase capacity and capability of key institutions to facilitate increased ambition for emissions reductions. The pilot programme will run for a year (2018-2019) and will address country demands that are transformational, additional, and that contribute to achieving secondary benefits for UK plc in the clean growth space.

The British Embassy in Mexico City is looking for a Locally-Engaged B3 (L) ICF-Technical Assistance Project Officer to support the establishment, launch and administration of projects funded by TAP in Mexico, and to support the International Climate Finance Officer and the Head of Climate, Energy and Future Cities in the development of wider ICF portfolios.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

1. TAP set up (20%)

- Support the International Climate Finance Officer in Mexico and the International Climate Finance team in London in designing the delivery mechanisms and governance structure for TAP pilot activities.

- Lead on in-country logistics for market engagement activities to ensure that applications to both the country programme fund and the challenge fund are of sufficient quantity and quality to enable realisation of the programme’s vision.

- Lead on in-country logistics for launching TAP’s call for proposals

1. TAP Programme management (45%)

- Contribute to programme and project pipeline development ensuring on-going contacts with relevant stakeholders in Mexico and the UK mean that programme and project proposals follow a transparent, fair and consistent process. Give input, context and feedback to contribute to selection of proposals and evaluate received bids. 

- Elaborate and facilitate signing of contracts for successful proposals and launch the projects with implementers at the beginning of each project. 

- Manage project execution to ensure compliance with planned expenditure, based on completion of activities, targets and financial and narrative reporting under HMG Programme Management Procedures guidelines. 

- Monitor progress tracking through active follow up, periodic meetings with implementers, policy officers and other relevant stakeholders in Mexico and the UK. Monitor project risks and review project deliverables.

- Support the communication of programme and project achievements and strategies. Coordinate projects events. 

- Lead on project closure to guarantee the execution of project signing off, financial conclusion and all end-of-project documentation.

1. Communications (15%)

- Support the ICF team in Mexico and in London in communicating internally and externally all relevant TAP activities occurring in Mexico.

- Liaise with Press and Communication Team to follow up on communication campaigns agreed by post.

- Coordinate with Prosperity Fund Communications Lead for coherent messaging across all Embassy programmes.

- Manage ICF email accounts as required.

1. Other ICF programmes (15%)

- Support ICF team in coordinating Embassy-led monitoring of other ICF programmes besides TAP to guarantee coherence and prompt response.

- Liaise with programme leads in London and their implementing counterparts in Mexico to facilitate communication.

1. Corporate (5%)

- Play an active part in the corporate life of the Embassy (including if necessary as a member of Embassy Committees) to maximise the overall well-being of staff.

There will be some (limited) possibilities for travel as part of the role. Relevant job related training will be given as required.

The successful candidate must:

- Be resilient and resourceful – the aim of the job is to deliver a meaningful and successful range of activities which support both HMG’s objectives more widely as well as the Embassy’s business objectives.

- Create and maintain positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside the British Embassy to help get business done. At all levels, it requires working collaboratively, sharing information and building supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions. 

- Take responsibility and be accountable for quality outcomes, including by delivering on a timely performance with energy. Work to agreed goals and activities and deal with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. Build a performance culture to deliver outcomes with a firm focus on prioritisation and address performance issues resolutely, fairly and promptly. 

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

A number of small-scale technical assistance, skill-share, evidence, knowledge and capacity contracts (in the £10-£100s of thousands) in Mexico, coordinating discussions between UK stakeholders (BEIS regional leads, UK programme management team and UK Delivery Partners) and Mexican partners.

Essential on arrival:

-   2-3 years experience on programme and project management, preferably with international stakeholders;

-   Be a flexible and creative problem-solver, able to come up with innovative solutions to complex problems, adapt to changing requirements as the programme develops, and coordinate coherent and compelling programmes and projects;

-   Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish;

-   Experience providing administrative and logistical support;

-   Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and ability to adjust to different audiences;

-   Excellent presentation skills;

-   Ability to work well and have a flexible approach to work whilst under pressure;

-   Team player, able to demonstrate they are driven by the embassy values (honesty, respect, inclusion and professionalism).