View Vacancy - International Climate Finance (ICF)- Clean Growth Programme Manager

Main purpose of job:

This position is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of the growing UK-Brazilian collaboration focussed on climate, including sustainable infrastructure, land use and green finance. The post holder will be part of the International Climate Finance (ICF) team in the UK Government. The main duties include providing programme management support to climate and clean growth initiatives in Brazil, ensuring policy initiatives interact effectively supporting UK-Brazilian partnership and conducting regular research and analysis, particularly in the run-up to COP26, building effective relationships with in-country stakeholders, and helping guide the ICF Brazil strategy.

Climate and Energy work is a core part of the UK Embassy in Brazil’s focus, and this role sits alongside major programme and policy initiatives involving a range of UK government departments (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for International Trade). The UK International Climate Finance (ICF) is a £11.6bn portfolio of Official Development Assistance (covering the period 2021-26), which includes a range of programmes designed to support emerging economy countries achieve a low carbon transition. This includes supporting the implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions for emissions reductions into stronger policies and tangible progress on the ground. Nature initiatives will receive £3bn of this ICF support, with a significant portion focussed on helping partner countries pursue sustainable development, clean growth, and emissions reduction and halt deforestation. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping the way International Climate Fund programming supports Brazil to make a successful transition to a low carbon economy in line with its NDC, and engaging external stakeholders including UK and Brazilian government agencies, private sector institutions, think-tanks, academics and NGOs, among other relevant stakeholders.

Brazil is a major recipient of ICF support and the main programmes under implementation in the country includes:

• £177m to support Sustainable Infrastructure Programme (SIP) to support partner countries to accelerate the implementation of their NDCs by mobilising private sector investments into sustainable infrastructure. This is a regional programme being implemented in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
• £150m of blended finance investment approach to combat deforestation and other environmentally unsustainable land use practices in tropical forest regions that are contributing to global climate change. Mobilising Finance for Forests (MFF) operates in selected tropical forest regions in the Amazon Basin, Africa and South East Asia.
• £15.8m to support The Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) Facility which is a multi-donor initiative with projects aiming to move countries towards low-carbon development pathways.
• £12m of capacity-building to support low-carbon transitions and a green, resilient economic recovery across ODA-eligible countries through the UK PACT Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

This role will work directly with the implementers of the programmes mentioned above and with the broader team across British Embassy in Brazil and Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), contributing to effective programme management by supporting risk management, engaging stakeholder, communicating results, and ensuring that the programmes respond to evolving climate policy dynamics.

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

General:

• The job holder will be expected to manage his or her own administrative tasks and support the wider team on administrative tasks as and when required.
• Play an active part in the corporate life of the Embassy (potentially also as a member of Embassy Committees) to maximise the overall well-being of staff.

Portfolio management (50%):

• Monitor and provide programme management support to the Brazil ICF portfolio. This includes ensuring delivery partners are engaged, local and global results are maximised and risks are controlled.
• Leverage the ICF portfolio of programmes to develop effective relationships with the Brazilian Federal and State Governments, private sector stakeholders, civil society and academia.
• Lead on the preparation and coordination of key visits (programme monitoring missions to Brazil; ministerial visits) and senior-level meetings that will increase the profile of our programmes and help secure measures needed to strengthen their implementation. Publicly represent the Embassy and UK government as a credible interlocutor.
• Work with other donors, government entities and regional stakeholders to effectively raise HMG’s profile and expertise, supporting key events to showcase our work to support sustainable infrastructure and clean growth development, enhancing the UK’s position as a major partner of strategic importance for Brazil.
• Scope potential investment opportunities to advance our climate objectives and deepen the UK-Brazil partnership (e.g. scoping potential UK PACT GRCF phase 2). Influence key organisations and individuals to help shape the initiatives to meet both UK’s and Brazil’s needs. As part of this, build and apply expertise in how ICF makes investment decisions and prioritises policy efforts.    

Integrate programme and policy initiatives with the wider UK government Brazil network (50%):

• Significant political leverage through the ICF programmes impact, regardless of their delivery models.
• Help programmes to build greater political momentum; integration with other policy and finance initiatives; and better outcomes for businesses and private investors.
• Maximize value of UK taxpayers’ money contributing to sustainable development through an integrated portfolio and a coordinated engagement across UK government Whitehall departments.
• Proactively seek collaboration opportunities amongst Embassy and Consulate teams to support the UK’s low-carbon and clean growth agenda in Brazil by e.g. ensuring UK’s finance and policy initiatives interact effectively with Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs programmes, Prosperity Fund and political and communication teams, and Department for International Trade.
• Monitor and analyse key policy changes regarding climate and clean growth. Assess potential policy barriers and policy changes, regularly communicate in a concise manner to London-based colleagues.
• The C4 role will also support the delivery of HMG’s COP26 goals in Brazil, working closely with the COP26 lead in the Embassy and relevant campaign leads, supporting COP26 country implementation plan.  
• Support responses to consultations, commissions and briefings for Ministers.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

Oversight of Brazil based programmes mentioned above.

• Bachelor's degree;
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience; 
• Solid knowledge of Brazilian State-level and Federal climate policies and institutional frameworks;
• Proven project management skills;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Demonstrable interpersonal and relationship skills, and the ability to influence others;
• Self-directed, able to create a plan, prioritise initiatives and execute independently and in collaboration with others, to agreed deadlines;
• Ability to work well and have a flexible approach to work whilst under pressure; team player, driven by collaboration.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Portuguese – excellent communication, adjusting for audience.