Climate change adaptation specialists (two positions)

Organizational Context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an International Financial Institution and a Specialized United Nations Agency whose mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. IFAD's headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and is present in more than 90 countries to develop and finance programmes and projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and incomes.

The Programme Management Department (PMD) is responsible for the overall lending programme of the Fund, and is composed of five Regional Divisions, Environment and Climate Division (ECD) and Policy and Technical Advisory Division (PTA).

In 2012, IFAD launched a new Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) which is a major financial programme tailored to improve the climate resilience of IFAD-supported investments and channel climate and environmental finance more effectively to smallholder farmers. ASAP is using IFAD's existing institutional systems and partnerships to integrate and mainstream climate change adaptation across IFAD's programmes. Lessons learned from ASAP will systematically inform and enhance climate risk management approaches across IFAD's portfolio.

Purpose of Position

Climate Change Adaptation Specialists will serve IFAD's Regional Divisions to help develop and oversee ASAP-supported investments in collaboration with the five Regional Climate and Environment Specialists (RCES). In doing so, they will provide access to relevant thematic expertise on climate change adaptation and enhance IFAD's ability to become a world-class service provider on climate change adaptation.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the general supervision of Director, ECD and direct supervision of the Climate Change Adaptation Specialist (P5), ECD and in coordination with the RCESs, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:

Mainstreaming of climate change issues into Regional Divisions strategies and programs and portfolio management

• Actively participate in the preparation of at least 2 country strategies per year providing technical support to Regional Divisions to ensure that climate change adaptation is fully integrated in country programme analysis and forward plans;
• Identify, prepare and revise selected ASAP proposals and/or concept notes and their project preparation grants (as needed) for approval;
• Collaborate in the formulation of project design documents per year by providing inputs, analysis and compiling information required for their design, and contributing to their revision up to their approval;
• Provide technical input and feedback to improve the quality of projects;
• Contribute to the supervision and provision of implementation support for selected projects already operational and/or for the start-up of new projects;
• Capture lessons and contribute to the preparation of knowledge management products, including technical documents, inputs to events and global initiatives and the organization of relevant events as needed;
• Perform any other duties related to the portfolio management as required.

Thematic responsibilities

• Building on substantive technical expertise in at least one subject area relevant to climate change adaptation programming within IFAD described below, devise and develop demand-driven tools and resources that can support climate change adaptation programming and mainstreaming:

Environmental Economics: Economic valuation of climate impacts; cost/benefit analysis of different adaptation options; innovative use of environmental financing mechanisms (such as Payment for Ecosystem Services).

Community-based adaptation:Community-based appraisal of vulnerability and adaptive capacity; socio-economic analysis of differential vulnerability to climate hazards; development of community-based natural resource management strategies; development of community-based action plans for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Sustainable value chains: Analysis of economic risks and opportunities in rural value chain projects; appraisal of climate risk financing and -transfer opportunities in rural value chains; sustainable procurement and certification of environmentally sustainable products.

Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): GIS-based analysis and visualization of biophysical and socio-economic vulnerability; GIS-based tracking of project baselines and impacts; computation of climatic and crop indices alongside parameters derived from climate models.

Ecosystem-based adaptation: Valuation and measurement of resilience benefits provided by ecosystems and landscapes; appraisal of opportunities for payment of ecosystem services; promotion of evidence-based investments in ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation.

Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment: Tracking and aggregation of IFAD¿s impact on the climate resilience of smallholder farmers; Strengthening institutional and project-based monitoring systems to capture aspects of climate resilience; Supporting evidence-based analysis of `what works¿ in IFAD¿s climate change portfolio.

• Strengthen and develop institutional and knowledge partnerships to strengthen the data and evidence-base on climate-related vulnerability and resilience in rural development;
• Strengthen IFAD¿s representation and communication on climate change adaptation issues in thematic fora, policy dialogue/processes and knowledge networks (including representing IFAD at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences). This also includes providing programmatic or substantive expertise on adaptation issues or holding discussions with representatives of other institutions.
• Conceptualize and develop high-quality knowledge products and training materials which can be used to train IFAD staff, project teams and government partners.
• As active members of the Environment and Climate Division, perform other thematic, sector and corporate-level tasks as appropriate.

Qualifications and Skills Required

Education and experience

• Master's Degree in environmental or agricultural economics, geography, climatology, agronomy, geosciences, or rural development.
• At least 8 years work experience in the formulation, management and supervision of development investment programmes.
• Solid understanding of climate change issues and climate-related impacts on rural development, ideally acquired by working on climate change-related, rural development, or disaster risk reduction projects.
• In-depth technical expertise, demonstrated by substantive work experience, in at least one of the following subject areas:

- Environmental economics

- Community-based adaptation

- Sustainable value chains

- Remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

- Ecosystem-based adaptation

- Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment

• Demonstrated working experience on climate change-related, rural development, or disaster risk reduction projects.
• Demonstrated experience in the formulation and supervision of rural development projects, including field experience in a developing country (experience in the design and implementation of IFAD, GEF, LDCF, SCCF or Adaptation fund projects will be an advantage).
• Access to a network of technical and professional resources and expertise which can be brought to bear to improve ASAP programming.
• Proven experience in negotiation, decision-making and also leading some complex project design and implementation/supervision issues

Technical/Functional Competencies

• Strong action management skills and initiative. accomplishes work objectives while creating an enabling environment for team and collaborators.
• Planner and organiser. Understands corporate objectives, effectively planning activities and projects well in advance and adjusting to changing circumstances. Ability to work independently and under pressure to meet strict deadlines.
• Teamwork.Capacity to foster teamwork and establish harmonious working relationships in a multicultural environment
• Self-developer/Innovator. willingness to learn, share and acquire new competencies and seek new challenges by exploring new approaches. Commitment to personal performance and self-development.
• Negotiator and communicator. Works effectively with others to meet mutual goals, negotiates to align parties, builds networks, listens and communicates effectively to engage others.
• Facilitator of change. Produces adaptive change and encourages others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities.

Languages and other skills

• Full command of English, including the ability to set out a coherent argument in English in writing, presentations and group interactions.
• Additional IFAD language (Arabic, French or Spanish) would be a strong asset.
• Good working knowledge of Windows-based computing, and electronic communication

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

IFAD reserves the right to appoint a candidate at the appropriate grade commensurate with experience and knowledge.