SUSTAINABLE FINANCE OFFICER, COLOMBIA

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

GGGI is seeking to expand its sustainable finance footprint in Colombia to accelerate the transformation of financial sector architecture to drive increased financial flows towards NDC and SDG goals.

CONTEXT

GGGI has a rapidly expanding sustainable finance portfolio, assisting public and private financial sector actors to design, structure and bring to market innovative sustainable finance solutions, including green, social and sustainability bonds, sustainability-linked instruments, debt for nature/climate swaps, green credit and guarantee schemes. Since 2017, GGGI has successfully mobilized investment commitments exceeding USD 10 billion towards its member countries’ NDC and SDG goals.

In 2024 GGGI entered a partnership with the European Commission (EC) to deliver technical assistance under the framework of the EU Global Green Bond Initiative (GGBI). Under the framework of the GGBI, GGGI is tasked to promote the development of green bond markets by accompanying first-time issuers in EU partner countries across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Southeast Asia (SEA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to enter the green bond market.

GGGI is to support a minimum of twenty (20) issuers from low- and middle-income countries throughout the issuance of green bonds, mobilizing at least USD 3 billion, yielding significant environmental and economic benefits, including a reduction of emissions equivalent to 130 million tons of CO2e, the sustainable management of 300,000 hectares of forest, the creation of 250,000 green jobs and enhance the climate change resilience of 2 million beneficiaries.

For the Colombian program, sustainable finance includes designing, structuring, and operating mechanisms and instruments for green financing that will drive the country’s economy toward its climate and sustainability goals.

POSITION SUMMARY

Based in Bogotá, the Sustainable Finance Officer will coordinate and support GGGI’s sustainable finance activities in Colombia, as well as the engagement with government stakeholders and the private financial sector, and oversee the implementation of the Sustainable Finance workstreams under the leadership of the GGGI Investment Lead.

The Sustainable Finance Officer will be part of the Colombian team, report to the Andean Representative, and work closely with the Sustainable Finance team of the LAC regional office. He/she will oversee and coordinate local staff and consultants.

PURPOSE

The Sustainable Finance Officer will play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of the sustainable finance components of the different projects in Colombia’s portfolio.

ENGAGEMENT

• Report directly to the Andean Representative.

• Work closely with the Sustainable Finance team of the LAC Regional Office.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with ministries of finance and environment, local financial institutions, national development banks, international financial institutions and international climate funds.

• Engage with public and private financial stakeholders to create sustainable finance opportunities.

• Map, identify and engage with potential green bond issuers, stock exchanges, SPO providers and relevant industry actors.

• Regularly engage with donors and partners to explore, identify, and materialize funding opportunities to expand GGGI’s sustainable finance interventions in Colombia.

• Support the Country Team and provide significant inputs for developing and expanding the Colombia Country Program and the Andean Region portfolio.

DELIVERY

• Lead the design and structuring of sustainable finance instruments.

• Organize activities for capacity building, training sessions, and knowledge exchange events that contribute to accelerating the implementation of sustainable finance in Colombia.

• Provide technical support to activities, projects, and programs for increasing resource mobilization.

• Support Finagro in the design of sustainable finance instruments and its accreditation to GCF.

• Design and implement sustainable finance instruments, regulations and policies, including but not limited to taxonomies, climate-budget tagging, climate finance strategies, international climate funds’ funding proposals, thematic bonds and swaps, among others.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be a Colombian citizen or a foreigner holding a valid Work Visa.

• Bachelor’s degree in economy, Finance, Public Administration or other related fields.

• An advanced degree in Finance, Public Administration, Economics, International Affairs or another relevant field is valued.

• Preferred at least five (05) years of professional experience , at least 2 years of experience in sustainable finance, or climate change mitigation and adaptation projects with involvement of the financial sector.

• Prior experience with green, social, or sustainable bonds is a strong asset.

• Familiarity with national and international taxonomies is a strong asset (e.g. EU taxonomy, Climate Bond Initiative).

• Experience and familiarity with sustainable finance and sustainable banking standards is an asset.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish are essential for this position.

• Verbal and written fluency in English oral and written, including public speaking.

• Familiarity with the GCF is a plus.

FUNCTIONAL

• Exceptional analytical skills, alongside strong synthesis skills.

• Leadership, teamwork and creative problem-solving abilities.

• Able to pick up and assimilate relevant information quickly and easily. Learns new tasks rapidly Responds swiftly and appropriately. Can think on their feet in rapidly changing environments.

• Excellent ability to multi-task and prioritize under stressful circumstances.

• Attention to detail, quality control and strong organizational abilities.

• Capacity to deliver high-quality deliverables, understanding the counterparts’ needs, limitations, and capacities.

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively support GGGI’s mission, vision and values.

• Promote the optimum use of public resources.

• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership.

• Process and share information easily.

• Manage emotions and stress positively, build rapport and resolve conflict easily.

• Promote creativity and innovation among staff.

• Be able to lead where needed and provide solutions to project-level challenges.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Sustainable Finance Officer is an X8 grade level in GGGI’s Colombia Salary Scale. For X8 national grade, the base salary starts from USD 28,854. Determination of base salary is subject to candidate’s experience, academic background and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision.

GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members.