Markets Development Advisory Specialist

CCSD provides leadership, innovation, and knowledge sharing for ADB’s thematic work. CCRE leads the Bank’s work in responding to the growing need for policies, institutions, and investments to lead the region to a low-carbon, climate, and disaster resilient future; and support ADB’s operations departments to develop and implement climate and disaster resilience projects, integrate disaster risk and climate change considerations into their broader portfolio of projects, and access climate financing.

Your Role:

As a Markets Development Advisory Specialist (Climate Change), you will help integrate climate change considerations into OMDP’s operations and take a role in designing and structuring Public Private Partnerships (PPP) projects to sustainably manage national or sub-national environmental assets. You will provide the climate change expertise and carbon asset advisory support to OMDP’s project teams leading transaction advisory mandates or Technical Assistance (TA) projects, with focus on identifying a pipeline of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) advisory opportunities and supporting the technical due diligence process from design to project delivery.

You will:

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support the strengthening of legal and regulatory frameworks to support nature-positive investments and promote NBS in PPP designs and structures;
• Support pipeline delivery of transaction advisory mandates to government authorities in designing and implementing forest and land-use carbon projects (including ARR and Blue Carbon) and finding suitable routes to market;
• Support policies, strategies, and programs to integrate climate change considerations and carbon asset due diligence into OMDP operations;
• Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration between CCSD and OMDP and contribute to implementation of the Environmental Action Plan & Climate Change Action Plan, while aligning with the Paris Agreement and ADB Strategy 2030 commitments;
• Support OMDP on issues relating to monitoring and reporting of climate adaptation and mitigation outcomes, climate finance catalyzation, and other performance indicators such as greenhouse gas emission reductions, carbon credits;
• Contribute to knowledge management, communications and partnerships relating to ADB and DMC climate change agendas and prepare/review Terms of Reference for specialists.

Strategy and Planning:

• Support management and project teams on policies and strategies to allow OMDP take a holistic approach to climate change, resilience and environmental issues.
• Build networks, collaborate with and conduct policy dialogue with climate change and sector agencies and development partners in ADB’s Developing Member Countries (DMC), analyze national climate targets including Nationally Determined Contributions, long-term strategies, green growth strategies, low-carbon development plans, National Adaptation Plans, and other relevant policies and plans to identify natural capital restoration projects in PPP mode.
• Support the strengthening of legal and regulatory frameworks to support nature-positive investments and promote NBS in PPP designs and structures.
• Monitor and report on OMDP-wide climate change targets and outcomes and help grow strategic country level approaches to climate change by identifying gaps and new operational issues and identifying best practices and lessons from across ADB and from global best practices.
• Develop strategies and technical materials to support ADB and clients to increase investments in natural climate solutions and support efforts to strengthen capacities on climate actions and outcomes vis-a-vis PSD and PPP.
• Coordinate on the exchange of good practices, emerging issues, and experience on all aspects relating to climate change among the sector divisions and country offices.

Project Management:

• Contribute to OMDP’s development, processing and administration of transaction advisory projects and TA projects that have climate outcomes in the DMCs.
• Support OMDP transaction advisory specialists in taking climate change considerations more systematically into account during the project definition and structuring phase, through both assessments of climate change risks and vulnerabilities and GHG mitigation measures, observing ADB’s commitment to align all its operations with the Paris Agreement.
• Support transaction teams in assessing PPPs eligibility for sources of climate financing, including possible carbon market revenues from compliance or voluntary markets.
• Establish a pipeline of medium to high probability carbon finance projects with focus on promoting NBS, such as mangrove and forest restoration.
• Contribute to the administration/implementation of TA projects focused on climate and resilience.
• Help with the selection and management of individual consultants who support deal teams, including designing of their terms of reference.

Knowledge Sharing:

• Develop ADB internal and external networks to stay informed about the latest climate change development issues with special attention to regional issues.
• Represent the department in ADB-wide working groups and meetings.
• Contribute to internal and external training and conferences on climate change and carbon markets, and other relevant activities for advocacy, and knowledge sharing.
• Provide mentoring to teams, both within ADB and government counterparts, to support the agenda of mainstreaming climate change across ADB and DMC investments.
• Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration between CCSD and OMDP and contribute to the Environmental Action Plan & Climate Change Action Plan of ADB.
• Represent ADB at international forums and establish and maintain dialogue and relationships.
• Work together with the Department of Communication’s climate change focal to identify relevant media worthy initiatives.
• Provide periodic updates on the climate and environment policy aspects relating to projects supported by OMDP.

Staff Supervision:

• Manage the performance of teams and individuals, providing clear direction and regular monitoring and feedback on performance.

Qualifications:

• A University degree in environmental sciences, economics, engineering, management or related fields; preferably at post-graduate level or its equivalent.
• At least 6 years of relevant work experience, including at international level, in the development and management of forest carbon and other NBS projects with commercial, transaction and strategy experience and experience delivering large-scale environmental assets.
• Knowledge in project level GHG emissions accounting and application of applicable carbon methodologies.
• Familiarity with nature-based greenhouse gas methodologies for REDD+, forest conservation, agriculture, blue carbon, and soil carbon including with drafting PDDs, monitoring reports, and other important carbon documents.
• Understanding of climate change analysis and policy, including international climate change negotiation history, set-up of global frameworks, and country policy positions and national climate policy implementation arrangements.
• Technical competence and knowledge of ‘green’ environment issues, combined with substantial expertise in environmental management, environmental sciences, environmental policies, institution and capacity development.
• High proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
• Field-based and practical international experience working in a development context, especially in the Asia and Pacific region.
• Diverse competence combined with substantial and demonstrated expertise of applying climate change adaptation or low-carbon considerations within one or more specific sectors/area.
• Familiarity with operations and procedures of multilateral financial institutions.
• Use and share relevant knowledge to benefit the broader ADB community and support knowledge transfer.

Source: https://www.adb.org/careers/250067