About us:

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) handles the United Kingdom’s foreign affairs and development programmes. Its Central Asia Development and Programme Team (CADPT) manages development programmes in the region. The team is led by a Regional Development Director sitting in the British Embassy in Tashkent (BE Tashkent) and comprises British and local staff in-country and the UK. CADPT has a regional climate programme, “Climate, Energy and Water Security in Central Asia” (CEW-CA) which is managed by a UK based Regional Climate Adviser and other members of the Climate Team. 

There is a vacancy for a Climate Policy Manager in Bishkek to work on regional and national climate, energy and water resources issues. 

The key deliverables:

The Climate Policy Manager will be the climate lead for Kyrgyzstan and will have the following responsibilities: 

CADPT (60%)

• Support the priorities set by the Regional Climate Adviser.
• Help to deliver CEW-CA by working with the Climate Team and the implementing partners.
• Liaising and building strong partnerships and relationships with working level contacts in the relevant government, civil society, business and development partners and participating in events.
• Work with the British Embassy’s Regional Communications Officer to increase public awareness of FCDO programmes.

BE Bishkek (30%)

• Brief the Ambassador and other embassy colleagues on climate issues in Kyrgyzstan and across the region.
• Liaise with other embassy teams and UK government partners to ensure the UK’s objectives for Central Asia and Kyrgyzstan are delivered.
• Be the campaign lead for the climate goal in BE Bishkek’s Country Business Plan.
• Piloting an approach to social networks that identifies the unseen connections between partners. Do this by setting up and managing a systems theory-based knowledge management platform using Kumu (or similar) to inform strategy, plans and decision-making across all capabilities (programme, policy and trade) that work on climate issues.
• Support climate and governance related events, and incoming CADPT visits.

Miscellaneous (10%)

• Continue professional development and expand technical and other relevant skills.
• There will be opportunities for travel in the region.

The role entails:

• Providing strategic and policy advice on climate, environment, energy and water issues to CADPT and BE Bishkek – sometimes to very tight deadlines.
• Building strong working level networks with external partners, ministries and development partners; engaging on key climate/governance related issues in an evolving landscape.
• Tracking trends and undertaking research/analysis on climate change and maintaining thematic briefs.
• Programme management: supporting implementation of CEW-CA and the management of risks, finance and operations in line with FCDO policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge management: ensuring knowledge management systems are updated and information is shared across teams.
• Supporting diplomacy outcomes, e.g. on the Conference of the Parties (COP) and wider lobbying priorities working with the Regional Climate Adviser and Climate Team. Following political developments and identifying governance opportunities and constraints that deliver on the UK’s climate ambition.
• Working in a team.

Our ideal candidate has:

• At least five years of experience in climate, energy and water resources management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills, with high attention to detail.
• A self-starter that can work well both individually and in a team.
• Flexible, reliable ‘can-do’ attitude.
• IT-literate specifically in Microsoft Office.
• Fluency at C1 level in English and Russian according to the CEFR Framework*.