ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.

IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental international organisation, with more than 1,400 government and NGO Members and some 18,000 volunteer experts in around 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by around 1,100 staff members in more than 50 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.

UNIT BACKGROUND

IUCN Multilateral Finance Unit (MFU) is a global unit within Corporate Services that leads on IUCN strategic engagement with the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, and other multilateral funds, and includes the Environmental and Social Management System. MFU main functions are to engage strategically with the Funds, to advise and guide IUCN regional and thematic experts on the pipeline development, to oversee the portfolio, and to monitor and report to the Funds. A core aspect of the work is to ensure compliance with the GEF and GCF technical and policy requirements. IUCN is a Partner Agency to the GEF since 2014 and an Accredited Entity to the GCF since 2016, and both portfolios have grown significantly in the last ten years. It is the largest portfolio where IUCN Secretariat plays the role of an implementing agency overseeing the execution by governments, IUCN members, NGOs/CSOs and other agencies. The MFU portfolio including GEF and GCF now represent over one third of the IUCN project portfolio.

The Portfolio Officer, GEF-GCF at IUCN West and Central Africa Regional Office (PACO) will be part of PACO as well as the Multilateral Finance Unit of IUCN and responsible for coordinating the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund projects in the region in which IUCN is GEF Implementing Agency or GCF Accredited Entity.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall guidance of the Regional Multilaterals Portfolio Manager, the Portfolio Officer, GEF-GCF will be responsible for leading the task management of the portfolio of GEF and GCF projects under development and implementation in the PACO region, where IUCN acts as a GEF Implementing Agency and a GCF Accredited Entity.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Portfolio Management

- Coordinate regional task management for GEF-GCF portfolios by working closely with executing agencies, PMUs, technical and administrative staff from PACO, the Regional Multilaterals Portfolio Manager, and the Global Multilateral Finance Unit Director.
- Manage the project pipeline and implementation portfolio using institutional tools and platforms, ensuring compliance with IUCN policies, procedures and guidelines for multilateral financing, as well as with GEF and GCF policies and processes.
- Identify and plan the composition and functions of project task management teams (technical staff, management, corporate services, consultants and experts).
- In collaboration with the RD, MFU-D and RPM, identify new project opportunities by convening internal and external stakeholders and aligning priorities with GEF, GCF and IUCN strategic agendas.
- Coordinate with GEF and GCF project development consultancy teams.
- Prepare periodic portfolio performance reports, including progress, challenges and risks, as required by IUCN and the Funds.
- Liaise with the Global Multilateral Finance Unit to contribute to IUCN-wide coordination of the GEF-GCF portfolio.
- Advise the RD, MFU-D, RPM and RPMPM on strategic and operational matters related to the regional GEF-GCF portfolio.
- Coordinate the preparation and review of annual implementation reports (GEF PIRs, GCF APRs), working with PMUs, executing agencies and IUCN teams, and ensure accurate data entry into donor reporting systems.
- Coordinate the preparation, negotiation and finalization of IUCN implementation agreements with external partners, in collaboration with OLA and executing agencies.
- Review technical and financial reports in coordination with relevant experts.
- Ensure donor platforms (GEF, GCF) and IUCN databases are regularly updated with required information.
- Support the development of communication and knowledge materials on the project portfolio and thematic work.
- Provide support for training workshops, the design of ToRs for proposal development, and the preparation of project annual operational plans.
- Control and supervise the technical and operational progress of multilateral projects based on their annual work plans.
- Perform any other GEF and GCF-related tasks as requested by supervisors.

Fund Management

- Participate in and coordinate the design of new project proposals with countries and partners.
- Strengthen the capacities of staff, members and partners in GEF and GCF project design and management.
- Identify and design projects that create synergies with ongoing initiatives and promote scaling-up opportunities.
- Support the internal validation process for GEF and GCF projects, integrating feedback from the Multilateral Unit.
- Support the submission of proposals into donor portals, as required.

Knowledge Management

- Contribute to knowledge management processes for the portfolio, including the development of flagship or other institutional knowledge products.
- In collaboration with Communications and Bilateral Coordination, support the organization of Knowledge Days and related learning events.

Institutional Support

- Promote integration, teamwork and collaboration across initiatives.
- Support coordination mechanisms with IUCN Constituent Units to ensure member and Commission engagement.
- Contribute to the development of materials and content to position the region in alignment with Portfolio objectives.
- Represent IUCN at events or meetings at the request of the Regional Multilateral Programme Management.

Multilateral Finance Portfolio Support

- Support the Multilaterals Portfolio Manager in monitoring the regional GEF and GCF portfolio (projects in implementation and pipeline).
- Assist in organizing and documenting project review meetings, and maintaining regular engagement with PMUs and executing agencies.
- Support data entry and information upload on donor portals (GEF PIRs, GCF APRs, project concepts, proposals and related documentation).
- Support coordination of regional teams of staff, consultants and partners in developing GEF and GCF concepts and proposals.

Other Responsibilities

Perform any other tasks assigned by the line manager, as required by programme needs.