E T Consultant – Senior Climate Change Specialist
Job Description
Job description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region
Home to about 700 million of Africa’s people, Eastern and Southern Africa is a geographically, culturally and economically diverse region of 26 countries stretching from the Red Sea in the North to the Cape of Good Hope in the South. Children under 18 make up almost half of the total population. The subregion boasts of some of the world’s richest human and natural resources and, apart from South Africa, the countries are predominantly raw material exporters.
The subregion harbors some of Africa’s protracted conflicts, rendering many of its countries fragile, while significant gaps in education, health, and skills development continues to keep people from reaching their full potential. This creates a huge development challenge, impacts heavily on the lives and livelihoods of people, and hinders regional integration and trade. But it also creates an opportunity to work closely with country leaders, civil society, development partners, and young people to chart a brighter course for the future.
The World Bank’s Eastern and Southern Africa Region, comprised of approximately 1,200 staff, mostly based in 26 country offices, has been helping countries realize their considerable development potential by focusing on the following priorities:
• Creating Jobs and Transforming Economies: We are working with countries across Africa to stimulate job creation and economic transformation by leveraging all sources of finance, expertise, and solutions to promote investment.
• Building up the Digital Economy: We are supporting Africa’s vision to ensure that every African individual, business, and government is connected by 2030 – a vision that, if realized, can boost growth by up to 2 percentage points per year, and reduce poverty by 1 percentage point per year in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.
• Making Institutions more Efficient and Accountable: Our support helps governments strengthen public policy processes, manage resources effectively, and reinforce fair and reliable delivery of public services.
• Investing in People: We are at the forefront of helping African countries accelerate human capital gains and empower women by improving their access to education and skills acquisition, sexual and reproductive health services, and employment opportunities.
• Supporting Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: In the face of increasing climate-related risks, we are working with African countries to advance efforts to adopt renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, and green infrastructure.
• Addressing the Drivers of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence: Given the cross-border nature of conflicts in Africa, we are employing an approach that simultaneously focuses on the drivers of fragility while also supporting well-targeted regional initiatives to create opportunities for peace and shared prosperity.
• Building Partnerships and Working across the African Continent: We are scaling up our work on regional integration, taking a holistic view of the continent that covers both North and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Eastern and Southern Africa (AFE) Region: https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/eastern-and-southern-africa
The Planet Vertical
The Planet Practice Group helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food; Climate Change; Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy; Environmental and Social Risk Management; Social Sustainability and Inclusion; and Water.
Environment Department & Regional Unit
The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment
The Environment Department for Africa East (one of four Environment units in Africa) has about 40 staff. Half of these staff work on environmental safeguards/environmental risk management. The other 50 percent work primarily on lending and knowledge products in client countries. More than 50 percent are based in country offices. The rest are based in Washington DC and travel to the region frequently. The skills of these staff include, economics, pollution management, forestry, fisheries management, landscapes management, watershed management, and natural areas protection.
Country Context
Somalia is one of the most climate-affected countries on the planet, suffering a relentless cycle of major drought and flood shocks over recent years, which have become the largest single cause of internal displacement and exacerbate ongoing conflict and social vulnerabilities. By the end of the century, climate change is likely to leave Somalia hotter on average than any country currently is, and could cause significant changes in rainfall patterns. In addition to increased variability compounding the incidence of extreme events, these changes are likely to bring a wider range of climate challenges to prominence, including heat stress and other direct health impacts, and significant changes to the viability of rural livelihoods.
Climate change is recognized as a major priority by Government, who are developing implementing programs for the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), preparing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP), and aiming to integrate climate into the upcoming National Transformational Plan. Mobilizing resources to support climate adaptation and resilience is the first priority of government, but opportunities to support low-carbon growth and access carbon finance are also welcome, particularly as Somalia aims to expand its infrastructure to support rapid urbanization.
The World Bank has a significant portfolio in Somalia, making it the largest financier of government investments. Across the portfolio, the Bank has committed almost $900m for climate-focussed activities over the last 5 years, as measured by the Multilateral Development Banks’ Climate Co-benefits methodology. Most of the Bank’s physical and social investments have a strong climate focus, including water and urban infrastructure projects, and crisis response and social safety net projects.
The Bank has also been undertaking analytical work on climate change, including a Climate Risk Review completed in 2023 and a special section of the 2024 Somalia Economic Update. It has now begun preparation of a Country Climate & Development Report (CCDR) for delivery in 2025. CCDRs are a new World Bank core diagnostic report have begun roll out across all client countries, which use biophysical and macroeconomic modelling, and deep dives in critical sectors, to assess the impact of climate change on a country’s development trajectory, and how best to manage it. The preparation of the Somalia CCDR is intended to provide a platform for wide-ranging engagement on climate between the Bank, Government and other stakeholders, and to pave the way for an ambitious program of climate activities beyond the Report itself.
The position: Climate Coordination & Support for Somalia
The locally-recruited position, based in Nairobi, will be for one year, potentially extendable for a second. The selected Senior Climate Change Specialist will report to the Environment Department Team Leader and work closely with the Country Management Unit and other Country Team members to:
Support the team in the completion and delivery of the CCDR as a timely and incisive analytical work addressing the key climate and development challenges in Somalia, and in the engagement with government an other partners and stakeholders around it.
Support the management of climate capacity-building and analytical activities for Somalia under the Multi-Partner Fund, including the design, supervision and quality control of studies and training, and status and results reporting.
Play a major role in the design, delivery and implementation support of an ambitious World Bank Group climate program, in support of the Government of Somalia and based on the findings of the CCDR process. This is likely to involve actions and investments across the pipeline and portfolio, rather than a single stand-alone operation, but preparation of a new climate operation (whether led by ENB or others) may be part of it. Tasks will include identifying key deliverables and targets under the program and operational options for their delivery; design and supervision of investments or investment components (including identifying any options for developing carbon finance operations); and identifying and managing additional analytical and technical advisory support to the program.
Provide climate support as a resource person to operational task teams across the Somalia portfolio, particularly in relation to identifying appropriate climate action under pipeline projects and maximizing climate co-benefit credit.
Maintain regular communication with counterparts and stakeholders in Somalia, including relevant staff of federal and member state ministries, and other key actors in academia, think- tanks and private sector.
Liaise with the Bank’s central Climate Change Group to make sure the Somalia Country Team is well-informed of relevant new initiatives, resources, and funding opportunities.
Support ongoing donor coordination around the climate agenda in Somalia, including exploring options for co-financing or parallel financing to Bank-financed activities.
Support knowledge management to leverage World Bank Group expertise on relevant climate challenges. This would include support to capacity-building and engagement with government and other partners, and harnessing lessons learnt from the climate engagement in Somalia, including the effectiveness of climate interventions across the portfolio.
Skills and qualifications
Selection Criteria
It is expected that the successful candidate will meet the following selection criteria:
The following are required:
Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) in Climate Science or Economics, Environmental Science or a related technical field relevant to climate adaptation and resilience.
At least 8 years relevant work experience.
A proven track record in designing and managing climate adaptation and resilience programs in a developing country setting, preferably including within African countries.
A proven track record as a dynamic and hard-working individual with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, building business and raising trust funds.
A proven record of working effectively across multiple teams, and with government counterparts and other development partners in complex settings. Familiarity with working with development partners.
Experience of working in FCV country contexts, and in Somalia specifically, would be an asset
Experience of carbon finance operations would be an asset.
Fluency in English is required (writing, speaking, listening and reading), additionally Somali language skills would be preferred.
Willingness to travel to Somalia, subject to the Bank’s security restrictions.
How to apply
World Bank Group Core Competencies
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Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.
