GFANZ Africa Carbon Markets Expert

The consultant will work closely with UNEP FI and GFANZ regional networks to support activities that strengthen the role of carbon markets as a credible climate finance tool in Africa. The consultant will also help to design and execute a workplan and strategy for the GFANZ Africa Network, building on the Central GFANZ Secretariat’s carbon market priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical expertise on carbon markets in Africa.
• Support development of GFANZ Africa carbon market strategy and outputs.
• Engage stakeholders including financial institutions, project developers, and policymakers.
• Help to pilot the Common Carbon Credit Data Model in African countries in collaboration with the Central GFANZ and Climate Data Steering Committee Secretariats.
• Engage with the Central GFANZ Secretariat to translate its strategic priorities on carbon markets into meaningful engagements and work products for African stakeholders.
• Drive the development and execution of a workplan and near-term strategy for the GFANZ Africa network’s engagements on carbon markets.
• Develop a strategy to engage financial institutions on supporting high-integrity, cross-border carbon markets in Africa.
• Develop an engagement plan with existing stakeholders and initiatives working on scaling markets in Africa, including AfDB’s Carbon Support Facility, the Carbon Knowledge Hub, and the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative.
• Assist the Climate Data Steering Committee to advance the piloting of the Common Carbon Credit Data Model in African countries.
• Targeted engagements with financial institutions in Africa to identify and address major barriers to scaling finance for high-integrity carbon projects in Africa.
• Lead drafting of short reports, briefing notes or publications on scaling finance for carbon projects where applicable.
• Collaborate with Global Capacity Building Coalition to identify critical capacity gaps in African carbon markets and make available capacity building resources to address these.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in international development studies, climate change, climate finance, environmental engineering and management, finance, climate technologies and economics, environmental economics, climate policy, or related field is required.
• A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 7 years of relevant experience.
• At least five (5) year’s of working experience in carbon markets policy and/or project development and transactions, climate, or green finance with financial institutions, private sector developers, investors, or public sector entities is required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a proven track record of managing senior stakeholders in the public, private and NGO sector.
• Experience planning and running events or convenings for senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience of designing internal workplans and strategies, and executing these effectively.
• Proven track record of successful delivery of complex projects in the African continent.
• Strong working knowledge of international carbon markets, associated governance frameworks, including the Paris Agreement (Article 6), ICVCM and CORSIA.
• Understanding of Africa-specific challenges and key stakeholders related to carbon markets and green finance.
• Deep technical expertise on different carbon market segments (Article 6, CORSIA, voluntary carbon markets, domestic carbon pricing schemes) (desirable).
• Experience in developing carbon projects, delivering capacity building in the carbon markets space, or conducting due diligence on carbon projects (desirable).
• Experience working in a multilateral development or financing institution (desirable).
• Fluency or working proficiency in French or Portuguese (desirable).

Skills

• Carbon Markets Policy
• Project Development
• Climate Finance
• Green Finance
• Stakeholder Management
• Event Planning
• Workplan Development
• Strategy Execution
• International Carbon Markets
• Paris Agreement Article 6
• ICVCM
• CORSIA
• Carbon Pricing Schemes
• Capacity Building
• Due Diligence
• Multilateral Development Experience
• Climate Policy Development
• Environmental Economics

Languages

English, French, Portuguese