Climate Finance and Country Platform Specialist - Maseru, Lesotho

Job Posting Organization:
The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) is a key entity within the United Nations Office for Project Services, established to bring together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impactful results worldwide. With operational hubs located in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding, particularly in challenging environments. The organization operates in over 130 countries, working closely with major global partners, including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies, to provide a wide range of services such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support. UNOPS is committed to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring that its initiatives align with global priorities and local needs.

Job Overview:
The Climate Finance and Country Platform Specialist position is a strategic national role based in Lesotho, aimed at facilitating the country's transition towards a climate-resilient and low-carbon development pathway. This role is crucial for mobilizing and coordinating access to significant climate finance, estimated at approximately US$1 billion for mitigation and US$1.5 billion for adaptation. The Specialist will play a central role in developing and operationalizing Lesotho's first Just Energy Transition (JET) Country platform, which is essential for aligning national priorities with international climate commitments. The incumbent will work closely with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, as well as other stakeholders, to strengthen the country's capacity to mobilize, coordinate, and effectively utilize climate finance resources. This position emphasizes national ownership, stakeholder coordination, and leveraging local expertise to achieve sustainable economic development and tangible impacts.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Climate Finance and Country Platform Specialist include:

• Strategic Coordination: Support the operational coordination of Country Platform initiatives, ensuring alignment of climate investments with national priorities and sector strategies.
• Climate Investment Pipeline Development: Identify and prioritize bankable climate investment projects, assisting in the classification of projects against recognized global green taxonomies.
• Resource Mobilization: Develop and implement strategies to mobilize climate finance from various sources, including bilateral, multilateral, and private sector entities.
• Donor and Partner Engagement: Coordinate engagement with development partners and climate funds, facilitating investment roundtables and partnership-building initiatives.
• Climate Finance Policy Support: Provide technical advice on climate finance frameworks and support the integration of climate finance into national planning and budgeting processes.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Maintain systems for tracking climate finance flows and investments, applying standardized climate classification systems.
• Private Sector Engagement: Promote private sector participation in climate investments and assist in integrating Just Transition principles into financing frameworks.
• Capacity Building: Strengthen government capacity on climate finance access and project preparation through training and mentoring initiatives.
• Knowledge Management: Facilitate knowledge sharing and document success stories to promote best practices in climate finance.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Climate Finance and Country Platform Specialist position include:

• A master's degree in climate change, economics, finance, natural resources, environmental sciences, or a related field. A bachelor's degree with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in climate finance, sustainable development, or related fields, including experience with climate funds and multilateral development banks.
• Demonstrated experience in mobilizing climate finance, developing investment pipelines, and supporting public-private partnerships.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and coordination skills, with the ability to build partnerships among various stakeholders.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a master's degree in a relevant field such as climate change, economics, finance, natural resources, or environmental sciences. Alternatively, a bachelor's degree combined with additional work experience totaling seven years may be considered acceptable.

Experience:
The position requires at least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in climate finance or sustainable development. This includes a minimum of five years working with climate funds, multilateral development banks, or international financial institutions. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in mobilizing climate finance and developing investment proposals, as well as strong stakeholder engagement skills.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This is a home-based retainer position for a duration of 12 months, with a maximum of 220 working days and the possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds. The incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office but will operate from government facilities, requiring the use of personal equipment. This position is open to nationals of Lesotho or individuals with a valid residence permit in Lesotho. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. UNOPS emphasizes diversity and equal employment opportunities, and all applications must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date.