Senior Advisor, GCF Pipeline and Capture Lead

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing relief and development assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds who share its values and commitment to serving those in need. The organization emphasizes a collaborative, mission-driven culture and has a comprehensive benefits package for its U.S. based staff, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and retirement savings plans. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits are based on the country of employment.

Job Overview:
The Senior Advisor, GCF Pipeline and Capture Lead is responsible for leading the development and advancement of CRS' global Green Climate Fund (GCF) pipeline. This includes overseeing the entire process from early opportunity identification and country positioning to the readiness and submission of concept notes and full funding proposals. The role requires enterprise leadership in areas such as donor intelligence, capture management, pipeline governance, proposal review processes, resource planning, and organizational learning. The advisor ensures that country programs and proposal teams are equipped with the necessary tools, guidance, staffing structures, and decision-making processes to effectively manage a competitive GCF pipeline. While the primary focus is on GCF, the role also involves exploring opportunities across other climate funds and presenting resource allocation needs to the unit Director.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Co-lead the agency position for GCF, FRLD (Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage), and GEF (Global Environmental Facility) with the CFSU director.
• Lead intelligence gathering and analysis regarding strategic priorities, programming directions, investment trends, country opportunities, and relevant funding windows.
• Maintain CRS' global GCF pipeline, including capture plans, opportunity identification, prioritization, sequencing, and readiness for anticipated GCF Board submission windows.
• Identify pipeline risks, bottlenecks, dependencies, and staffing gaps early, escalating decisions to appropriate leadership levels.
• Collaborate with country programs, regional teams, and other stakeholders to clarify the path from project ideas to funding proposal stages.
• Define roles and responsibilities for proposal coordinators, technical leads, and other contributing teams.
• Onboard CRS staff and consultants involved in the pipeline.
• Establish a structured approach to capturing learning from GCF engagement and ensure feedback is documented and integrated into strategies.
• Maintain a suite of resources for guidance and tools related to GCF and proposal processes. 1
• Develop and manage consultant rosters for GCF pipeline needs, ensuring effective deployment of expertise. 1
• Communicate regularly with leadership and colleagues about pipeline status and emerging issues. 1
• Represent the pipeline perspective in internal planning forums and engage with external stakeholders as needed.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in climate change, environmental sustainability, international development, business development, international relations, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in international development, climate finance, institutional fundraising, capture management, or related business development functions.
• Demonstrated experience with institutional climate funding streams, particularly the GCF, and familiarity with other multilateral climate funds and development finance institutions.
• Proven track record in donor intelligence, capture planning, pipeline management, and coordination across diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in developing practical tools, guidance, templates, and processes, and improving them through feedback.
• Strong understanding of GCF investment criteria and proposal development stages.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor's degree is required, preferably in fields related to climate change, environmental sustainability, international development, business development, or international relations. A Master's degree in a similar field is preferred and may enhance the candidate's qualifications.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 10 years of relevant experience in areas such as international development, climate finance, and proposal management. Experience with institutional climate funding streams, particularly the GCF, is essential, along with a strong understanding of the roles and processes involved in developing concept notes and funding proposals.

Languages:
Oral and written fluency in English is essential for this position. Proficiency in French or Spanish is preferred, and knowledge of Arabic is considered a plus, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position may require travel for strategic country engagement, capture planning, donor engagement, and relevant meetings, with an expectation of travel up to 25%. The role includes supervisory responsibilities and is contingent on the selected candidate's ability to legally work in the U.S. or the country of employment. CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where it operates. The organization is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults.