Job Details

Senior Biodiversity Specialist (Resource Mobilization)

 Description

Do you want to build a truly worthwhile career? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. 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, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. 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. Visit www.worldbank.org.

About the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health. Its grants, blended financing, and policy support help developing countries address their biggest environmental priorities and adhere to international environmental conventions. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $23 billion and mobilized $129 billion in co-financing for more than 5,000 national and regional projects.

The GEF unites 186 countries in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.  An independently operating financial organization, the GEF is a financial mechanism for six major Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs): the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdictions agreement (BBNJ), the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

The GEF Secretariat, construed for administrative purposes as a Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) within the World Bank, has approximately 100 professional and administrative and client support (ACS) staff. 

In 2023, the GEF established the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) in response to decisions taken at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The GBFF is part of the GEF family of funds, and has its own governance arrangements and project cycle that differ from other GEF funds. In June 2023, the GEF Council approved the arrangements to establish the GBFF and its Programming Directions. The GBFF establishment decision was ratified at the seventh GEF Assembly in August 2023, and the fund was launched. The GBFF Council is its governing body, and has been meeting twice a year since February 2024. 

The GEF Secretariat is seeking an experienced Sr. Biodiversity Specialist (Senior Resource Mobilization Specialist) to join the Division on MEAs and Funds to support the GBFF resource mobilization and partnership building, to enable timely and effective programming in developing countries to address their commitments and contributions towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The ideal candidate should have a good understanding of the dynamics of GEF client countries, biodiversity- and conservation-related finance landscape, and innovative financing opportunities. The candidate should have strong interpersonal skills, experience with biodiversity-related resource mobilization and/or support in developing countries, along with political acumen and the capacity to work effectively on sensitive issues with senior management, the GBFF Council, GBFF contributors, and across different agencies of the GEF.

S/he will play an instrumental role in mobilizing resources and related strategic planning by developing and facilitating effective partnerships with confirmed and potential contributors to the GBFF, including donor countries, philanthropic and conservation organizations, private sector, foundations, non-governmental organizations, sub-national governments, and bilateral and multilateral institutions. As part of the GBFF team, the candidate will be responsible for: formulation of technical and strategic documents on GBFF resource needs and mobilization, as well as their implementation with the GEF management; coordination with the Trustee and the CBD Secretariat on relevant matters; serving as a liaison between the GEF Secretariat and contributors/partners; and reporting to the GBFF Council and the Convention. 

Key Duties and Accountabilities:
Under the supervision of the Manager of the GEF MEAs and Funds Division, the Senior Resource Mobilization Specialist for biodiversity will have the following duties:

1. Coordinate resource mobilization for the GBFF by articulating GBFF resource mobilization needs and related strategic planning; organizing partnership building and fundraising efforts and supporting engagement of the GEF management; and monitoring and tracking progress. Engage with all sources of support in the effort, including sovereign and sub-national governments, philanthropic and conservation organizations, private sector, foundations, non-governmental organizations, and bilateral and multilateral institutions, in addition to innovative sources of financing.
2. Contribute to the overall implementation of the GBFF, including its programming directions, governance arrangements, additional programs/windows, portfolio development and management, in line with the agreed GBFF policies and strategies, decisions by the GBFF Council, and relevant CBD COP guidance.
3. Prepare documents and briefing materials to inform resource mobilization and discussions for the GBFF Council and for the GEF management. Contribute to the GBFF Council organization and discussions on matters related to resource mobilization, and organize outreach and visibility enhancement efforts in coordination with the Communications team.
4. Analyze priorities, operational modalities, and other requirements of potential contributors and support sources, and articulate responses that take into consideration the GBFF governance arrangements and policies. Participate meetings and consultations with contributors, CBD Secretariat, and other relevant partners, while seeking relevant analytical inputs and support within the GEF Secretariat.
5. Enhance synergies across different GEF family of funds by contributing to GEF-wide resource mobilization efforts for overall institutional growth, and by helping to articulate unique value proposition for the GEF family of funds with various capitalization modalities.
6. Manage reviews of project proposals to be financed by the GBFF, according to the agreed project review criteria, provide review comments and guidance, and assist in overall preparation of work programs to be presented to the GBFF Council.
7. Provide quality inputs to CEO, Director, and Manager on thematic briefings, talking points, speeches, analytical/strategic documents.
8. Collaborate with relevant teams, including the Policy and Operations Division regarding resource mobilization-related considerations for the establishment of programs/windows as decided by the COP and Council and the World Bank Trustee team on contributions and due diligence processes; 
9. Provide backstopping to GEF management and carry out additional technical and policy-relevant tasks as assigned.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in the field of environmental/conservation finance, development finance, environmental management, or any other relevance discipline. 
• At least 8 years of relevant experience in addressing biodiversity financing at the national or international level required, with an established track record in resource mobilization, development financing, or innovative financing. In depth understanding of economic, social, and political dimensions of biodiversity and conservation and resource mobilization.
• Experiences in strategic interactions with sovereign and non-sovereign contributors, including private and institutional investors, foundations, sub-national governments, and other entities, highly desirable.  
• Knowledge of relevant CBD negotiations and decisions, in particular the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, financial mechanism, resource mobilization, digital sequencing information (DSI), and relevant topics needed.  
• Strong knowledge of the operations of the GEF, its strategies, policies and its GBFF program would be a strong advantage.
• Ability to think analytically, strategically, and programmatically.
• Proven ability to work with and across teams, both as a team leader and team member.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including ability to communicate complex issues to a wide range of audiences. Language skills is in French, Spanish, Arabic, and/or Portuguese is desirable.
• Must be able to work in a multicultural environment, and also independently on complex tasks on tight deadlines. 

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

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