Program Manager – Program and Country Engagement – Fund for responding to Loss and Damage

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Background and General Description:

At COP27 and CMA4, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) established funding arrangements to assist developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate change. This decision included the creation of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), with a focus on providing support to affected nations.

At COP28 and CMA5, the COP/CMA formally approved the Fund’s Governing Instrument, designating it as part of the UNFCCC’s financial mechanism and placing it under the guidance of both COP and CMA. The decision authorized the FRLD’s Board to secure a hosting arrangement with the World Bank as an interim trustee for four years, which includes hosting the Fund’s secretariat. The World Bank has agreed to act as trustee and administer the Trust Fund in line with the COP/CMA’s stipulations. The FRLD Secretariat, hosted by the World Bank in Washington, D.C., supports FRLD governing bodies, manages institutional relations, aids in strategy, policy, and program development, and oversees management systems.

The FRLD Secretariat, led by the Executive Director (ED) with direct support from the Deputy Executive Director (DED), coordinates FRLD’s strategic activities across its governing bodies, including the Board, the World Bank (as Trustee and Secretariat host), and other stakeholders. It also drives thought leadership, manages portfolio risk, and develops initiatives to mobilize resources.

The Program and Country Engagement – Program Manager position will oversee and lead: i) the management of the pipeline and portfolio of activities financed by the FRLD; ii) the development of programming-related policies and systems; and iii) the engagement with countries to support bottom-up, country-led and owned approaches. Expertise and experience in vertical climate fund programming, policies and portfolio management, environment/climate finance, and climate change adaptation and/or disaster risk management are essential.

This position will report directly to the ED with a dotted line to the DED and collaborate closely with the Secretariat staff and external stakeholders, including governments, multilateral development banks, UN agencies, vertical climate funds, donor organizations, and civil society.

The position is based in Washington, D.C., USA, and involves frequent travel.

Duties and responsibilities

1. Pipeline and Portfolio Management

• Oversee the management of the pipeline of proposals or funding requests submitted by countries, specifically conducting technical reviews and advising national focal points and implementing entities in the development of proposals or funding requests.

• Oversee the management of the portfolio of projects/programmes approved by the Board, including monitoring the status of implementation, reviewing progress reports, and etc.

• Provide strategic advice on programming and policy matters.

• Lead the engagement with the entities in the funding arrangements and partner organizations across environmental/climate funds (GCF, GEF, AF, etc.) Santiago Network, WIM, MDBs, IFIs, UN organizations, NGOs, CSOs, academia, private sector, etc, to enhance complementarity and coherence in supporting countries in responding to loss and damage and sharing best practices and lessons learned in programming.

• Support the Secretariat in strengthening FRLD’s strategic positioning through strategic engagements and partnerships, including representing the FRLD Secretariat in global and regional forums and conferences.

2. Policies and Systems
• Lead the development of the programming-related policies and frameworks, ensuring alignment with the Governing Instrument and the decisions of the Board.

• Oversee the setting up of required systems and structures to implement policies and frameworks, in coordination with other Secretariat teams

• Closely engage with entities in the funding arrangements and other partners to evaluate best practices and lessons learned in policy development and implementation.

3. Country Engagement

• Lead the engagement with partner countries to support bottom-up, country-led and country-owned programming, including advising national focal points and implementing entities on pipeline and portfolio related matters.

• Oversee the readiness activities to support relevant gaps in institutional strengthening and capacity building in countries, in close coordination with the Santiago Network.

4. Board Meetings and Consultations

• Support the Secretariat’s engagement with Board members, alternates, and advisors on strategic and programming-related matters.

• Support the Secretariat in conducting consultations with (prior to Board meetings) and presenting to (at Board meetings) the Board on programming and policy papers, including conducting technical briefings based on request/need.

• Coordinate with the Governance and Board Affairs team on the decision-making processes, including drafting decision text, for papers related to programming and country engagement