Senior Climate Investment Specialist

Grade: IS-5
Deadline:  07 November 2025 (11:59 PM KST)
Job Category: International
Salary: USD 145,000 (plus attractive benefits, that include the following allowances (as applicable)): Relocation, dependency, housing, education assistance and home country travel.

Introduction

The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund and invests in impactful, innovative, catalytic programs and projects in developing countries across the globe. The GCF has a portfolio of 314 projects across 133 countries, with a total commitment of USD 18.0 billion to date.

In 2023, an additional USD 12.8 billion was pledged, to support our new strategic and programming cycle from 2024-2027; our ambition is to grow to become at least a USD 50 billion fund by 2030. Rooted in the core objectives of impact and efficiency, access and a focus on the most vulnerable, and mobilizing a much higher scale of public and private sector financial flows for climate action we have an unparalleled scale of resources, which, together with our risk appetite and flexibility allows us to bring together different partners and stakeholders in innovative partnerships for profound impact. 

GCF is seeking a top-tier individual with a demonstrable track record of harnessing experience, energy and networks to tackle complex global climate change challenges. 

You will be committed to making a positive, measurable difference through a mission-driven role, and thrive in a fast-paced, diverse environment.  

You will be a nurturer of people: recognizing and growing the talent around you, exemplifying values of transparency, respect and innovation.

You will be committed to learning, knowledge-sharing, convening and communicating with partners to work together to ideate, develop and implement climate action initiatives that make a profound difference to people and planet.

You will join a team of talented, committed individuals representing almost 80 nationalities contributing skills and experience from academic, scientific, private, government and nonprofit backgrounds.  Together, we work with governments, communities and civil society, technical agencies, and the private sector across the world.

Interested in more information? 
Learn about working for GCF: https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/careers 
View current vacancies: https://jobs.greenclimate.fund/

About the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

Set up in 2010 by the 194 countries who are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF takes its responsibility as the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund to heart.  GCF funds transformative climate projects across the developing world, supporting countries in their responses and actions to tackle climate change while fostering sustainable development within their communities. 

Our country-driven approach ensures that our actions are tailored to the unique circumstances and national aspirations of each nation we support. Besides channeling public and private sector investment through a broad range of financing instruments, GCF builds the capacity of developing countries to take climate action through an extensive Readiness Programme ensuring countries are increasingly well-equipped and financed to manage their climate futures.

Headquartered in the Republic of Korea, GCF operates with a diverse and talented workforce of over 300 people.

Position Objective

The Senior Climate Investment Specialist provides guidance in managing GCF’s strategic engagement with primary Country Relationship Lead for assigned countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region. The incumbent independently builds, designs, nurtures, and drives high-level relationships with country focal points and relevant ministries to position GCF as a trusted and strategic partner. The Senior Specialist ensures country ownership of GCF activities by fostering strategic partnerships, aligning programming with national climate priorities, and positions GCF as a trusted partners while fostering coordination across GCF Departments and Offices in the spirit of One GCF to maximize impact in each assigned country.

Purpose

• Independently lead the strategic engagement with assigned countries, ensuring GCF is perceived as a strategic partner while shaping and advancing policy and investment approaches. 
• Establish high-level and strategic engagements with country focal points (monthly calls, strategic meetings) on policy matters and investment directions. 
• Conceptualize and align sector priorities with government climate strategies (NDCs, NAPs, national plans). identify gaps and new entry points for investment
• Provide strategic oversight and proactively advise NDAs on issues such as project progress, disbursements, and any implementation challenges. 
• Facilitate high-level prioritization discussions with NDAs to manage and refine project pipelines. 
• Serve as a senior advisor and an escalation focal point for countries, championing their concerns and influencing internally at GCF. 
• Maintain oversight of all GCF activities related to the assigned countries across readiness, programming, and private-sector operations. 
• Drive coordination across areas (Accreditation, Private Sector, MEL, etc.) to ensure strategic coherence. 
• Provide policy and strategic guidance to internal stakeholders on country-specific priorities and sensitivities.  

Engagement

• Engage and maintain strategic network of key actors and stakeholders in the country to strengthen synergies and complementarity. 
• Represent GCF in high-level country dialogues or regional platforms, to strengthen collaboration. 
• Identify barriers to investment and inform readiness planning and policy initiatives accordingly. 
• Promote the visibility and impact of GCF-supported projects through success stories, lessons learned, and innovative financing solutions.

Delivery

• Maintain strategic oversight of the country’s project portfolio, disbursement status, and readiness activities. 
• Provide analytical oversight and identify key steps of pipeline development aligned with country priorities, tracking timelines for concept notes and funding proposals. 
• Monitor project implementation and align its development and delivery with internal policies and taking into consideration clients needs and escalate issues where necessary, while coordinating with project leads. 
• Identify and share opportunities for learning between departments and with country counterparts. 
• Develops frameworks and processes that synthesize lessons learned and best practice to continuously improve programming initiatives across GCF.

Requirements (Education, experience, technical competencies required of the job)

• Master’s degree in finance, Economics, or Business Administration. CFA is an advantage; or bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years of experience.  
• A minimum of 11 years of relevant professional experience in climate finance, or country engagement, preferably within multilateral institutions or development
• finance. 
• Demonstrated experience building high-level partnerships with governments, multilateral institutions, or private sector actors. 
• Knowledge of climate change policy frameworks (NDCs, NAPs) and investment challenges in developing countries. 
• Strong coordination, negotiation, and communication skills. 
• Excellent understanding of bankability and proven track record of doing business in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Proven ability to operate independently with minimal supervision. 
• Fluency in both written and spoken in English; and knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese.

Competencies  

• Strategic Thinking: shapes strategic engagement; aligns with national and GCF goals. 
• Stakeholder Engagement: builds trusted partnerships with NDAs and senior stakeholders. 
• Technical Expertise: leads project structuring,  prioritization, policy alignment, and escalations. 
• Team Collaboration: (#OneGCF approach) 
• Project Cycle Management: leads country portfolios and issue resolution. 
• Communication: leads advocacy, manages complex and sensitive communications. 
• Learning & Innovation: identifies systemic lessons; contributes to GCF-wide learning. 
• Ethics & Integrity: champions integrity and fairness in decision-making.

The closing date for application is 07 November 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

*The person assessed by the Selection Panel as most suitable for the position will be proposed for appointment. Selection among short-listed candidates will also take into account performance at interview, appropriate testing, and references.

Applications from women and nationals of developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply.