Practical Action is an international development organization putting ingenious ideas to work so that people in poverty can change their world. We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We are committed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through all our work. At a minimum, we ensure that all our work is gender sensitive, seeking gender transformative approaches as our overall ambition and in accordance with context.
Background and Purpose of the assignment:
We are seeking an experienced Climate Finance Consultant to train and build the capacity of our Africa team. The consultant will design and deliver a comprehensive training program focused on climate finance mechanisms, funding opportunities, proposal development, and effective management of climate finance projects. The workshop will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, and the consultant can be based anywhere, with travel to the training site required.
Key Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
Pre-Training Needs Assessment: Conduct a needs analysis (e.g., surveys, interviews) to assess the learning requirements of the Africa Directorate – the assessment results should be used to design the training programme.
Training Workshop Programme Design: Develop tailored training modules, ensuring they are aligned with the Africa Directorate’s strategic priorities and individual development needs. The programme must be pre-approved prior to preparation for workshop delivery.
Training Workshop Delivery: Facilitate an interactive and engaging in-person training workshop, ensuring maximum staff participation and learning optimization.
Provide Tools and Resource: Provide all training materials used during the workshop as well as other related and relevant resources for the reference and use of the Africa team post workshop.
Training Objectives:
The objectives of the training are to:
Strengthen Expertise in Climate Finance: Build a comprehensive understanding of global, regional, and national climate finance mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, and private sector financing.
Embed Climate Finance in Our Projects: Equip the team with actionable insights and tools to seamlessly integrate climate finance strategies into current and future projects, ensuring scalability and sustainability.
Enhance Skills for Securing and Managing Funds: Develop the team’s capability to craft winning proposals, access climate finance, manage resources effectively, and meet reporting standards.
Cultivate Strategic Approaches to Climate Finance: Encourage strategic thinking on how climate finance can optimize project design and implementation, aligning financial opportunities with our organizational goals and community impact.
Develop a Comprehensive Climate Finance Toolkit: Create a practical toolkit to support the identification of funding opportunities, proposal development, and resource management, while serving as a shared resource across the Africa region for business development teams.
Duration:
This consultancy is expected to last 3-5 days, with preparation time for workshop design and post-training reporting.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree or higher in Climate Finance, Climate Change, Environmental Economics, Sustainable Development, Finance, Public Policy or related field.
Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience in climate finance including project development, funding mechanisms, proposal development, and donor compliance.
Demonstrated expertise in accessing and managing climate finance from international mechanisms
Proven track record in capacity building and delivering professional training workshops.
Facilitation and Communication:
Strong facilitation skills for workshops, capacity-building sessions, or stakeholder engagement.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for drafting proposals, policy briefs, and technical reports.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including governments, donors, and local communities.
Knowledge and Networks:
Familiarity with international climate finance institutions, policies (e.g., UNFCCC processes), and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Strong professional networks in the climate finance domain to leverage partnerships and funding opportunities.
Technical Skills:
In-depth knowledge of climate finance frameworks, policies, and tools (e.g., carbon pricing, green bonds, blended finance).
Experience in designing and implementing climate finance strategies for governments, NGOs, or private sector entities.
Proficiency in conducting cost-benefit analyses and financial modeling for climate-related projects.
How to Apply: https://practicalaction.org/careers/vacancies/climate-finance-consultant/
