Unit:
Multilateral Finance Unit
Organisation:
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Location:
Headquarters, Gland, Switzerland
Alternative location, depending on the successful candidate: Washington, D.C., U.S.A
Reporting to:
Director, Multilateral Finance Unit
Expected start date:
01 September 2026
Type of contract:
Max-term (up to 24 months with possibility of renewal)
Closing date:
25 June 2026
BACKGROUND
ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges.
IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental international organisation, with more than 1,400 government and NGO Members and some 18,000 volunteer experts in around 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by around 1,100 staff members in more than 50 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world.
UNIT BACKGROUND
IUCN Multilateral Finance Unit (MFU) is a global unit within Corporate Services that leads on IUCN strategic engagement with the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, and other multilateral funds, and includes the Environmental and Social Management System. MFU main functions are to engage strategically with the Funds, to advise and guide IUCN regional and thematic experts on the pipeline development, to oversee the portfolio, and to monitor and report to the Funds. A core aspect of the work is to ensure compliance with the GEF and GCF technical and policy requirements. IUCN is a Partner Agency to the GEF since 2014 and an Accredited Entity to the GCF since 2016, and both portfolios have grown significantly in the last ten years. It is the largest portfolio where IUCN Secretariat plays the role of an implementing agency overseeing the execution by governments, IUCN members, NGOs/CSOs and other agencies. The MFU portfolio including GEF and GCF now represent over one third of the IUCN project portfolio.
Under the overall strategic and operational guidance of the Director Multilateral Finance Unit, and working closely with the Portfolio Managers, Senior Finance Officers, and ESMS Specialists, the Senior Programme Lead (GEF and GCF) manage the quality assurance processes during pipeline development and portfolio performance operations of projects funded by the GCF and GEF (Trust Fund, SCCF/LDCF and GBFF), and ensure GCF and GEF technical and policy requirements are met. The staff can be required to supervise staff and/or consultants, and to manage a roster of consultants for GEF/GCF designs and technical reviews.
JOB DESCRIPTION
1) Pipeline Development and Quality Assurance
- Lead the development of strategies to guide the engagement with the Funds and to ensure overall portfolio quality and alignment in respect to the Funds strategies, programming directions, and policy requirements, in collaboration with the Director and Portfolio Managers;
- Lead the development and implementation of systems, guidelines and processes related to the design and the management of IUCN portfolio and projects funded by the GEF and the GCF, in collaboration with the Finance Officer and other relevant IUCN Units;
- Prepare training sessions and materials to raise internal awareness;
- Ensure projects are compliant with both the Funds and IUCN’s requirements, policies and guidelines, by coordinating with IUCN Corporate Units, Regional Programmes and Centres;
- Coordinate project and programme reviews across IUCN’s and the Fund’s project cycle (concept, proposal, mid-term review, terminal evaluation);
- Review and provide inputs to proposals to ensure they are compliant with GEF and GCF requirements before their submissions;
- Lead and coordinate the submission of projects to the Funds;
- Lead the development and design of capacity building material on GEF and GCF across the Secretariat and IUCN project partners.
2) Portfolio Performance Management
- Lead the development and improvement of the portfolio monitoring system in order to report in a dynamic manner to the Director MFU and Senior Management for GEF and GCF;
- Lead the development of a results-based management systems aligned with IUCN programme results, GEF and GCF results frameworks;
- Ensure the portfolio of projects delivers impact and outcomes as planned;
- Ensure supervision and monitoring requirements are mastered by Portfolio Managers and other experts involved in the management of the portfolio through training and capacity building internally;
- Take part in selected projects supervision missions;
- Monitor performance of projects implementation and compliance with timeframes and policies, including identification of projects at risks;
- Ensure, in collaboration with Portfolio Managers, that mitigation measures are adequately designed and implemented until projects are not considered at risk anymore;
- Approve risk mitigation plans to be implemented at project level when required.
3) Technical and Policy Advisory and Coordination Support
- Monitor and communicate all updates related to changes in portfolio management in the framework of GEF and GCF;
- Ensure all Portfolio Managers and IUCN secretariat have consistent and adequate information on GEF and GCF requirements, including policies update and timelines;
- Communicate timelines for project review according to the Funds’ approvals and timelines;
- Lead, in close coordination with Portfolio Managers across IUCN, the development of content for communicating results achieved by the portfolio;
- Represent IUCN in relevant meetings and task forces related to the portfolio (Council meetings, task forces, agencies retreat, regional meetings).
REQUIREMENTS
Education:
Master’s degree or higher in a field relevant to environment and development, including natural resources management, environment science, climate change, forestry, environmental economics, development studies, or equivalent.
Experience & technical skills:
At least eleven years of international experience in the development, management and/or evaluation of large, complex natural resource management projects and programmes, especially those focusing on biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management and restoration, water and marine resources management and conservation, forest and ecosystems management, climate change adaptation, resilience and livelihoods.
In-depth knowledge and experience in successfully engaging with GEF and/or GCF in terms of programme development and management. Other funds could be considered.
Demonstrated technical understanding and expertise across range of themes and issues relevant to GEF and GCF programming including environmental economics, sustainable forest management, ecosystem restoration, land management, water resources management, climate change, natural resource governance, and biodiversity conservation;
Demonstrated experience in results-based management, including fiduciary matters and environmental and social safeguards.
Other skills:
Excellent proficiency in written and spoken English. One other IUCN languages (French, Spanish) is highly preferable;
Work experience in developing countries, and multi-cultural and hybrid work environment is required;
Background in programme monitoring and evaluation is a asset;
Strong network of relevant international professional relationships, including those with donors and technical partners and consultants;
Knowledge of and work with IUCN and partners is an asset.
APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
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