Advisor Sr, GCF Pipeline and Capture Lead (US Only)

NOTE: The Pay Range referenced in this job announcement only applies to applicants who perform the job within the US and to applicants classified by CRS as International Assignees.  Staff hired on local payroll would follow the respective Country pay range.  Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your anticipated work location during the candidate selection process.

Job Summary

The Senior Advisor, GCF Pipeline and Capture Lead will lead the development and advancement of CRS' global Green Climate Fund (GCF) pipeline, from early opportunity identification and country positioning through concept note and full funding proposal readiness and submission. The role provides enterprise leadership for donor intelligence, capture management, pipeline governance, proposal review processes, resource planning, and organizational learning. It ensures that country programs and proposal teams have the tools, guidance, staffing structures, and decision-making processes required to systematically advance a focused, competitive, and well-managed GCF pipeline. Note that project specific design, technical leadership, and proposal drafting remain with designated country teams, technical leads, proposal coordinators, and specialist advisers. While the main focus of this role is on GCF, the role will also focus on possible opportunities across other Climate funds and present to the unit Director the possible positioning and resources which need to be allocated beyond GCF. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• With CFSU director co-lead agency position for GCF, FRLD (Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage) and GEF (Global Environmental Facility).  
• Lead intelligence gathering and analysis, strategic priorities, programming directions, investment trends, country opportunities, and relevant funding windows. 
• Lead and maintain CRS' global GCF pipeline, including capture plans, opportunity identification, prioritization, sequencing, and readiness for anticipated GCF Board submission windows. Identify pipeline risks, bottlenecks, dependencies, and staffing gaps early and elevate decisions to the appropriate leadership level. 
• Work with country programs, regional teams, GREM (Global Resources, Engagement and Mobilization), PIQA (Program Impact and Quality Assurance), and CFSU colleagues to clarify the path from early project ideas through concept note and funding proposal stages. 
• Clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of the RFP (regional focal point) or proposal coordinator, technical lead, country program, reviewers, CFSU, and other contributing teams. Be accountable for filling roles internally and externally. Onboard all CRS staff and consultants working on the pipeline, coordination and technical support.  
• Establish a structured approach to capturing learning from GCF engagement, including feedback from GCF, NDAs, reviewers, partners, consultants, country programs, and proposal teams. 
• Ensure lessons from project idea pitches, concept notes, funding proposals, reviews, and external engagement are documented and fed back into capture strategies and pipeline processes. 
• Maintain a coherent suite of resources, including Climate Funds 101, GCF Donor 101, Project Idea Note review guidance, value proposition tools, capture templates, pipeline dashboards, roles and responsibilities dashboards, and Concept Note and proposal tools and templates. 
• Establish regular feedback loops with country programs, coordinators, technical leads, reviewers, and leadership to ensure guidance remains practical and responsive to operational needs. 
• Develop and manage consultant rosters for GCF pipeline and proposal needs, including writers, proposal coordinators, technical specialists, economists, financial experts, safeguards specialists, and other priority functions. 
• Maintain regular communication with leadership and colleagues so that pipeline status, upcoming decisions, resource requirements, and emerging issues are visible and addressed early. 
• Represent the pipeline perspective in relevant internal planning and coordination forums and support engagement with GCF regional teams, NDAs, partners, and peer organizations as appropriate. 
• Maintain a network of external contacts with peer organizations, technical experts, consultants and Climate Fund technical staff and represent CRS in key engagements with these stakeholders. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and Web Conferencing Applications
• Demonstrated experience transferring knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods
• Excellent writing, synthesis, facilitation, and judgment, with the ability to turn complex information into clear decisions, responsibilities, and next steps. 
• Strategic and analytical thinking, with the ability to connect donor intelligence, organizational capabilities, country priorities, and pipeline decisions. 
• Strong process leadership and the ability to create clarity across complex, multi-team workflows. 
• Excellent interpersonal communication, negotiation, facilitation, and representation skills. 
• Ability to build the capacity of colleagues and partners through practical guidance, coaching, and learning processes. 
• Ability to manage competing priorities, identify risks early, and bring decisions to resolution. 
• Strong commitment to collaboration, continuous improvement, and usable institutional knowledge. 

Required Languages: Oral and written fluency in English is essential. The ability to work and communicate in French or Spanish is preferred. Arabic is a plus. 

Travel: Travel may be required for strategic country engagement, capture planning, donor engagement, proposal readiness, and relevant meetings, in line with the needs of the GCF pipeline and CRS travel policies. Must be willing and able to travel 25%.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  Yes

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in climate change, environmental sustainability, international development, business development, international relations, or a related field.
• 10 years relevant experience in international development, climate finance, institutional fundraising, capture management, proposal management, or related business development functions. 
• Demonstrated experience with institutional climate funding streams, including the GCF. Familiarity with other multilateral climate funds, development finance institutions, bilateral donors, foundations, or corporate climate funding is desirable. 
• Strong track record in donor intelligence, capture planning, pipeline management, proposal governance, and coordination across diverse technical and operational stakeholders. 
• Demonstrated experience developing practical tools, guidance, templates, and standardized processes and improving them through user feedback and organizational learning. 
• Experience managing consultant rosters, developing scopes of work or job descriptions, vetting candidates, and deploying external expertise against proposal needs. 
• Strong understanding of GCF investment criteria, country ownership, proposal stages, review requirements, and the roles required to develop Concept Notes and Funding Proposals. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's degree in climate change, environmental sustainability, international development, business development, international relations, or a related field.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions. 
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

WHAT WE OFFER

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.