Climate Finance Specialist (Home based Retainer) - Gaborone, Botswana

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

WEC Background  

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.  

 WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country-specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements,  such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The NDC Partnership

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition advancing the Paris Agreement by strengthening capacity and collaboration for country-owned climate and development action. 

With over 270 members, including over 140 countries and more than 120 institutions, the NDC Partnership aligns partner support behind country priorities, builds shared knowledge and generates evidence to inform effective NDC implementation, sustained investment and higher ambition that drives sustainable development. Working through a country-driven model, countries set the agenda by identifying their NDC priorities, and partners deliver coordinated, high-impact support that increases efficiency and reduces duplication.

The NDC Partnership has unmatched insight into on-the-ground climate realities, drawn from diverse expertise and collaborative learning across its membership. Grounded in country action, these insights shape the global climate agenda.

The NDC Partnership Support Unit is jointly hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC).

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) in Botswana recognises that climate change poses significant risks to the country's economy, macro-fiscal stability, and long-term development trajectory, as outlined in Vision 2036 and successive National Development Plans (NDPs). To address these challenges and seize the opportunities presented by the global transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy, the Ministry is committed to strengthening its capacity to mobilise, track, and effectively utilise climate finance.

Building on this mandate, the Ministry, through its Development Budget Unit, seeks to expand its capacity to engage with the full spectrum of climate and development finance partners. This position will be embedded within the MoF to support the Development Budget Unit in mobilizing climate finance. The incumbent will support the Ministry in enhancing institutional coordination, building capacity across government to design fundable climate projects, and developing robust systems for climate budget tagging and public financial management (PFM). The incumbent will also play a strategic role in strengthening the integration of climate considerations into macroeconomic policy, fiscal risk analysis, public investment planning, and national budget processes.

The role will support policy alignment to catalyse the implementation of climate-development investments aligned with the country’s NDC 3.0, the NAP, and future LT-LEDS processes by enhancing institutional capacity, improving coordination, and advancing tools such as climate budget tagging within PFM, while facilitating engagement with government and development partners.

This role will build on ongoing efforts by the MoF to ensure that climate spending is aligned with national priorities, delivers value for money, and attracts increased international and private climate finance. 

Under the supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist and in close coordination with the Climate Change Coordinator based in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the incumbent will work in close collaboration with the Focal Points of the NDC Partnership at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance

• This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 220 working days, with the possibility of an extension depending on satisfactory performance and on availability of funds. 

• This is a Home based position, meaning that the incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office but from the government facilities. Therefore, the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software. 

• As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Botswana or have a valid residence in Botswana.

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide high-level technical advisory support to the Ministry of Finance to enhance the mobilisation, allocation, and tracking of climate finance. This aligns directly with the Ministry’s core mandate of mobilising and managing public financial resources to finance Botswana's national development priorities in a sustainable and climate-responsive manner. The Advisor will support the Ministry in strengthening its strategic leadership role in climate finance coordination across government institutions and development partners.

1. Climate Finance Landscape and Gap Assessment 

• Lead the technical mapping of domestic and international climate finance sources and instruments, including eligibility and terms. 
• Identify the climate financing gaps and constraints, highlighting structural, and regulatory barriers.
• Support the prioritization sessions and deliver investment recommendations, offering actionable guidance to inform climate finance strategy design, mainstreaming climate goals into development planning and budgeting processes, Budget tagging and tracking.
• Secure partner support (through NDC Partnership) – like CPI services and others - to conduct a comprehensive national climate finance landscape and financial flows study for Botswana.

2. Climate Finance mobilization and investment pipeline development

• Support the development of concept notes and funding proposals for identified areas in the Climate Investment Plan in collaboration with NDC in-country facilitator and GCF Liaison Officer to mobilize climate resources for project development. 
• Facilitate collaboration with line ministries and mobilize Development Partners, and potential sources of finance to identify and develop climate financing initiatives, including low-carbon, climate resilient bankable projects. This includes supporting quality assurance of concept notes and proposals prior to submission to climate finance mechanisms.
• Convene donor roundtable meetings to identify and develop climate financing initiatives, including low-carbon, climate-resilient projects that can be readied for finance in collaboration with the respective line ministries.
• Support the Ministry’s efforts to engage with the NDC Partnership and other development partners to mobilise technical assistance and coordinate support for climate finance readiness.
• Coordinate and support ministerial convenings to secure the political ownership and steer of the Botswana country platform through the Minister of Environment and Minister of Finance – the Vice President.

3. Institutional Coordination, Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer

• (A targeted capacity building program for the Ministry of Finance/ priority Ministries, Departments, and Agencies)
• Facilitate government focal points to translate capacity gaps into coordinated requests for support. And secure funding for training sessions.
• Facilitate regular coordination meetings in collaboration with the NDC In-country Facilitator, between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environment, and other relevant entities.
• Provide technical advice on strengthening climate expenditure tracking and reporting within the national public financial management system.
• Secure support to develop a Climate Budget Tagging (CBT) System: coordinate and support the design and operational rollout of a climate budget tagging system to track and report on climate-relevant public expenditures. This includes identifying information needs, defining roles and responsibilities for line ministries, and providing guidance for integrating the system into the existing budget cycle and PFM.

4. Policy advisory support for enhancing Private Sector and Financial Sector engagement

• Facilitate engagement with the Bank of Botswana and the Non-Banking Regulatory Authority – identify entry points for greening government and private banks and financial institutions.
• Draft policy briefs, discussion papers, and advisory notes for senior management on emerging topics such as green bonds, debt-for-climate swaps, and integrating climate scenarios into fiscal risk assessments
• Provide strategic advice on integrating climate risks and opportunities into core fiscal policy instruments, national development planning processes, and public investment management. This may include supporting the development of climate-informed fiscal risk assessments and integrating climate considerations into public investment appraisal processes.

Required

• An advanced degree (Master’s or higher) preferably in Finance, Economics, Public Policy, Climate Change, Environmental Economics, Engineering, or a closely related field OR
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a related discipline with 7 years of relevant experience.

Required

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in climate finance, public financial management (PFM), development finance, environmental economics, or related fields.

• Demonstrated experience in climate-related public financial management, including the design or implementation of climate budget tagging systems, PFM reforms, performance-based budgeting, national budget processes, investment appraisal, and/or expenditure monitoring, preferably in a developing-country context.

Desired

• Experience with international climate finance mechanisms, particularly familiarity with the operational policies, procedures, and requirements of the GCF, Adaptation Fund, FRLD, IKI, and other climate funds, including direct experience supporting an NDA, accredited entity, or as a GCF consultant.
• Previous experience working with or within the Government of Botswana, particularly the Ministry of Finance, and proven experience providing government advisory and/or technical support to donor-funded projects, with a strong understanding of government operations, institutional coordination, decision-making processes, and the ability to work effectively across ministries and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated analytical and strategic advisory experience in macroeconomic policy, fiscal management, or climate finance policy development.
• Strong analytical, strategic advisory, communication, and capacity-building skills, including the ability to synthesize and translate complex technical information into practical advice for policy and non-technical audiences, and to design and deliver training or capacity-building activities for government officials.

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