E T Consultant - Climate Advisory and Sustainable Finance

IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities. Our mission is to leverage the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

Climate action is at the core of IFC’s business. The FY21-25 World Bank Group (WBG) Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) outlines the institution’s collective response to align financial flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Through the CCAP, IFC has committed to align 100% of new operations with the goals of the Paris Agreement starting July 1, 2025.

IFC’s Infrastructure Department (INR) provides *pre-investment , investment and advisory services for private sector clients across energy, mining, transport, and telecom/media/technology sectors. Upstream and Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory (SIA), part of the infrastructure department, has a climate advisory practice that works with IFC clients to decarbonize in line with global goals of meeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; to better understand and respond to climate risk through enhanced adaptation; and to plan for a just energy transition to build a shared prosperity in a new climate economy.

ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

The SIA and Asia upstream team is seeking to recruit a highly motivated consultant with expertise in private sector development and climate change. The consultant will be responsible for implementation of climate advisory mandates, project management and support business development efforts in Southeast Asia with a focus on the energy, transport, telecommunications and media (TMT) sectors. This position is a 1-year contract with the possibility of an extension by two additional years.

Across all areas of responsibilities, the position will focus on supporting (i) execution of client facing climate advisory mandates with a goal to contributing to growing IFC Infrastructure’s Sustainability Linked Finance (SLF) deal pipeline and Upstream business; (ii) delivery of strategic knowledge on decarbonization and energy transition roadmaps for IFC infrastructure clients through preparation of pitchbooks, strategy/guidance notes, review and gap assessment of client’s decarbonization and net zero strategies; and (iii) convening clients, developing thought leadership (publications, blogs, etc.) and external partnerships to enhance climate action.

The consultant will report to the regional pre-investment infrastructure and climate advisory program leads in India and Washington DC, respectively. The consultant is also expected to work in close coordination with the sustainable finance lead based in Paris. The duty station of the consultant will be in New Delhi, India. His/her main tasks will include (but not be limited to) the following:

• Business development for climate advisory and sustainable finance pre-investment business in infrastructure sectors in the APAC region
• Identify and refine client support opportunities and prepare client pitches using PowerPoint and research databases to tailor presentations for prospective clients in energy, transport and TMT sector in emerging markets. The Consultant will work in close coordination with client relationship managers, sector leads, infrastructure upstream, climate advisory and sustainable finance leads.
• Contribute to tailored presentations to support investment officers and client relationship managers to engage in strategic dialogue around beyond-compliance sustainability with clients.
• Develop project concept notes, provide technical inputs and value proposition development aimed at private sector clients with a focus on decarbonization solutions for development challenges as part of green/ blue/ social/ sustainability-linked financings in close cooperation with INR sustainable finance lead.
• Support for upcoming workshops, roadshows with clients and prospective clients, sustainability and climate related internal and external events, including logistics and content development.
• Delivery of climate advisory and pre-investment sustainability projects
• Design implementation plans and support execution of:
• client-facing advisory engagements on decarbonization strategies and just energy transition plans;
• upstream engagements focusing on pre-investment agreements for enabling Sustainability linked financing and / or other similar climate financing structures.
• Project delivery will be under the oversight of the regional infrastructure upstream and climate advisory product leads and in coordination with sustainable finance team, if relevant, with an expectation of significant initiative and ownership of tasks and extensive delivery and project coordination support. Tasks may include:
• Developing and applying frameworks for analysis, problem-solving and solution development.
• Structuring research approaches and conducting primary and secondary data collection.
• Executing analytical and interpretative tasks on projects, such as market analysis, business and financial analysis, sustainability performance analysis, and GHG emissions and science-based targets data modelling.
• Communicating findings orally and in writing (e.g., contributing major components to project reports, producing PowerPoint slides, providing oral and written management briefings).
• Defining advisory project delivery workplans and project management approaches for private sector clients. For more experienced candidates, managing larger projects, project workstreams and deliverables.
• Perform project management procurement, budgeting, reporting, monitoring, risk and due diligence assessments and administration tasks on an as need basis through close coordination with different internal teams and stakeholders.
• Coordinate partner delivery and quality controlling deliverables to ensure quality and timeliness.
• Ensure close coordination with relevant sectoral experts and the products leads
  
  

internally.

• Knowledge management and practice development support
• Capture lessons learned from similar projects across different regions to develop relevant knowledge products and scope out replicable business development opportunities. This may include preparing case studies, organizing virtual and face-to-face events and BBLs, and contributing to reports and other publications.
• Support/lead climate advisory and upstream knowledge sharing events for private sector clients in Asia.
  
  

The tasks described above will require strong coordination with IFC infrastructure upstream (APAC), SIA teams, sustainable finance core team, climate business department, sectoral experts, E&S, impact measurement and regional project teams. Depending on regional need, other sustainability related tasks might be added.

Selection Criteria

Candidates must have a sustained record of achieving high-quality substantive results over an extended period (minimum 10 years).

• Master’s degree in either environmental finance, business, economics, engineering, or similar discipline.
• Strong understanding of climate issues for greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting across Scope 1, 2 and 3 (with substantial experience in carbon accounting and/or GHG verification/assurance), climate disclosure, climate risk and sustainable finance taxonomies.
• Deep understanding of decarbonization for energy sector, including energy transition strategy development, including baselining, and target setting (including SBTi targets development and validation) and solutions.
• Experience related to green/labeled financing structures, as well as sustainable finance and/or sustainability-linked finance.
• Knowledge of carbon trading platforms, carbon markets and its impact on infrastructure project development will be a plus.
• Proven track record in designing, implementing, and managing advisory/consulting projects using innovative approaches, including demonstrated ability to uphold operational procedures and keeping to timelines.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, interpretive, and problem-solving skills, with critical thinking and creative and client-centric solution development.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience in producing high quality client reporting, project reporting, knowledge products and communications outputs. Understanding of the infrastructure and natural resources sectors and related business strategy and climate issues.
• Tangible experience in capacity building and training a plus.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams, travel, and to handle a large workload, balance and prioritize competing demands under high pressure.
• Ability to handle a large workload, balance and prioritize competing demands under high pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain productive relationships and influence decision-making, tailoring approach depending on the seniority level of business contacts.
• Fluency in English is essential; ability to work in other World Bank Group languages is a plus.
  
  

World Bank Group Core Competencies

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Note: The selected candidate will be offered a one-year appointment, renewable at the discretion of the World Bank Group, and subject to a lifetime maximum ET appointment of three years. If an ET appointment ends before a full year, it is considered as a full year toward the lifetime maximum. Former and current ET staff who have completed all or any portion of their third-year ET appointment are not eligible for future ET appointments.