Portfolio Officer, GEF and GCF Projects (ESARO)

About the role

IUCN is hiring a Portfolio Officer for its Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) and the Multilateral Finance Unit, based in Nairobi. The post co-manages the coordination of Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF) projects in the region, exercising independent technical judgement on project design, results frameworks and safeguards, and taking on fund mobilisation and capacity building alongside portfolio management. It is a senior, technically demanding function reporting to the Portfolio Manager, Eastern and Southern Africa, on a fixed-term contract of up to 24 months.

Key responsibilities

• Co-lead regional task management of the GEF-GCF portfolio with executing agencies, PMUs and ESARO staff, and deputise for the Portfolio Manager on defined workstreams and country engagements.
• Manage the project pipeline and implementation portfolio using institutional tools and platforms, ensuring compliance with IUCN and GEF/GCF policies.
• Provide substantive technical review of project concepts, PIFs and funding proposals, including climate rationale, results framework quality and safeguards.
• Identify new project opportunities with the Regional Director, MFU Director and Regional Portfolio Manager, and support the identification and mobilisation of new funding.
• Coordinate with GEF and GCF project development consultancies, including quality assurance of technical deliverables.
• Prepare periodic portfolio performance reports and annual implementation reports (GEF PIRs, GCF APRs), and coordinate implementation agreements with partners.
• Support proposal design, co-financing opportunities, internal validation and submission of proposals to donor portals.
• Support communication and knowledge materials on the portfolio, represent IUCN at events, and promote collaboration with constituent units.
• Use digital and AI-enabled tools ethically and responsibly to speed up drafting and data work, while retaining full accountability for accuracy and context.
• Support administrative and operational systems management, project review meetings and data entry on donor portals.

Required profile

• Master's degree in natural resources management, environmental science, environmental economics, climate change, project management or a related field.
• At least 7 years of verifiable experience in project management, sustainable development, conservation or climate change, including substantive experience with Adaptation Fund, GEF and/or GCF projects.
• Demonstrated fund mobilisation or resource mobilisation experience for multilateral climate or environment finance.
• Fluency in English; French or Portuguese is a strong asset.
• Willingness to travel within and outside the region as required.

Required skills

• Strong technical background in climate change adaptation and mitigation and biodiversity conservation, with a working understanding of GEF focal areas and GCF result areas.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams and institutional project portals.
• Advantageous: QGIS, SQL and other geospatial and data visualization tools.
• Experience preparing analytical and financial reports and contributing to technical publications.