IDB3164 - Lead Sustainable and Social Finance Specialist

Job Purpose

Lead the formulation, development and effective implementation of IsDB’s activities and strategies related to the financing of sustainable and social finance initiatives including fragility, conflict, NGOs and social development (projects, knowledge reports, capacity building activities, resource mobilization, partnership building, policy and planning support, etc.) and provide expert level advisory, guidance to the Regional Hubs, GPP Directorate, Department and Member Countries to strengthen the existing and develop new strategic partnerships that can result in technical and financial value addition for the Bank’s operations. The incumbent would be expected to coordinate internally within the department in mobilization of concessionary resources and co-financing for the Bank’s various projects and programs on social and sustainability matters touching on not only fragile areas, resilience but also on climate change and women and youth empowerment initiatives. As such, the person would be expected to coordinate the work and review the deliverables of lesser experienced team members both in the Department and outside as well as coach, guide and mentor them.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic and Operational Planning:

• Serve as a focal point and resource center for all matters related to sustainable financing resource mobilization in the areas of fragility, conflict, climate change and social development including women and youth in the department at large.
• Work with traditional and new donors in mobilization of funds and concessional resources as per requirement of the Annual Work Plan of the Department.
• Develop comprehensive plan and collaborate with relevant departments for resource mobilization to support operations in cross cutting areas.
• Develop and promote strategic partnerships and alliances, and introduce innovative practices, methodologies for effective mobilization of resources.
• Identify new partnership opportunities and introduce measures to enable the Bank to diversify and meet concessional financing needs of LDMCs and countries facing fragile situations, promoting climate change and empowering women and youth.
• Take part in MCPS formulation with relevant departments at HQ and regional hub.
• Contributing to GPs work on resilience and climate action identifying staff and learning needs and setting competencies and standards for their global, regional and country-specific solution areas.
• Lead various Communities of Practice (CoP) in different sectors with regards to sustainable and social finance, which entails providing intellectual leadership on positioning the Global Practice (GP) internally and externally in various sectors and thematic areas.

Sustainable and Social Financing:

• Support the development and implementation of the corporate targets of social and sustainability issues, including women and youth related targets, climate finance target or fragility financing targets for different Regional Hubs.
• Support tracking, labelling and tagging of social and sustainable activities and finance as relevant and adopted at corporate level.
• Support the IsDB Sustainable Finance Task Force in ensuring regular issuance of social and sustainable sukuks, humanitarian funds including participating in the meetings and supporting the development of relevant monitoring tools and reporting documents.
• With the Global Practice and Task Managers in the Regional Hubs, keep track of the commitment and report to/advise the Bank on the progress in meeting the target and adjustments required in the portfolio.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with other leading works on sustainability and social finance within the IsDB and Academia, MDBs and other key partners, outside IsDB, on relevant research/analysis, events and outreach.

Strategic Partnership:

• Co-lead on the engagement with international bilateral and multilateral social and sustainability finance institutions, such as International Climate Initiative (IKI), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) as well as philanthropic institutions, and coordinate fundraising for the relevant social and sustainability projects. In addition, prepare approach papers, reports and statements on the rationale and activities to be supported by donor funds.

 Knowledge Sharing & Innovation:

• Track external issues and processes relevant to the best practices in social and sustainability financing in various sectors and thematic areas. Keep abreast of external developments and provide technical support to management on engagement in key external processes on issues of Social Development sectors and Sustainability linked thematic functions. This includes, but not limited to, IsDB partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), G20 and SDG engagement, other specialized UN agencies, multilateral development banks, bilateral finance institutions, etc.

• Lead and coordinate forums for knowledge generation, exchange and dissemination on issues of sustainability and social finance across the bank functions (with relevant GPs and Regional Hubs).
• Lead and coordinate knowledge generation and advisory on social development and sustainability financing with external stakeholders of relevance to IsDB’s climate action including, but not limited to, Member Country agencies, IFIs, think tanks and consultants.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in development studies, economic, engineering, finance, business administration or related discipline or any related field.
• Master’s Degree in development studies, economic, engineering, finance, business administration or related discipline is highly preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in development work including formulation and management of programs and resource mobilization in the social or sustainability thematic areas.
• At least 5+ years of experience on financing for development.
• Experience working with IFIs/Development Agencies/Multilateral Development Banks preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of supervisory/managerial experience.

Skills & Necessary Knowledge

• IsDB financing instruments
• Resource mobilization and partnership management
• Donor relationship management
• Program development and implementation
• Project management
• Policies and procedures
• Development effectiveness

Languages

* English - Mandatory

* Arabic - Preferred

* French - Preferred