Grade: A
Deadline: 17 August 2026 (11:59 PM KST)
Please note that this recruitment is being managed by the headhunting firm Korn Ferry. Qualified candidates will be contacted and screened directly by the firm.
Candidates who have already applied for this position do not need to reapply. Existing applications will remain under consideration and will be reviewed alongside new applications.
Introduction
The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund and invests in impactful, innovative, catalytic programs and projects in developing countries across the globe. The GCF has a portfolio of 360 projects across 134 countries, with a total commitment of USD 20.5 billion to date.
In 2023, an additional USD 12.8 billion was pledged, to support our new strategic and programming cycle from 2024-2027; our ambition is to grow to become at least a USD 50 billion fund by 2030. Rooted in the core objectives of impact and efficiency, access and a focus on the most vulnerable, and mobilizing a much higher scale of public and private sector financial flows for climate action we have an unparalleled scale of resources, which, together with our risk appetite and flexibility allows us to bring together different partners and stakeholders in innovative partnerships for profound impact.
GCF is seeking a top-tier individual with a demonstrable track record of harnessing experience, energy and networks to tackle complex global climate change challenges.
You will be committed to making a positive, measurable difference through a mission-driven role, and thrive in a fast-paced, diverse environment.
You will be a nurturer of people: recognizing and growing the talent around you, exemplifying values of transparency, respect and innovation.
You will be committed to learning, knowledge-sharing, convening and communicating with partners to work together to ideate, develop and implement climate action initiatives that make a profound difference to people and planet.
You will join a team of talented, committed individuals representing almost 80 nationalities contributing skills and experience from academic, scientific, private, government and nonprofit backgrounds. Together, we work with governments, communities and civil society, technical agencies, and the private sector across the world.
Interested in more information?
Learn about working for GCF: https://www.greenclimate.fund/about/careers
View current vacancies: https://jobs.greenclimate.fund/
About the Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Set up in 2010 by the 194 countries who are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF takes its responsibility as the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund to heart. GCF funds transformative climate projects across the developing world, supporting countries in their responses and actions to tackle climate change while fostering sustainable development within their communities.
Our country-driven approach ensures that our actions are tailored to the unique circumstances and national aspirations of each nation we support. Besides channeling public and private sector investment through a broad range of financing instruments, GCF builds the capacity of developing countries to take climate action through an extensive Readiness Programme ensuring countries are increasingly well-equipped and financed to manage their climate futures.
Headquartered in the Republic of Korea, GCF operates with a diverse and talented workforce of over 300 people.
Position Objective
The Chief Strategy and Impact Officer (CSIO) leads the strategy development, impact monitoring and assessment, and external positioning of GCF under the guidance of the Fund’s Executive Director (ED). A global thought leader, s/he scans megatrends and developments in politics and science to ensure that GCF’s strategy remains fit-for-purpose in a fast-moving global context. S/he oversees the monitoring, evaluation and learning function with a strong focus on impact and demonstrating GCF’s unique value globally. Through oversight of the funding partnerships and communication functions, s/he leads efforts to mobilize resources to support GCF’s mission on a global scale and drives the changes necessary for the successful implementation of GCF’s strategy.
S/he is a member of the executive leadership team.
Directors of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning; Strategy, Policy and Innovation; Communications and; Partnership and Resource Mobilisation report to the CSIO. The Chief Strategy and Impact Officer is a member of GCF’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT), along with the ED, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the General Counsel, the Director of the Office of Governance Affairs and the ED’s Chief of Staff.
Purpose
- Strategic leadership: Engagement Delivery Requirements (Education, experience, technical competencies required of the job) Competencies For details on grade levels, salary scales and benefits, please refer to: https://www.greenclimate.fund/document/staff-regulations The closing date for application is 17 August 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered. *The person assessed by the Selection Panel as most suitable for the position will be proposed for appointment. Selection among short-listed candidates will also take into account performance at interview, appropriate testing, and references. Applications from women and nationals of developing countries are strongly encouraged.
- Leads the development and monitors the implementation of GCF’s strategy, including the Strategic Plan, ensuring that it incorporates the latest developments on climate science, social and economic sciences, innovation and megatrends.
- Ensures that the latest scientific knowledge and solutions relevant to GCF’s mission are available to the executive leadership team and staff, and oversees implementation of mechanisms to drive their adoption when relevant.
- Drives alignment between institutional strategy, the work program, budgets, and cascade of objectives to ensure delivery of strategy.
- Policy:
- Oversees policy formulation and liaises with the executive leadership team to ensure high quality policy outputs are delivered in a timely manner at the Board level effectively.
- Ensures policy coherence and complementarity across GCF.
- Results, evaluation and learning:
- Oversees the results monitoring, impact assessment, knowledge management and learning functions of GCF ensuring the appropriate tools, systems, capacities, and partnerships are in place to deliver at high standards.
- Ensures systematization of the results and impact data and information for effective use by all key stakeholders in GCF, including GCF management, operational teams, corporate services and Board.
- Drives an organizational culture informed by results and impact.
- Leverages GCF’s experience and knowledge to promote learning for impact among key external stakeholder groups.
- Resource mobilization:
- Leads resource mobilization strategy efforts, appropriately tailored to the different Sovereign and non-Sovereign partners and oversees its effective implementation.
- Identifies and oversees the establishment of strategic partnerships in support of
- GCF’s resource mobilization efforts.
- Leads the institutional efforts of engagement at annual High-Level events such as Conferences of Parties.
- Working closely with the ED, leads the structured replenishment efforts of GCF.
- Communications:
- Oversees GCF’s external communications, working to amplify awareness about GCF, and the Fund’s influence and strategic impact on a global scale.
- Ensures that GCF has a sound communications strategy, including concrete and tangible external and internal communication plans; and oversees their implementation.
- Ensures that GCF takes advantage of all key media formats to promote its messaging and experience.
- Represents GCF externally where relevant and as agreed with the Executive Director.
- Leads GCF’s global impact across climate finance and climate action through demonstrating thought leadership to multilateral, private sector and civil society actors.
- Leads efforts to drive an organizational culture informed by research and data analytics related to results and impact.
- Leads cross-organizational efforts to ensure knowledge and learning are embraced within GCF but also actively disseminated and used by key GCF stakeholders, key among which are AEs and NDAs.
- Inspires and motivates staff in GCF to honor the values of impact and innovation within the organization
- Drives key priorities in GCF strategies and the ‘50by30’ vision: reaching vulnerable people and communities; mobilizing private sector engagement; reinventing the partnership model; expediting project review and approvals; enhancing country ownership, amongst others.
- Drives a rigorous focus on impact and results to transform GCF’s approach to policy, strategy, and operations.
- At least 20 years of relevant experience. Significant experience and track record of articulating and successfully implementing global strategies (as evidenced by measurable outcomes); at least 10 years of experience in senior leadership and management roles, preferably in role related to climate change, climate finance and/or climate fund management.
- Track record of leading strategy and policy development efforts using the latest science, knowledge and empirical experience.
- Track record of global thought leadership in climate action, climate finance and sustainable development.
- Strong knowledge and experience of tools and systems to support strong results, evaluation, knowledge management and learning organizational functions.
- Demonstrated effectiveness in improving processes and integrating knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives.
- Relevant postgraduate qualification.
- Senior leadership experience in international development, climate policy, or a related field.
- Demonstrated ability to lead sizeable and diverse teams.
- Familiarity with international development and the UN system, institutions of global climate governance, research and policy (UNFCCC, IPCC) would be an advantage.
- Familiarity with current private sector approaches to investment in climate action and sustainable development would be an advantage.
- Excellent presentation, interpersonal and communication skills.
- Fluency in both written and spoken English; knowledge of another UN language desirable.
- High level of commitment to values of inclusion and sustainable development.
- Inspires and guides the department with a compelling vision for the future, aligning strategies and actions with a shared sense of purpose;
- Possesses exceptional communication skills and the ability to persuasively convey ideas, gaining buy-in and inspiring action from others;
- Demonstrates a creative and forward-thinking mindset, consistently generating new ideas and solutions to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities;
- Exhibits tact, discretion, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal relationships, particularly in high-stakes or politically sensitive situations;
- Ability to attract, recruit, lead, and mentor high quality strategy, policy, science, resource mobilization and communications staff
- Inspires and motivates others to achieve their best by fostering a positive and supportive work environment, recognizing, and celebrating achievements;
- Maintains high ethical standards ensuring fairness, respect, and integrity.
