Climate Impact Specialist

Grade: E
Deadline: 16 June 2026 (11:59 PM KST)

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 353 projects across 134 countries, with a total commitment of USD 20.2 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.

Role Summary
The Climate Impact Specialist lead and/or supports the Green Climate Fund’s mandate by ensuring that GCF-funded activities deliver measurable, credible, and high-quality climate mitigation and adaptation results. Reporting to the Director of DSCI, the role provides technical and scientific expertise to assess, validate, and strengthen climate impact rationales, theories of change, and results frameworks across the full project cycle. The position leads and/or supports both regional and global teams and works closely with Accredited Entities, internal Secretariat divisions, and external stakeholders to ensure consistency, integrity, and robustness of climate impact estimates in funded activities and Readiness proposals.

The role would also include origination (technical review and structuring), implementation, and portfolio management. This includes both funded activities and GCF Readiness proposals.
The role will also involve:
1. Project Origination, Implementation, and Portfolio Management Analysis, ensuring successful project structuring and delivery across the department and stepping in to lead and/or support individual projects if needed.
2. Pipeline and Portfolio analysis and optimization, to lead and/or support the to prioritize and optimize the portfolio while leveraging the different GCF departments, divisions and financial products to get the maximum impact through the GCF investment.
3. Development of highly innovative and strategic financial product, to maximize the mobilization of private sector capital to efficiently and effectively address a cross-cutting theme or sector contributing to the global climate crisis.

Duties and Responsibilities
1. Climate Impact Assessment and Technical Review

• Provide independent technical review and guidance on climate additionality and rationale, theories of change, mitigation and adaptation indicators, and impact methodologies for concept notes, funding proposals, and Readiness proposals.
• Review and validate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction estimates, adaptation results, and associated assumptions, methodologies, and data sources.
• Ensure alignment of proposals with GCF investment criteria, results management frameworks, and relevant policies and guidance.
• Lead and/or support continuous improvement of climate impact assessment tools and methodologies.

2. Project Origination, Implementation, and Portfolio Analysis

• Lead and/or support technical structuring and processing of projects and programmes across the full GCF project cycle.
• Provide climate impact expertise during implementation, including monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management.
• Contribute to portfolio-level analysis to support prioritization, optimization, and learning.
• Lead and/or support the review of Funded Activity Agreements to ensure appropriate integration of climate impact and results requirements.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building

• Provide technical guidance to Accredited Entities, country counterparts, and project teams to strengthen climate impact articulation and results measurement.
• Collaborate with internal Secretariat divisions and the iTAP to facilitate efficient proposal review and post-approval processes.
• Contribute to the development and dissemination of guidance, tools, and good practices related to climate impact assessment.
• Lead and/or support capacity-building efforts to enhance the quality and consistency of GCF pipelines.

4. Institutional Coordination and Knowledge Management

• Contribute to institutional initiatives related to results management, portfolio monitoring, and impact optimization.
• Capture lessons learned and good practices from project implementation to inform future project design and policy refinement.
• Lead and/or support improvements to information systems and data management related to pipeline and portfolio monitoring.
• Participate in cross-divisional taskforces and corporate initiatives, as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in Climate Science, sustainable development, climate policy, environmental sciences, or related fields; or a relevant Bachelor’s degree with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience;
• A minimum of 9 years of relevant work experience,
• Demonstrated experience in climate impact assessment, results frameworks, and GHG accounting methodologies, M&E design and implementation for climate or development projects, especially in a commercial / private sector context.
• Expert knowledge of climate science, logical framework, MRV, and processes of IPCC.
• Strong understanding of results-based management, indicators, and performance measurement methodologies.
• Experience working across public and private sector projects in an international or developing country context.
• Strong analytical, data management, and technical writing skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to diverse audiences.
• Fluency in English required; knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Core Competency

• Technical expertise in climate mitigation and adaptation assessment and M&E.
• Results orientation and attention to quality
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Collaboration and stakeholder engagement
• Knowledge management and learning mindset
• Integrity and professionalism

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 16 June 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.

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