Governance Specialist – Climate Finance Economist in The World bank at USA

The Governance Specialist will report to the Practice Manager of the Global Governance Unit responsible for the Public Finance and Procurement for all technical and human resource-related matters.

Job Duties and Responsibilities of Governance Specialist 

S/he will join teams dedicated to working on fiscal/PFM-critical climate change issues and help drive the climate change agenda in line with the World Bank’s policy guidance relating to:

• Mitigation: Including advice on measures to contain and reduce emissions through policies—such as increasing carbon taxes, reducing fuel subsidies, and improving regulation—and providing tools to help countries achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions. This also includes research on the economic effects of climate change mitigation, the integration of research results in the Country Climate Development Reports of the Bank through contributions to the Climate Change Institutional Assessments of the GGP.
• Adaptation: Including guidance on building financial and institutional resilience to natural disasters and climate change such as rising sea levels and other warming-related phenomena and integrating climate change perspectives in PFM frameworks, especially public investment management and the budget process.
  
• Transition to a low-carbon economy: Including updates to financial sector regulation to cover climate risks and exposure to “brown” assets, as well as measures to help countries diversify economies away from carbon intensive industries while mitigating the social impact on affected communities.

The Governance Specialist will be expected to:

•  Demonstrate solid understanding of key climate change governance issues (mitigation and adaptation), and apply his/her experience and expertise to WB projects and analytics as assigned, including providing relevant, practical advice to project teams and senior government officials on contemporary climate change governance practices.
  
• Contribute to the thought leadership for and delivery of the GGP’s climate change governance workstream in collaboration with other colleagues, including the development and delivery of Climate Change Institutional Assessments.
  
• Working specifically on the interface between climate change policy, public finance policy and PFM, contribute towards both research and practical guidance for clients and task teams on how budgetary institutions can drive climate action.
  
• Cultivate strategic relationships with EFI and GGP units, CMUs, client countries and Development partners for business development. The latter involves supporting the Manager to liaise with donors and establish and/or maintain coordination and collaboration arrangements.
  
• Support regional task teams in selected strategic engagements in the climate change governance engagement, with a specific focus on climate public finance policy and PFM.
  
• Mentor staff in the Climate Governance workstream and the wider GGP as needed.
  
• Participate in global and regional events.
  
• Undertake other analytical and administrative duties as may be assigned by the Practice Manager.

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Selection Criteria

An advanced degree (master’s/PhD) in economics, environmental or climate economics, finance, or a related field.

• Relevant professional experience at the national and regional levels in fiscal/PFM-critical climate-related policy work or specialized experience in one or more of the areas below:
• Mitigation including energy pricing reform, energy transition for fossil-fuel exporters, carbon pricing, fuel subsidy reform, regulation, land use and related fields.
• Adaptation including disaster management, implementation of climate resilience plans, green PFM, green procurement and related fields.
• Transition to a low-carbon economy including financial sector regulation to cover climate risks and exposure to “brown” assets, economic diversification away from carbon intensive industries, and social impact mitigation for affected communities.
• Proven research interests in climate change issues as well as a strong track record of academic and policy-relevant publications on these issues.
• Relevant experience in one or more of the following areas will be an advantage:
• Understanding of climate change policies, strategies, institutions, finance, governance, and regulations is a bonus.
• Knowledge of and experience applying climate risk analysis and stress testing
• Work in a public sector in the fields of fiscal policy and public financial management and/or climate change.
• Experience in climate responsive PFM, including budgeting, public investment management, procurement and sustainability reporting.
• Strong interpersonal, communications and writing skills, and excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to deal effectively and diplomatically with member country authorities