Climate Finance Lead – Zambia

About the role

The Climate Finance Lead will head the operationalisation of Zambia's Climate Finance Unit (CFU) Phase II, providing strategic and technical guidance to mobilise domestic and international climate finance. Reporting to the Country Lead and Project Lead, the role drives resource mobilisation, designs innovative financing mechanisms and ensures alignment with national priorities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end operationalisation of the CFU, including programme design, policy advice and institutional set‑up.
• Mobilise domestic and international climate finance through partnership building with government ministries, development partners, DFIs and private investors.
• Develop financeable green projects, green‑bond pipelines and other innovative financing instruments, overseeing feasibility studies and consultancies.
• Provide technical assistance for the National Climate Finance Strategy and related policy frameworks such as green taxonomy and budget tagging.
• Design and review strategic documents, roadmaps, operational manuals and ensure high‑level government endorsement.
• Manage the CFU project pipeline, from concept note development to investment proposal preparation.
• Coordinate capacity‑building initiatives, knowledge exchange and represent GGGI in national and regional climate‑finance forums.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Climate Finance, Development Economics, Public Finance, Environmental Economics or a related field.
• 8‑10 years of progressive experience in public finance, investment facilitation or climate policy, with at least 5 years in a managerial or coordination role.
• Proven track record in climate‑finance strategy development, project pipeline management and fiscal integration.
• Strong understanding of public financial management systems (budget processes, MTEF, IFMIS, debt management).
• Experience working with development partners, DFIs and multilateral funds such as GCF, GEF, CIF or AfDB.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; knowledge of Nyanja and/or Bemba is an advantage.

Required skills

• Public financial management systems and budgeting processes.
• Capital‑markets knowledge, sovereign debt instruments and sustainability‑linked financing.
• Design of green‑finance instruments (green bonds, blended finance structures, climate‑smart PPPs).
• Project pipeline development and feasibility study oversight.
• Policy development for climate‑finance enabling frameworks.