View Vacancy – Climate & Environment Adviser, Grade-SEO, Dhaka

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’

Main purpose of job:

The UK Government is a significant bilateral donor in Bangladesh. Its Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office requires a knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic Climate and Environment Adviser with policy experience to join a dynamic international team based in its Dhaka office at the British High Commission.

The purpose of this role is to provide, as part of Post’s Climate and Environment (CE) team, the technical expertise to support the development and delivery of climate and environment policy and programming in Bangladesh. As a highly climate-vulnerable country with rapidly growing emissions, a strong political leadership and internationally recognised academic institutions, Bangladesh offers a unique opportunity to drive climate action not only for some of the world’s most vulnerable people, but also on the global stage.

You will support Bangladesh to meet its commitments under UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, to increase its own ambition on mitigation and adaptation (including use of nature-based solutions), and to lead and inspire resilience building across the country and the South Asia region. Key to success will be your ability to establish and strengthen partnerships between UK and Bangladeshi institutions, multilateral institutions, civil society groups and the private sector, and to draw on UK expertise to scale up climate action in Bangladesh.

Although expected to cover technical areas as needed arises, a particular focus of this role will be to lead our work on transitioning to renewable energy. This includes liaising with Government and other partners to influence policy through evidence-based dialogue and managing a technical assistance project. This will mean working closely with programme management colleagues and other teams across Post.

The post holder will engage with senior officials in several ministries (e, g.  Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA), Power Division of Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MoPEMR), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), etc), bilateral and multilateral development partners (e,g. WB, ADB, USAid, EU, etc), think tanks, academia and the private sector. You will also work with international and regional centres of excellence, as well as relevant teams across HMG.

The Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme (BCEP) is being delivered through a range of partners including with local NGOs, international organisations, the Global Centre on Adaptation and to-be-determined commercial suppliers.  Ability to support and assess technical performance of these delivery partners will be essential to programme delivery.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

• Supporting BHC Dhaka’s delivery of climate policy: working with political and governance colleagues to identify entry points for shifting policy, working with stakeholders in government, other development partners, think tanks, and the private sector; engaging senior officials and ministers as necessary; and collaborating with colleagues in missions across the region to build peer pressure for change.
• Supporting delivery of the bilateral climate programme (BCEP): providing evidence-based technical advice to ensure maximum impact and being part of a multi-disciplinary team to ensure delivery in line with Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) Rules and value for money, guiding technical aspects. Focused on the energy portfolio.
• Supporting the mainstreaming of climate mitigation and adaptation across the portfolio of ODA programmes: including humanitarian, economic growth and human development programmes; and linking to regional programme delivery.
• Maintain oversight of selected centrally managed programmes in relevant areas: matching identified local needs with support available across UK Government and where appropriate, other UK suppliers.

This role will be line managed by the Climate and Environment Team Leader. At this stage, the holder of the role will not be expected to line manage any other staff directly.  

Candidates will be required to affiliate to the relevant specialist network within the FCDO, if not already a member.

Language requirements:

Language:  Bangla & English   
Level of language required:  Good & Excellent   

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

L&D plan will be developed for the successful candidate based on specific needs.

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides detailed guidance on how the behaviours are defined and the standards expected for this position.

Please go through the technical competency framework before completing the technical questions:

• Low Carbon growth and mitigation
• Adaptation and resilience

See:  Climate and Environment: Technical Competency Framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Essential on arrival:

• Suitable qualification in climate change mitigation, adaptation and / or environmental governance and stewardship.
• At least three years’ experience of managing climate change programmes and / or environment programmes. To include knowledge of nature-based solutions, climate finance, renewable energy technologies on and off-grid, zero-emission vehicles, waste management and recycling technologies and market development, pollution abatement, and biodiversity conservation.
• Experience working with, and engaging, Government of Bangladesh and other development partners
• Awareness and familiarity with climate change policy – in Bangladesh and internationally.