Partnership Officer Job #: req35577 Organization: World Bank Sector: Climate Change Grade: GF Term Duration:ย 2 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): French Closing Date: 2/23/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.ย For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Unit Context
Climate change will greatly affect the poorest people in the world, who are often hardest hit by weather catastrophes, desertification, and rising sea levels and least able to respond. In some parts of the world, climate change has already contributed to worsening food security, reduced the predictable availability of fresh water, and exacerbated the spread of disease and other threats to human health.
Helping the most vulnerable countries and communities adapt to increasing challenges of climate change is an imperative for the international community, requiring significant resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Adaptation Fund is an innovative financing mechanism set up by the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the purpose of financing concrete climate change adaptation projects and programs in developing country Parties. At the request of the COP, the GEF is providing secretariat services to the Adaptation Fund Board (the Board) on an interim basis, through a dedicated team. Since becoming fully operational in 2010, the Board has approved over 190 projects and programs worth more than USD 1.2 billion in over 100 countries.
Launched under the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC, the Adaptation Fund has been formally serving the Paris Agreement since 2019. The Adaptation Fund is implementing its second medium term strategy (2023-2027) that rests on the three pillars of adaptation action, innovation and learning/knowledge management.
The Adaptation Fund supports country-driven projects and programs, innovation, and global learning for effective adaptation. All of the Adaptation Fundโs activities are designed to build national and local adaptive capacities while reaching and engaging the most vulnerable groups, and to integrate gender consideration to provide equal opportunity to access and benefit from the Fundโs resources. They are also aimed at enhancing synergies with other sources of climate finance, while creating models that can be replicated or scaled up.
Since 2022, the Fund has been implementing its current Resource Mobilization Strategy (2022 โ 2025). As part of the strategy and action plan, the Board sets annual resource mobilization targets for voluntary contributions. The Board is currently developing its next Resource Mobilization Strategy for 2026 to 2029.ย
The Adaptation Fund can also receive resources from international carbon markets. It was initially set up to be financed with the share of proceeds amounting to two per cent of certified emission reductions (CERs) issued from activities under the clean development mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. This provides the AF with a unique mandate and ability to channel funding from various sources towards concrete adaptation action in the most climate vulnerable communities in developing countries.
The Partnership Officer will primarily develop and coordinate strategic partnerships, focusing on collaboration, strategic alliances, and positioning AF within the broader climate finance architecture and adaptation finance landscape. Embedded within the Secretariatโs Country and Partnerships Unit โwhich comprises the Readiness team, Accreditation team and Resource Mobilization and Partnerships team โ the officer will ensure partnership activities are strategically aligned and operationally integrated across these functions to support country engagement, resource mobilization, and program delivery.ย
The Partnership Officer will report to the Countries and Partnership Unit Lead of the Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat and the Head of the Fund. The Partnership officer will collaborate with the rest of the team, as appropriate.
Duties and Accountabilities
The Partnership Officer will, under the leadership by the Countries and Partnership Unit Lead, develop, coordinate and manage strategic partnerships, with a focus on collaboration and strategic alliances.ย
Key responsibilities include:
โข Contribute to the design of AFโs partnership engagement and action plan, including rigorous partner riskโopportunity analyses, definition of ways of engagements with the focus of positioning AF within the broader climate finance architecture and adaptation finance landscape.
โข Coordinate relationships with current and prospective partners over and beyond the AF implementing entities by maintaining partner profiles and tracking, assessment, and monitoring tools, segmented by category.
โข Serve as the primary focal point for inquiries from existing and potential partners identified within the relevant Secretariat units and programs; facilitate dialogue with partner counterparts; and coordinate across Secretariat teams, ensuring tailored engagement protocols by category (strategic/core, programmatic, project-level, knowledge/learning, outreach).
โข Plan and coordinate senior management engagement with partners by preparing briefs, talking points, and supporting materials.
โข Support the advancement of core partnerships with the UNFCCC and the vertical climate architecture, including Multilateral Climate Funds and Multilateral Development Banks; support in mapping and advancing joint initiatives with academia, IFIs, UN agencies, foundations, CSOs, and the private sector, with AF focus on mobilizing resources for adaptation finance and scale AF operations.
โข Produce partner briefings and reports and support AF teams by fostering learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, including category-specific dashboards (e.g., strategic partner scorecards, implementing partner performance summaries)
โข Perform other duties as required to achieve the roleโs objectives.
Selection Criteria
โข Master's degree in public policy, international development, finance, economics, or a related field.
โข At least seven years of work experience in managing external relations, partnerships, possibly in climate adaptation
โข Good overall knowledge of the AF its mission and strategy, as well as with AF operations, policies and procedures.
โข Excellent written and spoken English. Fluency in another official World Bank language would be a plus.
โข Superior analytical skills.ย
โข Knowledge of Climate International Finance and position of AF in the international climate finance context.
โข Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders, NGOs, private sector, development partners, and/or government agencies.
โข Ability to effectively interact with internal and external clients at all levels in a multicultural environment and to exercise judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive matters. Ability to communicate technical information understandably and concisely to a nontechnical audience.
โข Good understanding of communication strategies, tools, and approaches relating reporting results and impact to increase AF's overall visibility.
โข Excellent sense of initiative, drive for results and client orientation, coupled with strong planning and organizational skills.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at theย World Bankย andย IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.