Pact is an international nonprofit that works in nearly 40 countries building solutions for human development that are evidence-based, data-driven and owned by the communities we serve. Founded in 1971, Pact works with partners to build resilience, improve accountability, and strengthen knowledge and skills for sustainable social impact.
Department Programs - Pact strives for a world where all people are heard, capable, and vibrant. The Programs Team helps realize this objective by bridging program management, technical support, and business development, enabling Pact to achieve its global strategy. We ensure program excellence through continuous learning, monitoring and evaluation and provide organizational and industry-wide thought leadership by leveraging a complementary set of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary skills, expertise, and experiences. The Programs team: influences progressive change through the development and implementation of global and regional strategies and business plans; supports advancement of innovative solutions; pursues new business opportunities; and drives effective internal and external engagement to maximize Pactโs impact across the globe. Across all aspects of its role, the Programs Department adheres to and promotes a culture of inclusion, accountability, and respect.
Position Overview
The Senior Advisor for Climate and Energy will provide leadership and direction on low emissions development strategy issues related to sustainable landscapes and commodity value chains, climate resilient livelihoods, global climate change mitigation and adaptation and community access to clean energy. They will be responsible for cultivating working relationships with private and to a lesser extent public sector actors to spur collaborative efforts to green supply chains, develop nature-based solutions (NBS) that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and deliver community-based distributed clean energy solutions. They will support the catalyzing of private finance to upscale and drive investment into the agriculture, forestry, conservation, and other land-uses sectors and for increased clean energy access, accelerating low-emission yet profitable business models.
The Senior Advisor will provide technical leadership and direction for delivering technical assistance to companies to green their supply chains, develop and implement nature-based solutions and facilitate distributed clean energy solutions that are profitable, enhance sustainable land management, increase last mile connections, and contribute to reducing emissions. They will contribute to ensuring successful functioning of project and new business activities, including working with team members from the Sustainable Markets division to provide quality technical assistance to Country Offices; co-create engaging concepts, pitch decks, and proposals; and develop impactful thought pieces. Occasional travel is expected for this position.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and deliver service offerings
- Craft in coordination with Sustainable Markets team members low- emission, climate-resilient strategies for businesses using tailored tools and/or methodologies and technologies.
- Lead assessment of financing needs of private sector partners and assist them to complete studies and assessments required to secure financing for sustainable/climate-smart/green activities.
- Develop concepts, pitches, and proposals related to green supply chains, climate, NBS and/or clean energy offerings in collaboration with Pact staff from other technical areas and help refine Pact products and services for private sector clients.
- Provide expert assistance and thought leadership to support business development and work with other technical staff to identify promising business models and enterprises in sustainable and economically viable agriculture, forestry, and other land use sectors and clean energy.
- Support the integration of climate resilience considerations into Pactโs broader community development programming including governance and peacebuilding, capacity development, livelihoods, responsible mining and health, orphans and vulnerable children.
Partnership Creation and Coordination
- Build productive partnerships with private sector actors with the potential to sustain and scale up low emission and distributed renewable energy investments, working in concert with the Business Development Private Sector Engagement team to develop and refine lists of prospective private sector clients.
- Support activities with internal and external partners to enable Pact to develop relationships and secure business opportunities with prospective private sector partners. This may include, but is not limited to, support for the preparation of market research, knowledge products, and delivery of presentations in conferences.
- Develop and maintain an expert-level understanding of the climate and energy sectors within Pactโs priority countries.
Program Management
- Supervise consultants and partners to deliver technical assistance via/for sustainable supply chains, Nature Based Solutions and energy access projects.
- Contribute to the preparation and submission of discrete project reporting (e.g, work plans and periodic progress reports) and assist with monitoring relevant program indicators and evaluating program results with support of the MEL team.
All other duties as assigned
Basic Requirements
- Masterโs degree and 8+ years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in clean energy, climate finance, low-emission strategy development, nature-based solutions, or related field.
Additional qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a broad range of partners, including private sector companies, government officials, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders.
- Experience with private sector and/or developing partnerships with private sector actors
- Ability to travel to target countries across the globe.
- Sufficient relevant experience in the field to perform effectively under complex operating environments.
- Excellent written and oral communication.
- Fluency in English.
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of clean energy/climate policy and practice.
- Minimum 10 years of professional experience across sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia and/or Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Demonstrated competence in project management, with knowledge of private sector clients, donors and foundations procedures.
- An existing network of donors and funders, specifically within the energy and climate fields.
- Experience overseeing and coordinating with international field offices preferred.
- Fluency in French or Spanish
- Masterโs degree and 8+ years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in clean energy, climate finance, low-emission strategy development, nature-based solutions, or related field.