Overview
The Project Lead and Sustainable Finance Specialist will be responsible for the overall supervision and management of in-country activities for the GEF8-BFP Umbrella program in Sierra Leone, ensuring a proper workplan and budget are in place and implemented within set timelines.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead strategic planning for the project, including formulation and periodic revision of the Annual Work Plan (AWP), budget planning, HR, and procurement.
- Manage and coordinate overall project implementation to ensure relevance, high performance, and delivery of quality outputs within specified time and budget constraints.
- Provide direction, guidance, and direct supervision to project personnel.
- Organize project workshops in a consultative manner.
- Ensure timely and thorough consultation and reporting of project updates.
- Proactively identify and communicate risks in implementation.
- Facilitate monthly meetings among the national team and regular calls with the Senior Advisor from the global BIOFIN Team.
- Collaborate closely with relevant UNDP and UN initiatives.
- Actively contribute to resource mobilization efforts.
- Engage with key policy processes to integrate and mainstream BIOFIN policy recommendations.
- Lead the development of the structure, functions, organizational linkages, and constitution of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the Biodiversity Finance Plan for Sierra Leone.
- Assist in preparing templates for work plans, monitoring and evaluation systems, and partnership arrangements.
- Supervise the implementation of sub-projects outlined in the Biodiversity Finance Plan.
- Co-organize meetings with the Global BIOFIN team to identify programs and activities suitable for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding.
- Conduct technical research and / or policy research related to the design and implementation of finance solutions.
- Convene technical meetings with partners to assess feasibility of finance solutions.
- Liaise with global team and other UNDP initiatives on improving implementation of finance.
- Monitor project performance against targets, identify course corrections, and address deviations proactively.
- Lead in project reporting, drafting monthly and quarterly reports.
- Develop comprehensive reports for all technical workshops.
- Create briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles, and other media products.
- Assist with research and contribute to writing and editing sections of technical reports.
- Review all national-level deliverables to ensure quality and alignment with the BIOFIN methodology.
- Participate in cross-country knowledge exchange and global forums.
- Advocate for BIOFIN recommendations at all levels.
- Document programme/project stories, lessons learned, and best practices.
- Access BIOFIN and other global and regional knowledge, distill best practices and facilitate their dissemination.
- Support capacity building and networking with other BIOFIN countries.
- Support the technical advisor in mentoring new BIOFIN countries.
- Actively support the dissemination of the project’s results and achievements.
Required Experience
- Minimum of 5 years (with masters’ degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in managing environment / natural resource management projects / initiatives and implementing sustainable finance project in Sierra Leone.
- Prior experience in designing or implementing sustainable finance mechanisms or projects.
- Experience in working with governments and/or private sector on sustainable finance.
- Experience in working collaboratively with other members in the organization.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental or Natural Resource Management, Economics, Business Administration, Political Science or a related field on Environment and Finance is required.
- OR A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
