[Associate] Operations Officer - Climate Specialist

International Finance Corporation - Washington, DC

Full-time - Mid Level

Washington, DC

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Associate Operations Officer - Climate Specialist will play a crucial role in implementing the Climate Change Action Plan at IFC, focusing on aligning investments with the goals of the Paris Agreement. This position involves assessing climate finance, developing guidelines and processes for Paris Alignment, and contributing to GHG accounting and climate data reporting. The role requires collaboration with various teams and external partners to enhance climate impact and prevent greenwashing.

Responsibilities

• Conduct thorough assessments of IFC investments for Paris Alignment, covering climate mitigation and adaptation/resilience across sectors.
• Assist in the development of processes, guidelines, internal policies, and IT systems to embed Paris Alignment considerations throughout IFC's investment cycle.
• Prepare training materials and deliver sessions on Paris Alignment for investment teams and other IFC departments.
• Facilitate coordination with other multilateral development banks (MDBs) to enhance consistency in Paris Alignment assessments.
• Assess the eligibility of IFC investments under the MDB Common Principles for Mitigation and Adaptation Finance across sectors.
• Support the development and updating of processes, guidelines, and policies to strengthen climate finance practice across IFC's operations.
• Lead the quality control over climate finance data for IFC's own account and mobilization.
• Assist in structuring sustainable finance instruments like green bonds, green loans, sustainability-linked loans, and adaptation finance.
• Perform GHG accounting for relevant IFC projects.
• Contribute to improving IFC's GHG accounting methodologies and systems for measuring financed emissions.
• Support the development of systems to improve climate data reporting, including in relation to Board reporting, Climate-related Financial Disclosures, the Corporate Scorecard, and other internal and external reporting.
• Lead the quality control over climate-related data.
• Stay updated on emerging trends in climate finance, carbon finance, and Paris Alignment.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment, promoting knowledge sharing with industry departments and other teams.
• Undertake additional duties as needed in response to evolving team objectives and priorities.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Business, Finance, Public Policy, Science, or Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, ideally in climate finance, Paris Alignment, GHG emissions assessment, or development finance.
• Strong understanding of global climate finance frameworks, the Joint MDB Common Principles for Climate Finance Tracking, IFI GHG Accounting Methodologies, and the MDB Methodological Framework for Paris Alignment; familiarity with the UNFCCC is an asset.
• Proven ability to produce high-quality work under tight deadlines, prioritize effectively, and manage unexpected work demands.
• Strong independent work ethic and attention to detail.
• Capacity to work across sectors and functions to address common challenges.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English; additional languages are advantageous.
• Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal skills, operating effectively across organizational boundaries.
• Passion for global development and promoting low-carbon growth, climate mitigation, and adaptation.

Benefits

• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan