Panama: Climate & Resilience Finance Officer

May 30, 2022 | United Nations World Food Programme
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, color, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.

Are you a Climate and Resilience Finance Expert interested in further developing your professional experience while contributing to ending global hunger? Are you passionate about helping those in need? Would you like to join a global organization investing in its people?

If so, an exciting & fulfilling career awaits you! Join our diverse and passionate team that works on varied and international projects directly contributing to saving & changing millions of lives around the globe.

Deadline for Applications

The deadline to apply for this position is June 3th, 2022.

Organizational Context

WFP is well known for its ability to deliver food assistance rapidly to people in need. Increasingly, this emergency assistance is delivered in conflict-affected areas, where it runs the risk of inadvertently becoming caught up in the conflict itself. Many WFP staff around the world work hard to understand the contexts where they work and intuitively try to ensure that WFP programming and operations do not contribute to conflict or tensions. However, WFP needs to go beyond ‘Do No Harm’ to become truly conflict sensitive in the many complex emergencies in which it operates. WFP has committed to the application of conflict sensitivity in all of its operations, not only through the 2013 Policy on WFP’s Role in Peacebuilding in Transition Settings, but also more recently in signing up to the 2020 OECD DAC recommendation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus (HDPN).

Climate change multiplies existing threats to food security, hunger and malnutrition. Expected impacts of climate change include an increase in the number and intensity of climate-related disasters, increased scarcity and lack of access to land and water, decreases in agricultural productivity. Impacts will be felt disproportionally by the most vulnerable people, the majority of whom live in fragile areas prone to natural hazards, ultimately putting hundreds of millions of people at risk. 

The World Food Programme (WFP) approaches the challenge of climate change from the point of view of its impact on hunger and under nutrition. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), WFP supports communities and governments with programmes and policies that address climate risks, build resilience and adaptive capacities to climate change. WFP has a range of partners it engages with, and is looking to strengthen and diversify its partnership and donor base in the areas of climate and resilience financing. 

Job Purpose

Under the supervision of the Development and Thematic Funding Officer and the Regional Climate Advisor, YOU will contribute to resource mobilisation on climate and resilience action in LAC, including expanding partnerships with public and private sector entities.  With a strong background in proposal writing, donor relations and an understanding of the international climate and resilience agenda, YOU will play a key role advocating for WFP’s work in climate and resilience finance and furthering innovative programme and partnership solutions.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

The RBP Climate & Resilience Finace Officer will develop the following responsibilities:

  • Guide the identification of potential climate finance partners and opportunities with the aim to secure multi-year funding to further WFP’s climate change and resilience portfolio
  • Provide tailored support to Country Offices to support follow up on strategic and funding opportunities to advance countries’ development agendas and support achievement of relevant goals
  • Guide the coordination of Country Offices in the LAC region, supporting the formulation of project proposals and project management
  • Coordinate with functional units and technical experts within Country Offices, the Regional Bureau and Headquarters, to enable the timely and quality development of proposals and projects and problem-solve issues as needed
  • Support in the development and maintenance of effective relationships with member states, UN agencies, NGOs, and other partners, in order to engage them with inter-governmental/inter-agency discussion
  • Support with impactful messaging and outreach materials for WFP’s engagement with climate and resilience partners in LAC.
  • Other relevant activities as required, along with ability to travel if needed.

Standard Minimum Qualifications

Education: Advanced University degree in Political Science, International Development, Development Economics, International Relations, Climate Change, Environment, Law, Business, Marketing, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience: A minimum of 3 years of postgraduate professional experience in resource mobilization, partnership engagement, proposal writing, project management and/or a relevant field of work, with a background and interest in international development, especially in relation to climate and resilience.

Languages: Fluency in English and Spanish. Knowledge of French (desirable).

Knowledge & Skills:

  • Experience in donor relations, proposal writing and have a track record of successfully securing high value partners.
  • Ability to effectively coordinate, work and successfully communicate within a multicultural working environment.
  • Experience in project design and development.
  • Knowledge of climate change adaptation, resilience and climate finance mechanisms.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, solutions focused.
  • Proactive, independent, uses initiative, and with ability to plan and organize their work and deliver timely, high-quality results.
  • Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
  • Good interpersonal skills, ability to work as a team player and coordinate positively with internal and external stakeholders
  • Proficiency in Windows, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Desired Experiences for Entry into the Role

  • Experience with the design and coordination of climate and resilience finance proposals/projects.
  • Experience in the food security, agricultural and/or rural sector.

WFP Leadership Framework

These are the common standards of behaviour that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Leads by Example with Integrity

Drives Results and Delivers on Commitments

Fosters Inclusive and Collaborative Teamwork

Applies Strategic Thinking

Builds and Maintains Sustainable Partnerships

Upholds WFP values, principles, and standards

Delivers results for maximum impact

Is inclusive and collaborative, and contributes to a culture of learning and personal growth

Demonstrates curiosity, designs and implements new ways of doing things when relevant

Initiates and builds partnerships by identifying and promoting opportunities for mutual areas of interest and benefit

Terms and Conditions

  • Position: Climate & Resilience Finance Officer (Partnerships-Programme Units)
  • Number of openings: 1
  • Based in: Remote (LAC region time zone)
  • Type of Contract: Consultant
  • Duration: 6 months (with possibility for extension)
  • Only short-listed qualified candidates will receive an acknowledgement.

“Successful candidates will be placed in a roster for 2 years.”

How to Apply

To apply, please create a personal account and fill out the profile form with your personal information at career opportunities. If you are internal applicant, apply through your E-Recruitment profile.


In the application form, ensure filling the mandatory sections, attaching your CV, answering the pre-screening questions and agreeing on the legal statement before submitting your application. Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis on account of potential and performance. All applicants will undergo a rigorous process which includes screening against job requirements, a technical test, and a panel interview.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.