Chief of Party - USAID/Colombia Climate Finance Activity

Job Description

This Opportunity:

Palladium is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for the anticipated USAID/Colombia Climate Finance Activity, a 5-Year USAID-funded which aims to leverage and mobilize public and private finance to support Colombia’s climate adaptation and mitigation targets in key sectors. The Activity will support the increase of supply of climate finance by financial and government institutions to increase demand for finance by climate smart projects and businesses.

The Activity will improve Colombia’s enabling environment to encourage more climate smart investments, which will help advance its climate adaption and mitigation targets. The overarching objectives of the Activity are as follows:

Objective 1: Financial institutions invest in climate smart projects and businesses.

Objective 2: There is a robust pipeline of viable climate smart projects and businesses.

Objective 3: There is an improved environment for climate smart investment.

The Chief of Party will be ultimately responsible for the efficient and effective oversight of all elements of the Activity. Their primary responsibilities are to provide overall leadership, management, and general technical direction of the program, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and a focus on achieving the desired results. This individual must identify issues and risks related to implementation in a timely manner and suggest appropriate adjustments. This individual must act as the key liaison with USAID/Colombia and all other counterparts, implementing partners and stakeholders involved with the program. The position requires significant coordination skills, broad general and technical knowledge, an ability to cope with multiple interests and challenges, experience in developing countries, and skills to ensure coherence and consistency in the face of urgent deadlines.

This is an anticipated project, and all positions are contingent upon award from USAID.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Chief of Party will be responsible for the following:
• Providing technical direction and guidance to all activities of the project
• Serving as the primary point of contact for USAID/Colombia and other USAID programs operating in Colombia, as well as with the government officials and key partners
• Ensuring that the entire project is in compliance with Palladium policies and procedures
• Ensuring that the project is meeting its indicators as required by the subject contract
• Leading the design and overseeing implementation of project events
• Managing communications activities that highlight the successes of expanded agribusiness financing in coordination with the project’s communications team
• Supporting the evaluation of project activities as required
• Leading annual work planning and design
• Ensuring proper budget management of activities
• Supervising all project staff in Colombia
• Ensuring that the project meets financial and social impact requirements
• Traveling around to various regions of Colombia (and potentially outside) as needed
• Any and all other project-related tasks as required by the Project Director in Palladium HQ

Key Competencies Required:

• A master’s degree in a related field of study, e.g. finance and international investment for climate mitigation and adaptation, clean energy transitions, and/or nature-based solutions, business management or enterprise development. The master’s degree requirement may be substituted with a minimum of an additional five additional years of professional experience in a related field, as noted below.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in fields related to the successful implementation of this project such as climate investment mobilization, financial services, investment advisory services, private sector capacity development, and public and private sector engagement. The 10-year requirement is a minimum for individuals who possess a master’s degree. For individuals who do not possess a master’s degree, a minimum of 15 years of professional experience is required.
• At least 5 years proven leadership in the administration of similar sized international donor- supported programs with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting.
• Proven ability to develop and communicate a common vision among diverse partners and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.
• Evidence of strong communication skills, both interpersonal and written to fulfil the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the contract.
• Fluency in English and written and spoken fluency in Spanish (Level III) required.
• Experience in the Colombian and Latin America financial sector is preferred.
• Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred:
• Experience in climate change mitigation and adaptation, including specific areas such as clean energy transition, and/or nature-based solutions in the context of developing countries.
• Experience in working with financial institutions incorporating environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards and practices into their operations,
• Experience working with financial institutions, real sector companies and/or government in the analysis, design, implementation of climate finance practices, such as: climate disclosures, transition risks, green taxonomy and related tools and practices.
• Strong/In depth knowledge of management practices for Governance, strategy, risk, metrics in financial institutions (public and private).
• Familiarity with climate finance policy design and implementation, mobilizing public and private climate finance
• Proven track record of successfully liaising with government, USAID, and other key project stakeholders.
• Knowledge of USAID contract management, policies, procedures, regulations and reporting requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and organizational management skills.
• Proven experience developing and finalizing high quality deliverables.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

About the Organization

About Palladium:

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.