Senior Policy and Climate Finance Expert – Mogadishu, Somalia

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Senior Policy and Climate Finance Expert

Hal Abuur: Green and Resilient Ecosystems for Somali Livelihoods

Position Title	Senior Policy and Climate Finance Expert
Hosting Institution	National Climate Fund (NCF), Federal Republic of Somalia
Contracting Authority	Project Management Unit (PMU), SADAR Development and Resilience Institute
Implementing Entity	International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Project	Hal Abuur: Green and Resilient Ecosystems for Somali Livelihoods (ID AF00000382)
Level	National Level Consultant
Supervisor	Executive Director, NCF (day-to-day); SADAR (technical and fiduciary)
Duty Station	NCF Office, Mogadishu, with travel to Federal Member States and coordination events as required

 

1. Background

The Hal Abuur project (Green and Resilient Ecosystems for Somali Livelihoods) is Somalia’s largest climate adaptation investment, financed by the Adaptation Fund and approved by the Adaptation Fund Board in April 2025 (ID AF00000382), with IFAD as Multilateral Implementing Entity and SADAR as Executing Entity. Component 3 of the project is dedicated to operationalizing the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) in Somalia through the development of a National GGWI Strategy and Action Plan (Output 3.1) and the reinforcement of national and subnational capacities to implement the GGWI, including coordination mechanisms, the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF), and knowledge management (Output 3.2). Technical leadership and policy formulation under Component 3 rest with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), supported by CIFOR-ICRAF as the project’s technical partner.

The National Climate Fund (NCF) was established by Presidential Decree No. 363 of January 2025 as Somalia’s central mechanism for mobilizing and coordinating climate finance. The NCF serves as the National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Adaptation Fund and focal point to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), endorsed the Hal Abuur submission, and carries ongoing oversight responsibility for project alignment with national priorities throughout implementation.

2. Objective of the consultancy

To strengthen policy coherence, climate finance mobilization, and investment coordination for the GGWI under Component 3 of the Hal Abuur project, in close collaboration with MoECC, ensuring effective project governance, sustained access to international and private climate finance, and durable national institutional capacity.

3. Key Responsibilities

The Expert works under the overall supervision of the NCF Executive Director with a dual reporting line to SADAR Hal Abuur team lead. He/She will also closely coordinate with MoECC, IFAD, CIFOR-ICRAF, and other relevant institutions.

1. Project Oversight and NDA Functions

• Review Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPBs) of Hal Abuur to ensure alignment with the full project proposal of Hal Abuur, national climate finance priorities and Adaptation Fund requirements.
• Monitor project performance against agreed results frameworks and provide analytical inputs to address implementation bottlenecks.
• Review PSC agendas, background notes, and decision briefs in collaboration with SADAR; review the document with the PSC decisions and maintain follow-up matrices for the NCF to monitor the implementation of the PSC decisions.
• Facilitate coordination and coherence across Adaptation Fund and GCF-funded projects contributing to the GGWI.

1. GGWI Investment Planning

• Lead development of a GGWI Investment Plan in close collaboration with MoECC, identifying priority investment areas, financing needs, sequencing, and implementation modalities for the GGWI Strategy and Action Plan.
• Ensure the Investment Plan covers federal and all Federal Member State priorities and is grounded in Somalia’s climate finance architecture.
• Build the capacity of federal and FMS staff on investment plan methodology to support GGWI strategy and action plans.

1. Climate Finance Mobilization and Pipeline Management

• Support resource mobilization from the Adaptation Fund, GCF, and other multilateral and private sources to finance the GGWI Investment Plan.
• Coordinate preparation, review, and quality assurance of concept notes, funding proposals, and readiness requests related to GGWI investments.
• Establish and manage a pipeline of GGWI-aligned projects; track progress and provide regular updates to NCF management and governing bodies.
• Identify opportunities for private sector investment in GGWI-related value chains and develop enabling conditions to crowd-in private finance.

1. Analytical Studies and Knowledge Products

• Produce five thematic studies on GGWI implementation experience (topics agreed with NCF, MoECC, SADAR, and IFAD) in Years 3 and 4 each following a defined inception–drafting–final–dissemination cycle.
• Produce eight knowledge products that fall within the Expert’s mandate under Output 3.2: (1) a report on the process, methodology, and results of the GGWI Investment Plan formulation; (2) a lessons-learned document on GGWI investment coordination; (3) a policy note to the Government of Somalia on mobilizing domestic and international resources for the GGWI; and (4–8) five annual Cabinet briefing notes on the progress of Adaptation Fund and GCF projects financed under the GGWI. The remaining twelve knowledge documents targeted under Output 3.2 are produced by the PMU Policy Development Specialist, CIFOR-ICRAF, and the M&E team, with the Expert contributing technical inputs as required.
• Prepare and follow-on financing concepts and pre-concept notes for submission to the Adaptation Fund, GCF, and other climate finance sources to build Somalia’s project pipeline.

1. Gender and Social Inclusion

• Ensure gender and social inclusion dimensions are systematically integrated into all GGWI strategy, coordination, investment planning, and knowledge outputs, consistent with the project’s Gender Action Plan and IFAD’s Gender Policy.
• Promote equitable representation of women and youth in workshops, training programmes, and stakeholder engagement processes, with a minimum 50% women’s participation target in all events organized under this assignment.
• Incorporate gender and age perspectives in all five thematic studies and in the GGWI Investment Plan.

4. Key Deliverables

Deliverable	Linked Output	Timeline
GGWI Investment Plan (with periodic updates)	Output 3.1	Year 2, 3 months post-Strategy validation
GGWI project pipeline from federal government and FMS and concept note reviews	Output 3.2	Year 2 to 5
Thematic studies (5 total)	Output 3.2	Years 3–5
Knowledge products — Expert’s portion (8 total)	Output 3.2	Years 1–5
Monthly progress reports to PMU	—	5th working day each month
Contribution to project completion report	—	Year 5

5. Reporting and Collaboration

The Expert operates under a dual reporting line: day-to-day direction from the NCF Executive Director, and technical and fiduciary oversight from the PMU National Project Coordinator, SADAR. Monthly deliverable reports are submitted to the PMU by the 5th working day of each month. The Expert’s activities are governed by an indicative five-year work plan, updated annually through the AWPB process. Annual performance evaluations are conducted by the PMU in consultation with the NCF Executive Director; results are shared with IFAD and inform annual contract renewal.

The Expert works in close collaboration with MoECC (technical lead for the GGWI), CIFOR-ICRAF (technical partner for GGWI strategy and LDSF), SADAR’s PMU specialists, FMS focal points, the Adaptation Fund Secretariat, and relevant UN agencies and development partners. All activities are implemented in compliance with IFAD’s Project Procurement Guidelines, Social, Environmental and Climate Assessment Procedures (SECAP), and Gender Policy.

6. Required Qualifications

Education

• Advanced degree (Master’s level or higher) in climate policy, environmental economics, development finance, public policy, natural resource management, or a related field. 

Professional Experience

• Minimum ten years of progressively responsible experience in climate finance, investment planning, and policy advisory roles in a developing country context.
• Proven experience with Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund processes, including project preparation, NDA functions, and pipeline management.
• Demonstrated track record in policy development, strategy formulation, and multi-stakeholder engagement at government level, including across federal and sub-national structures.
• Experience designing and coordinating capacity building programmes for government institutions on climate monitoring, reporting, or finance.
• Experience in Somalia or the Horn of Africa region, with understanding of Somalia’s institutional landscape and federal governance structure, is strongly preferred.

Personal Attributes and Language

• Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills; ability to work across government institutions, international organizations, and community stakeholders.
• High degree of professional integrity and commitment to transparency in the management of public climate finance resources; commitment to gender equality and inclusive development.
• Full professional proficiency in English and Somali is required.

7. Application Process

Applications are invited from qualified Somali nationals and internationals. The selection process is conducted by the PMU in accordance with IFAD’s Project Procurement Guidelines for individual consultants and is subject to IFAD no-objection on the Terms of Reference and the recommended candidate.

Interested candidates should submit the following to hr@sadarinstitute.so  by 15^th June 2026:

• A curriculum vitae of no more than Four pages summarizing relevant education, professional experience, and technical competencies.
• A cover letter of no more than Two pages setting out the candidate’s motivation, relevant experience, and suitability for the role.
• Contact details for three professional references who can speak to the candidate’s relevant experience.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The NCF and SADAR are equal opportunity employers and encourage applications from qualified women and candidates from underrepresented groups.

 

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