Senior Readiness Consultant

Role 

Under the overall supervision of the Department of Investment Services (DINVS), the consultant will provide dedicated technical and operational support to the Readiness team to help address current capacity constraints and ensure continuity in delivering priority workstreams under the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The consultant will support coordination and operational management across cross-cutting functions, including tracking and analysis of the grant pipeline and portfolio, facilitating pre-implementation processes for grant handover to UNOPS, supporting proposal reviews prior to approval, strengthening internal systems and workflows, and contributing to the design and operationalisation of system enhancements, including the development of a new grant management platform. The consultant will work closely with regional teams to detail and operationalize Readiness action plans, monitor country portfolio performance, and support execution of key milestones including grant closures, restructuring, and new Readiness approvals. In addition, the consultant will contribute to strategic and analytical tasks such as preparation of technical inputs, data management, monitoring and reporting, and knowledge management to support programme oversight and decision-making. The consultant will report to the Senior Readiness Specialist. 

Duties and responsibilities 

1. Pipeline and portfolio workstream: 

• Monitor and track approved Readiness grants, active pipeline proposals, and delivery partner engagement, and provide timely analytical updates to support management decision-making. 

• Support regional team by providing structured and substantive proposal review, ensuring alignment with Readiness modalities, strategic priorities, and institutional requirements prior to internal clearance and approval. 

• Track implementation of the new Readiness modalities and programme placements in coordination with Regional teams and provide consolidated status reports as required. 

• Conduct analytical reviews of the proposal pipeline, budget utilization, and the approved portfolio under implementation to identify trends, risks, performance issues, and lessons learned, supporting internal planning and external knowledge dissemination. 

• Work closely with Regional teams to detail country-level Readiness action plans, translate strategic priorities into operational milestones, and track execution against agreed timelines. 

• In consultation with Regional teams, coordinate with relevant Secretariat divisions to facilitate pre-implementation documentation and processes for grant handover to UNOPS, and support resolution of outstanding pre-implementation issues. 

• Support Regional teams in clearing bottlenecks within the pipeline, including follow-ups with stakeholders and tracking of required actions. 

 2. Readiness grant cycle workstream: 

• Coordinate with ICT and relevant teams to identify, document, and resolve issues in online management systems to ensure efficient progression of proposals from submission through approval and implementation. 

• Contributes to the design, testing, and operationalisation of new systems and enhancements to existing platforms, including the development of improved grant management tools and workflows. 

• Provide analytical and operational support for overall portfolio management, including data validation, tracking of milestones, and monitoring of grant performance. 

3. Knowledge Management, Strategy, Reporting, and Cross-Cutting Support: 

• Contribute substantively to the development of the new Readiness strategy, including conducting analytical research, preparing technical inputs, supporting stakeholder consultations, synthesizing lessons learned from the portfolio, and drafting sections of strategy documents and supporting materials 

• Support preparation, review, and coordination of Readiness Financing Agreements and related documentation, working closely with Regional teams, OGC, and other relevant Secretariat divisions to facilitate timely clearance, consistency, and compliance with institutional requirements. 

• Support preparation of corporate and Board-level documentation related to Readiness, including inputs to reports such as the Report on Activities of the Secretariat (RAS), RPSP Annual Report (in coordination with DMEL), COP and LEG reports, and updates on complementarity and coherence. 

• Develop knowledge products, briefing notes, presentations, and webinars related to Readiness processes, modalities, strategic priorities, and operational improvements. 

• Support development and maintenance of dashboards and analytical tools to strengthen portfolio monitoring, performance tracking, and decision-making. 

• Perform other cross-cutting analytical, coordination, and operational tasks as required to support the division’s strategic priorities and ensure continuity of programme delivery. 

Required experience and qualifications 

• Master’s level degree or higher-level education in environmental sciences, environmental policy, governance, economics, finance, sustainable development or other relevant fields 

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in project development and implementation 

• Familiarity with data management, visualization, and reporting systems—preferably including GCF systems such as GPP, PPMS, and Power BI—as well as proficiency in standard software applications (e.g., MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and relevant analytical or data-processing tools. 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential for this position. 

• Knowledge of another UN language is an advantage. 

Required skills 

• Strong data and information management capabilities, including the ability to maintain well-organized electronic records and support audit readiness through consistent documentation practices. 

• Proven ability to operate as a self-starter and manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, demonstrating sound judgment, initiative, and a proactive approach to problem-solving in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong organizational and time management skills, with a demonstrated ability to anticipate readiness workstream needs, prioritize tasks, and deliver results under tight deadlines. 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams and manage inputs from multiple stakeholders within the GCF Secretariat and external partners. 

• Adaptability and resilience in responding to shifting priorities and evolving operational requirements, including the capacity to take on ad hoc assignments as needed. 

Contract Period and Duty Station: 12 months/ GCF Headquarters in Songdo, Republic of Korea 

Note: Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates shortlisted for interview will be contacted regarding the status of their application.