View Vacancy – Climate Finance Lead, Grade – G7, British High Commission New Delhi

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Main purpose of job:

This role will lead UK policy in India on climate finance.  You will develop existing engagement and work collaboratively across the UK in India network developing solutions for financing the energy transition, primarily by mobilising private flows. The job is part of the Development, Climate, Science and Tech Section at the British High Commission, New Delhi.

The UK in India works together to deliver the 2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations.  The roadmap sets out British and Indian governments’ priorities and a partnership focusing on re-energised trade, investment and technological collaboration that improves the lives and livelihoods of citizens of both countries.  India-UK leadership in climate, clean energy and health that acts as a global force for good.

The roadmap recognises that climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world faces and India and the UK commit to working together, including to mobilise investment and channel climate finance towards implementation of the United Nations Framework for the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. India is also a priority country under the British Investment Partnerships (BIP) initiative, as announced by the UK Foreign Secretary.  A strengthened partnership with India to deliver higher quality, reliable and clean investment, particularly in infrastructure, both domestically and in third countries, will be at the heart of the UK-India economic and development partnership.

These priorities shape our Country Business Plan and are pursued by a large multidisciplinary UK in India team. Uniquely in India, the FCDO deploys capital investments in its development cooperation programmes and British International Investment (BII) has a large portfolio here, with a commitment to invest £1bn to tackle climate change by 2026.

You will need to work closely with a range of teams within the British High Commission – climate, economics, development and science and tech. You will also need to build strong relations outside the High Commission with the UK government and relevant experts in the UK and with Ministries and thinktanks in India. You will need to have credibility to communicate confidently about climate finance issues.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

India has made ambitious commitments to lower carbon growth, including shifting the composition of its energy away from coal and towards clean sources. The scale of the shift requires very substantial financing, and the speed will in part be determined by the availability of sufficient volumes of finance and investment. You will lead for the UK in this space as we seek to work in partnership with India . The role is about working with colleagues globally and in India, to identify ways in which greater resources can be mobilisied. We are looking for an experienced policy maker whose responsibilities will include:

1. Lead for the UK on climate finance in India. Drawing on expertise across the UK in India Network you will build on existing interventions and develop new solutions for financing the energy transition, primarily by mobilising private flows.
2. Wider contribution. Work with the Government of India, multilaterals and the international community to develop, support and influence combined initiatives to mobilise resources from public and private sources.
3. Collaborate to join forces across the network, building bridges across teams to further shared objectives, working with others to come up with propositions, and bringing together the network’s engagement into a coherent and structured offer of support and expertise.
4. Engage with thought leaders and specialists both in India and the UK to support the development of initiatives and maximise efficiency of interventions.
5. Develop strong networks. As lead on this policy, you will be expected to development a strong network to know what others are doing and where the UK can best add value.
6. Build relationships with the UK to build the wider UK government offer, to include but not limited to DFIs, the City of London, the private sector and the UK’s role in the multilateral system including multilateral development banks.
7. Comprehensive briefing. You will develop and maintain a narrative and core script on what we do, and be able to succinctly brief senior officials and ministers as needed.
8. Self starter with energy to drive this wide spanning agenda forward.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

No line management responsibility of staff; Responsible for meeting milestones on expenditure and finance.

Language requirements:

Language: English
Level of language required:  fluent in speaking, reading and writing.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

The British High Commission is committed to providing learning and development opportunities through formal courses and/or on-the-job training.

Working patterns: Standard office hours Monday – Friday. One day a week can be working remotely.

 Any other information (or specific local Post requirements): Full time job based out of Delhi with some project related travel.

Essential on arrival:  

• Good grounding in public and commercial financing
• Post-graduate degree or equivalent professional qualification
• Minimum of seven years experience of working in the field of finance (and ideally climate).
• Expertise in managing data and analysis including complex issues.
• The ability to develop innovative solutions.
• Ability to persuade / influence others to take action.
• Proven ability to work independently and proactively, anticipating problems and taking appropriate action as required.
• Demonstrated leadership.