Swisscontact is an independent non-profit development organisation established in 1959 by representatives of the Swiss private sector and civil society. Our development work focuses on private sector-led, sustainable economic development with improved quality of life for all in developing and emerging countries. A key focus is to strengthen the skills of individuals and foster the competitiveness of businesses.
The organisation is currently active in over 130 projects in 41 countries with around 1100 employees. It is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
To complement our dynamic and ambitious team, we are looking for an experienced, highly motivated, outgoing and client-oriented person who can cover a broad range of topics and manage the diversity of Climate Change projects as a versatile team member in the role of Advisor Climate Change (80-100%) as soon as possible or by agreement. The Climate Change and Food Systems team provides technical expertise and support for internal and external clients through advisory services, training, and applied research. It assures the quality of project implementation, fosters innovation, and facilitates knowledge sharing in its fields of expertise. It engages in discussions and regular exchanges in internal and external networks. We are passionate about contributing to thought leadership and the positioning of the organisation in the field of Climate Change and Food Systems. We work in close collaboration with our practitioners and experts in seven regions, and we meet regularly for interesting thematic exchanges as part of our global core working groups. A co-leadership of the Climate Change and Food Systems team may be an option if appropriate. TasksProvide technical support, strategic guidance, and technical backstopping to project teams in the fields of climate change mitigation, green economy, green transition and climate financeCarry out advisory services, applied research, and training (ATR) activities, and reviews for external clients and contribute to building an ATR portfolioSupport business development, provide technical acquisition support and pro-actively engage with potential clients / donors to develop direct acquisitionsStrengthen Swisscontact's positioning on climate change by participating actively in external events and networksDevelop our climate finance offer and portfolio together with our regionsCollaborate with our Private Sector Engagement team to provide a convincing offer to the private sectorContribute to the identification of trends and thematic areas where climate change solutions are needed and define Swisscontact's value propositionAssume thematic leadership for the Green Cities working area (sustainable transport, waste management / circular economy etc.) in collaboration with our global experts: (virtual) core group facilitation, member liaison, provision of technical inputs and reviews, identification, and documentation of good practice, etc.Contribute to the mainstreaming of climate aspects into all Swisscontact projectsContribute to the implementation of Swisscontact's climate strategy and net zero roadmapProven expertise in climate change mitigation, green economy, climate finance and/or related fieldsAt least 5 years of project implementation experience and/or in technical advisory and support to projects in the fields of climate change mitigation, green economy, green transition, climate finance and related fields, thereof at least 2 years in development cooperationProject implementation experience in urban contexts relevant for climate change mitigation, sustainable transport, waste management/circular economy and related fields is a plusProven experience in carrying out consultancies in the field of climate change and environment. Experience in applied research incl. evaluations is a plus.Experience in business development, acquisition of new projects incl. project proposal writingStrong networks related to climate change, climate finance and green economy in Switzerland (and globally)Understanding of the market systems development (MSD) approach is a plusGraduate in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management, Sustainable Development, or related subjectsStrong analytical skills and experience in developing conceptual guidance / frameworksExcellent multi-lingual (English plus French and/or Spanish) communication, digital and interpersonal skillsFlexibility and willingness to travel internationallyBusiness / result-oriented, impact driven, initiative, dynamic, and ambitious personality Swisscontact offers attractive working conditions in an international and multicultural context. We see our work as a joint effort in an agile organizational culture: mutual respect, trust, and teamwork. We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents in English or German: letter of motivation, curriculum vitae, diplomas and references until 7 January 2024. Please apply exclusively via the online application portal. We particularly encourage women to apply. For further information please visit www.swisscontact.org.