Economic Advisor - AFOLU Sector (Home based Retainer)

The Economic Advisor provides targeted economic expertise to support climate policy and planning with a focus on developing investment-ready AFOLU projects in Namibia. The role involves supporting NDC implementation, mobilizing climate finance, and coordinating with government and development partners to advance Namibia's climate commitments.

Responsibilities

• Review national investment policies, strategies, and frameworks for alignment with NDC commitments, focusing on AFOLU sector priorities.
• Identify policy, investment and instrumental gaps constraining AFOLU-related and broader NDC targets.
• Conduct detailed economic analyses and support AFOLU-focused pre-feasibility assessments to guide climate-finance mobilization and investment planning.
• Engage stakeholders across government, private sector, development partners, and civil society ensuring meaningful participation of AFOLU actors.
• Maintain a stakeholder database emphasizing AFOLU-related private-sector and community-based entities.
• Contribute to the development and validation of the Implementation Plan Narrative by the government.
• Produce analytical reports mapping financial sources and investment opportunities at international, regional, and domestic levels highlighting AFOLU investment pathways.
• Identify financing gaps and propose viable sources of support for AFOLU-related and cross-sectoral NDC actions.
• Support Climate Budget Tagging and expenditure reviews for agriculture, forestry, and land-use interventions.
• Recommend international best practices for financing mitigation and adaptation including AFOLU-relevant mechanisms.
• Support establishment and functioning of a Donors and Investors Working Group coordinating financing for AFOLU and broader NDC implementation.
• Facilitate linkages between AFOLU priorities and available technical and financial resources.
• Conduct pre-feasibility studies for four priority NDC-aligned project ideas, ensuring at least one AFOLU-focused.
• Identify and prioritize high-impact, investment-ready AFOLU opportunities.
• Facilitate development of at least four bankable concept notes for priority mitigation and adaptation actions.
• Link project ideas with appropriate financing instruments including climate funds, concessional finance, private-sector capital, and carbon-market opportunities.
• Strengthen government capacity to maintain and update a national NDC-aligned project pipeline integrating AFOLU projects.
• Organize and support NDC-related meetings and multi-stakeholder dialogues as needed.
• Support government preparation for NDC-related events such as COPs, regional climate weeks, and national events.
• Organize coordination meetings between the Support Unit and the government as needed.

Requirements

• Master's degree or equivalent in public policy, development, climate change, natural resource management, environmental management, or any other relevant field of study with 5 years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s degree with additional 2 years in (total 7 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of a university degree.
• At least 5 years’ of progressive experience in climate policy, climate programmes, or sustainable development including substantial experience within the AFOLU sector in Namibia.
• Experience in multilateral, national and grassroot governance and processes related to climate change, policy and/or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Strong knowledge of Namibia’s policy frameworks, national development plans, and strategies related to climate change and sustainable development.
• Proven experience working with government, public institutions, or development partners on climate policy analysis, project management, stakeholder coordination, and donor engagement.
• Familiarity with UNFCCC processes including Subsidiary Body and Conference of Parties (CoP), NDC and past experience on government climate change process (desired).
• Experience of other national contexts that indirectly contribute to climate change (desired).
• Ability to foster formal and informal networks to strengthen cooperation between agencies, including Government, private sector participants, NGOs and other stakeholders (desired).
• Fluent English language proficiency.

Skills

• Climate Policy Development
• Sustainable Development
• AFOLU Sector Expertise
• Climate Change Governance
• Nationally Determined Contributions
• Policy Frameworks
• Project Management
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Donor Engagement Strategies
• UNFCCC Activities
• Climate Finance Mobilization
• Government Relations
• Development Partner Coordination
• Investment-Ready Project Development

Languages

English