Governance Specialist

The Governance Specialist supports the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) Secretariat hosted by the World Bank, facilitating communication and coordination with the Philippines government and stakeholders. The role involves organizing meetings, drafting legal and policy documents, conducting research on legal and regulatory matters, and supporting local engagements and governance activities in the Philippines context.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between the FRLD Secretariat and relevant meeting host government including the Philippines government agencies, ministries, regulatory bodies, and national focal point, facilitating communication, coordination, and legal/regulatory alignment.
• Support to organize online or regional workshops if/when they take place.
• Assist in the planning, coordination, and execution of Board and committee meetings held in the Philippines (or with Philippines participation), including venue logistics, translation support, accreditation, local travel, meeting documentation, protocol and participant coordination.
• Draft, review, and help finalize background papers, terms of reference (ToRs) for procurement of consultants, meeting summaries, minutes, briefing memos, and localized legal/operational notes consistent with Secretariat templates.
• Conduct desk research on relevant legal, regulatory, institutional, or procedural matters affecting FRLD operations (e.g. national climate law, public finance, inter-agency coordination, liability, national agreements).
• Assist Secretariat teams in ensuring that local regulatory or legal requirements are addressed (e.g. visas, permits, national contracts, MoUs) and flag risks or constraints arising from Philippines’ legal environment.
• Support localization of Secretariat materials, guidelines, SOPs, and workflows in the Philippines context (e.g. aligning timelines, local processes, stakeholder mapping).
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations and local engagements (e.g. workshops, meetings with government, civil society, local partners) by preparing logistical arrangements, documentation, and liaison support.
• Undertake ad hoc tasks related to governance, legal, and administrative support in the Philippines, including urgent document preparation or country-level coordination during Secretariat initiatives or Board cycles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in law, public policy, international affairs, governance, or related field; a postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in legal, governance, policy, or institutional roles in the Philippines (e.g. government, development agencies, NGOs, private sector).
• Demonstrated experience in supporting high-level meetings, drafting legal or policy documents, stakeholder coordination, or institutional liaison roles.
• Prior exposure to supporting boards of directors.
• Prior exposure to working for national or local government, multilateral institutions, climate finance, or international development is strongly desirable.
• Prior exposure to matters related to loss and damage.
• Strong writing, drafting, and document preparation skills; attention to detail and ability to adapt materials to institutional templates and standards.
• Good legal and policy research and writing skills with ability to interpret national laws/regulations and assess implications for Secretariat operations.
• Effective stakeholder engagement, coordination, and liaison skills, including working with government officials, local institutions, civil society, and international partners.
• Capacity to plan and manage logistical, meeting, and administrative arrangements with precision.
• Ability to work under tight timelines, manage multiple tasks, and respond flexibly to evolving demands.
• Good judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and sensitivity to governance, legal, and institutional matters.
• Team orientation, collaboration across units, and adaptability in a matrix environment.
• Experience working with the Philippines government, national and local Philippines agencies, or in a development / climate change context.
• Familiarity with Board or governance processes, accreditation mechanisms, or secretariat support in international settings.
• Experience in coordinating translation, multi-language processes, or local stakeholder consultations.
• Prior experience in a legal or governance support role in an international, government or development institution.

Skills

• Legal Research
• Policy Analysis
• Legal Drafting
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Governance Support
• Meeting Coordination
• Document Preparation
• Government Institution Liaison
• Board Support
• Climate Financing Knowledge
• Loss and Damage Expertise
• Government Relations
• Multilateral Organization Experience
• Logistics Planning
• Translation Coordination
• Accreditation processes
• Legal Interpretation
• Policy Writing
• Administrative Management

Languages

English, Filipino / Tagalog, French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Russian