Liaison Officer for Uganda

I. Background 

Established in 2010 by the 194 countries that are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) serves as the world’s largest dedicated climate fund. Over the past decade GCF has financed transformative climate projects across developing countries, empowering them to respond to and combat climate change while promoting sustainable development within their communities. Today, our portfolio spans over USD 19 billion across more than 330 projects in over 130 countries, evidence of the profound impact that strategic climate finance can achieve.

As we scale toward our vision of becoming a USD 50 billion fund by 2030, strengthening national capacities remains central to our mission. GCF mobilizes public and private sector investments through a diverse financing instruments, and equips developing countries with the resources, skills, and capacities to effectively secure and manage climate financing through our Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.
 

The 2024-2027 Readiness Programme strategy introduces an innovative placement scheme: GCF Liaison Officers embedded within National Designated Authorities (NDAs) or other relevant agencies designated by countries.These local experts will ensure continuous, effective engagement with GCF, imparting knowledge of GCF policies, systems and processes,facilitating programming development and enablingenhanced direct access to climate finance for national climate objectives.

As a GCF Liaison Officer, you will be at the frontlines of accelerating climate action in your country, bridging GCF and national institutions to unlock transformative climate investments.

Uganda is advancing an ambitious and inclusive agenda for climate-resilient development, anchored in the Tenfold Growth Strategy and the Fourth National Development Plan (NPA, 2024). The country remains highly vulnerable to climate change, ranking 58th globally in disaster risk exposure and 163rd on the ND-GAIN index for vulnerability and readiness (ND-GAIN, 2023). The increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters have already resulted in economic losses exceeding USD 3 billion between 2005 and 2017 (World Bank, 2022), threatening development gains and fiscal stability. Despite low per capita emissions of 0.1 tCO₂eq, Uganda has raised its emissions reduction target to 24.7% by 2030 under its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (MWE, 2021). Achieving this ambition will require USD 28.1 billion by 2030, of which 85% (USD 23.9 billion) is expected from international support. To close the financing gap, the government has operationalized a Climate Finance Unit within the Ministry of Finance and is pursuing innovative instruments, including disaster risk financing, to mobilize capital, reduce fiscal risk, and enhance resilience (MoFPED, 2021).

II. Role 

The GCF Liaison Officer will act as the liaison between the GCF Secretariat and Uganda, providing essential support to the NDA in all matters concerning GCF climate action. This role entails close coordination with stakeholders relevant to the GCF activities in the country to ensure their seamless execution, including country programming, accreditation, readiness support conceptualisation and oversight, project preparation and implementation and other related activities.

III. Objectives 

The placement scheme aims to achieve the following objectives through the role of the GCF Liaison Officer:

• To enhance the capacity of the NDA and relevant agencies to plan, develop and implement climate change adaptation and mitigation projects and enhance public and private sector climate financing opportunities;

• To support the NDA and/or relevant agencies in developing and implementing country programmes, including facilitating the set up or improvement of coordination with relevant stakeholders, including those from the private sector;

• To engage with the private sector to deliberate on policy actions and regulations and support the design of policy measures and non-financial de-risking of climate finance to enable flow of capital for climate-responsive projects, including through innovative instruments such as green bonds;

• To assist in accessing and implementing integrated programmes of readiness activities in the country;

• To raise awareness and facilitate understanding in the country of the GCF funding windows, policies and processes; and

• To facilitate knowledge transfer and skill development among local stakeholders and communities.

IV. Responsibilities 

The GCF Liaison officer will carry out the following responsibilities:

4.1 Country Programme

• Support the development of the Uganda country programme/climate investment framework;
  
• Assist the NDA in coordinating consultative processes within the country to identify key areas for results related to the implementation of NDCs/NAPs/LTSs and developing project/programme ideas for the country programme;
  
• Assist in the process of identifying and engaging potential partners for the implementation of the Country Programme, including potential direct access entities;
  
• Assist in the development and review of country programme drafts in collaboration with the NDA and GCF Secretariat teams, ensuring timely processing and incorporation of feedback; and
  
• Facilitate and assist the NDA in the implementation of the country programme, including reporting annually and identifying challenges and opportunities to discuss with the NDA and GCF Secretariat.

4.2 Readiness

• Engage/assist the NDA in co-developing draft TOR for readiness support if and as needed, in close coordination with the GCF Secretariat. This is based on the medium-term strategic planning and includes outlining specific support areas, required expertise and resources to address capacity gaps effectively, ensuring alignment with national priorities;

• Support capacity and awareness building within relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), public and private sector (particularly financial institutions and regulators) on (i) identification, valuation and mainstreaming of climate risks in financial decision making, (ii) reporting in line with recognized climate and sustainability disclosure frameworks to align with international financing requirements and increase access to international finance, (iii) existing sustainable/green finance taxonomies and their application, (iv) transition planning and financing, and (v) other measures to scale up climate-related investments;

• Assist the NDA in identifying and facilitating the creation and operationalization of country platforms to unlock financial flows towards achieving Uganda’s NDC targets;

• Assist the NDA to facilitate stakeholder engagement through transparent and effective communication with relevant country stakeholders, including MDAs, the central bank, executing entities, the private sector, subnational entities, development partners, GCF accredited entities and civil society organizations such as women’s groups, academia, Indigenous Peoples and local communities. This approach adheres to GCF best practices for country coordination and multi-stakeholder engagement. The goal is to identify capacity gaps that inform the development and implementation of the TORs for readiness support;

• Assist in completing the Financial Management Capacity Assessment (FMCA) form[1], if and as required;

• Support the NDA with adaptative management requests as required; and

• As required by the NDA, contribute to midterm reviews of readiness activities, and provide input for adjusting initial TORs as needed.
  
  

[1] An entity or agency that undertakes approved readiness activities is referred to as a delivery partner. For direct access, an NDA or another agency designated by the country must undergo FMCA to become a delivery partner. If readiness activities are provided by a pre-qualified GCF delivery partner, these partners will undergo the assessment as part of the prequalification process, which is conducted in accordance with GCF procurement rules and the fair and transparent open tender Request for Proposals (RfP) process.

4.3 Pipeline Development, Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting

• Contribute to capacity-building by imparting skills and knowledge to the NDA and relevant stakeholders (both public and private) to successfully develop project ideas, concepts and funding proposals for climate investments;

• In coordination with the GCF Secretariat, provide advice, guidance and clarifications to the NDA, accredited entities, and other stakeholders on GCF policies, procedures and instruments to successfully develop, advance and implement climate investments;

• Provide technical support to the NDA in the implementation of relevant new or ongoing projects and initiatives;

• Assist the NDA in the organization of project missions and conduct site visits, including in coordination with the GCF Secretariat, to support monitoring of GCF investments;

• Assist the NDA to facilitate stakeholder discussions to gather necessary information throughout the project cycle stages;

• Support the coordination of No Objection Letter processes in country, ensuring timely communication with Accredited Entities and promptly informing the GCF Secretariat of any potential issues;

• Support the NDA to maintain regular communication with accredited entities to report to the GCF Secretariat and help resolve any issues that may arise during the implementation of GCF investments in the country, including through organizing country portfolio reviews;

• Support the NDA and relevant agencies with the preparation of country portfolio results reporting as required by the GCF Secretariat; and

• Assist the NDA in the organization of relevant events to showcase GCF results.

V. Qualiications and Experience

The candidate should meet the following qualifications and experience:

• University level degree in climate change/environmental science, climate economics/finance, engineering, project finance or a closely related discipline;
  

• At least eight years of experience in the public and/or private sector with a demonstrated focus on climate investment and financing initiatives for climate change mitigation and adaptation;
  

• Proven experience in institutional strengthening and capacity-building within developing economies, demonstrating the ability to enhance stakeholders' capabilities in addressing climate change and creating enabling environments for climate investment;
  

• At least five years of experience in successfully developing climate change investment proposals, showcasing expertise in crafting compelling and impactful funding applications, including monitoring and evaluation of climate change initiatives;
  

• Experience in addressing climate change issues in Uganda, providing a deep understanding of the local context and challenges;
  

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and engage with multiple stakeholders, reflecting strong interpersonal skills and the ability to foster cooperation among diverse groups;
  

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, complemented by outstanding presentation abilities, enabling effective dissemination of information and ideas to diverse audiences;
  

• Familiarity with the GCF, including operational mechanisms and funding modalities will be an asset;
  

• Fluency in English is required, and proficiency in the official language(s) of Uganda, or other United Nations languages, is highly desirable;
  

• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment, demonstrating cultural sensitivity and adaptability; and
  

• Candidates must demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical standards, including integrity, transparency and accountability in all professional activities.

VI. Assignment Details

The GCF Liaison Officer will be based in Kampala, Uganda and will operate from the offices of the NDA and/or relevant agency.

The GCF Liaison Officer will support the NDA and/or relevant agency and report to the appropriate regional manager of the GCF Secretariat.

The closing date for applications is 11 February 2026, 23:59 Korea Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the closing date may not be considered.

The initial assignment is for the maximum of 180 working days over the period of 11 months and 29 days, with the possibility of extension based on annual performance evaluation, subject to the continued need and available funding. 

As part of their reporting obligations, the experts are expected to compile a quarterly report detailing activities conducted and results achieved, to be shared with the NDA and GCF Secretariat.

Preference will be given to nationals or residents of Uganda for this position. 

The application is required to be submitted in English language.

Applications from women and citizens from developing countries are strongly encouraged.

Daily rate offered for this consultancy is USD 209.00

The advertised position is currently labeled as remote, however, the role is not intended to be remote-based and requires an in-person presence in Kampala, Uganda.