Senior Environment Policy Specialist (4182) (Base in Beijing)

Ref. Number: 22081
Department: Strategy, Policy and Budget Department
Job Type: Global Recruitment
Posting Date: June 8, 2022
Closing Date: June 30, 2022

Senior Environment Policy Specialist

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is financing the Infrastructure for Tomorrow-infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in January 2016 and have since grown to 105 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized up to USD100 billion and Triple-A-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Working with partners, AIIB meets clients' needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled and promotes regional connectivity.

The Strategy, Policy and Budget (SPB) Department is responsible for (i) developing and monitoring the implementation of AIIB's strategic agenda as set out in its Corporate Strategy and other strategies; (ii) developing and overseeing the implementation of the operational policies and procedures for AIIB's infrastructure investment portfolio (non-treasury) including their compliance with environmental, social, procurement and financial management requirements; and (iii) developing the annual business plan to implement AIIB's strategies and manage the Bank's administrative budget to support the implementation of the annual business plan.

The Senior Environment Policy Specialist is primarily responsible for supporting the development of and providing guidance on the application of the Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) in AIIB's investment operations, as well as supporting the implementation of AIIB's Green agenda, including its ambition on climate financing. The position also involves providing project-level policy assurance on the environmental aspects of ESP and guidance on climate change and other environmental objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Support the implementation of the Bank's ESP including further developing and refining relevant guidances and procedures, and supporting the application of the ESP to the preparation and implementation of projects. This includes:
  • Providing advice on the preparation of environmental and social assessments and implementation of environmental and social management plans and other types of instruments.
  • Providing advice on strategic, sectoral, regional, and cumulative impact assessments for selected operations.
  • Developing and monitoring courses of action to resolve issues concerning Bank and client compliance with the environmental requirements of AIIB's ESP.
  • Supporting the preparation of management responses and action plans for controversial projects which are the subject of requests to the Project-affected People's Mechanism.
• Support the integration of green, climate and other environmental considerations into investment operations to ensure alignment with the Bank's Corporate Strategy, its green thematic priority and climate ambition to maximize the Bank's impact. To this end, the selected candidate is also expected to help develop the Bank's knowledge and come up with innovative solutions, by working closely with investment operation teams.
• Contribute and advise on the communication of AIIB's green agenda, including environment and climate change aspects, to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the SPB Department in any other related activities as required.

Requirements:

• Minimum 8-10 years of relevant experience in environmental planning/ management and climate change working for, or as a government counterpart or consultant, to a multilateral development bank, bilateral development organization or a private sector organization.
• Experience in the development and implementation of environmental/climate/green strategies, policies, and procedures, especially those used by multilateral development banks and bilateral development organizations.
• Experience in working on policy interpretation and application from senior-level management, boards of directors and civil society organizations (CSOs).
• Knowledge of project development and supervision, including project design, and feasibility studies.
• Professional expertise in planning and management of environmental/green aspects of infrastructure programs and projects, in sectors such as energy, transport, water, urban development, and digital infrastructure.
• Experience in the planning, preparation and implementation of project-level environmental and social assessment and related types of studies, including environmental and social management plans and frameworks.
• Willingness to make site visits, sometimes in remote locations.
• Master's degree or equivalent in environmental science, engineering, planning, law or related fields from a reputable university.
• Experience with financial intermediaries, ESG ratings or sustainable finance operations is desirable.
• With outstanding written and verbal English language communication and writing skills.

AIIB is committed to diversity, transparency, and inclusion. We believe our strength comes from having a team with the right diverse skills, experiences and abilities selected through a merit-based competitive process. We actively encourage applications from people from both within and outside AIIB members, regardless of nationality, religion, gender, race, disability, or sexual orientation.

Join in AIIB's mission to promote sustainable infrastructure investments and to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond.

Previous experience and qualifications will determine the grade and job title at which successful applicants will enter AIIB.