Assistant Manager, Carbon Markets

FSD Africa is a specialist development agency working to make finance work for Africa’s future. It aims to reduce poverty by building financial markets that are robust, efficient, and inclusive, accelerating green economic transition and mobilising finance towards sustainable development.

This role involves supporting FSD Africa's carbon markets strategy and portfolio, with the ultimate goal of enabling Africa to harness carbon market opportunities for its green economic transition and to mobilize finance for sustainable development. The Assistant Manager will provide technical, analytical, project management, and coordination support across the carbon markets portfolio. This includes identifying, designing, and implementing carbon market programs and investments, as well as directly managing specific projects and workstreams. The role also involves cross-pillar coordination to integrate carbon market opportunities into broader FSD Africa programs and investments. The contract type is a 1-year fixed-term.

1. Monitor global and regional carbon market developments, including regulatory changes, market trends, and emerging technologies, to inform strategy and planning.
2. Conduct research and market analysis to understand how carbon markets can advance Africa's green economic transition and financial market development.
3. Provide technical expertise on carbon finance, market mechanisms, policy, regulation, and project development to internal teams.
4. Identify and assess potential carbon market programs, investments, and partnerships through initial research, stakeholder mapping, and needs assessments.
5. Prepare concept notes, business cases, and other necessary documentation for program and investment design.
6. Identify opportunities to integrate carbon finance into wider FSD Africa and FSDAi programs.
7. Manage specific carbon market projects and workstreams, ensuring agreed results, risk management, and high-quality outputs.
8. Support the procurement and onboarding of consultants and implementing partners, including drafting Terms of Reference.
9. Coordinate daily project implementation, maintaining effective relationships with partners and tracking activities, budgets, and risks.
10. Review project deliverables for quality and consistency, providing feedback to partners.
11. Identify and escalate implementation issues and emerging risks, supporting project amendments as needed.
12. Support project closure processes, capturing lessons learned and sharing them across the organization.
13. Provide technical and coordination support for carbon market components within projects managed by other pillars.
14. Maintain an up-to-date inventory of FSD Africa's carbon market programs and pipeline opportunities.
15. Support effective financial and risk management for projects, including preparing budgets, forecasts, and monitoring expenditure.
16. Assist with due diligence and contracting processes for partners and investees.
17. Ensure projects comply with internal policies, donor requirements, and statutory regulations.
18. Support assessment of Value for Money and Development Impact.
19. Contribute to fundraising by researching opportunities and preparing technical inputs for proposals.
20. Work with the Development Impact team to support evidence-based program delivery and learning.
21. Support the development of results frameworks, indicators, and data collection tools.
22. Collect, review, and analyze project information, maintaining accurate records of outputs and outcomes.
23. Contribute to periodic portfolio and project reviews to assess performance.
24. Analyze lessons from carbon market interventions and translate them into practical recommendations.
25. Contribute to reports, briefings, and presentations for management and donors.
26. Support communication, influencing, and knowledge-sharing activities of the Carbon Markets team.
27. Maintain stakeholder maps for priority carbon markets and support the organization of workshops and stakeholder engagements.
28. Prepare briefing notes, presentations, reports, and case studies, working with the Communications team.
29. Contribute technical content to FSD Africa’s reporting and communications.
30. Represent FSD Africa at relevant meetings and forums.
31. Support the development and dissemination of knowledge products to build capacity in financial institutions and the carbon market ecosystem.
32. Build and maintain effective working relationships across FSD Africa and with external partners.
33. Develop relationships with carbon market actors, including government agencies, regulators, financial institutions, and investors.
34. Coordinate with colleagues across FSD Africa to support cross-pillar carbon market interventions.
35. Maintain regular communication with implementing partners and stakeholders.
36. Support capacity-building and knowledge-sharing activities.
37. Coordinate consultants engaged on specific projects.
38. Perform any other duties assigned by management.

1. Master’s degree with at least three years of relevant professional experience, or a bachelor’s degree with at least four years of relevant professional experience.
2. Minimum of one to two years of direct experience in carbon markets, climate finance, sustainable finance, or related initiatives.
3. Excellent written and spoken English proficiency.
4. Strong understanding of carbon markets, climate finance, and sustainable development, including key trends, actors, and policy developments.
5. Knowledge of the role of financial institutions, investors, and capital providers in carbon market development.
6. Experience in conducting research, market analysis, and preparing high-quality written materials.
7. Good understanding of project cycle management and experience coordinating projects or complex workstreams.
8. Ability to develop and maintain project plans, budgets, trackers, and risk registers.
9. Sound analytical skills to assess financial, market, and implementation information and draw practical conclusions.
10. Understanding of basic financial and investment principles, with an interest in innovative carbon market financing.
11. Knowledge of risk, compliance, and due diligence processes.
12. Experience working with multiple stakeholders and coordinating across different organizations or teams.
13. Strong written communication and presentation skills, capable of synthesizing complex information.
14. Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and meet deadlines with attention to detail.
15. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
16. Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
17. Desirable: Experience with financial institutions, investors, project developers, government agencies, or development partners.
18. Desirable: Experience in carbon project finance, carbon market policy/regulation, Article 6, or voluntary carbon markets.
19. Desirable: Experience working in African markets and multicultural environments.
20. Desirable: Knowledge of donor policies and procedures, particularly FCDO-funded projects.
21. Desirable: Experience supporting program design, investment analysis, or fundraising.
22. Desirable: Proficiency in French and/or other African languages.