Head of Fund Secretariat – Climate Bridge Fund (CBF)

Location: Dhaka

Employment Type: Contractual with renewal opportunity

Salary: Negotiable

Benefits: Festival bonus, health and life insurance, and other benefits as per CBF policy

The Climate Bridge Fund (CBF), established by BRAC with support from the Government of Germany through KfW, funds projects that strengthen the resilience of people displaced or at risk of displacement due to climate change.

CBF has six years of experience in providing technical and financial support to NGOs that working closely with urban populations at the frontlines of climate change impacts in Bangladesh. The fund promotes locally-led adaptation and aim to strengthen local capacity in inclusive climate adaptation action. Till date, the fund has supported 20 local organisations through 26 projects. The fund has been transformational in equipping over 600,000 people in climate-vulnerable areas to adapt to climate impacts and strengthening the capacity of local organisations in those areas while also sharing insights from the funded activities globally. To maximise the impact and efficiency of this endowment fund, the fund size needs to be significantly scaled from its current portfolio.

As Head of Fund Secretariat, you will lead CBF’s strategic direction, resource mobilisation, fund management, governance, and operations, ensuring impactful delivery of climate adaptation and resilience projects. You will work closely with the Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee of the Climate Bridge Fund (ACCF), donors, government bodies, and partners to drive resource mobilisation, strengthen partnerships, and promote CBF’s visibility nationally and internationally.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership & Fund Mobilisation

  • Lead periodic review, improve, and implement the comprehensive fundraising strategy of CBF based on its objectives and priorities.
  • Identifying new funding opportunities involves researching potential donors, analysing their funding patterns, and assessing their alignment with the CBF's mission.
  • Develop a plan to attract funding from various sources (public, private, bilateral, and multilateral sources) such as grants, individual donors, corporations, and foundations.
  • Crafting compelling fundraising proposals that clearly articulate CBF's requirements, impact, and transparent use of proposed funds.
  • Develop a fundraising calendar and timeline for various fundraising activities that follow a fundraising strategy.

2. Fund Management & Allocation

  • Oversee fund allocation to projects/programmes, as approved by the CBF Board of Trustees.
  • Optimise the cost of fund secretariat and ensure the financial sustainability of the fund.
  • Lead the review and evaluation of concept notes and proposals from BRAC and non-BRAC NGOs on climate change adaptation, resilience, and disaster risk management; present evaluation results of concepts and proposals to the ACCF, KfW, and the Trustee Board.

3. Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with governments, development partners, private sector, and civil society.
  • Facilitate donor engagement and networking by expanding CBF's network of contacts, organising events, presentations, and other activities to connect donors with CBF's work and impact.
  • Facilitate access to climate finance for local NGOs and capacity development.
  • Represent CBF in national and international forums, fostering partnerships, advocating for climate adaptation and resilience, and strengthening CBF’s visibility and influence. Organise and coordinate meetings with ACCF, KfW, the Board of Trustees, and relevant government entities.

4. Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

  • Lead the CBF Secretariat with full authority over work programme planning, fund management, team management, and operational oversight, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and donor requirements.
  • Coordinate effectively with donors, ACCF, Board of Trustees, government bodies, and implementing partners to address strategic issues and ensure timely communication and reporting.
  • Ensure compliance with fiduciary, safeguard, and donor requirements (e.g., KFW).
  • Establish effective governance mechanisms for fund oversight and accountability in line with the CBF Operational Manual.
  • Manage risks (financial, fiduciary, social, environmental, reputational).
  • Uphold principles of equity, transparency, and Locally Led Adaptation (LLA).

5. Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact Reporting

  • Establish robust MRV (Monitoring, Reporting & Verification) systems for financial flows and climate impact.
  • Report on fund performance to boards, ACCF, KfW, other donors, government organisations.
  • Lead the creation of and knowledge products such as policy briefs, case studies, and research papers.
  • Lead the development and review of policy documents and guidelines.
  • Establish metrics to measure program outcomes, impacts and drive evidence-based decision-making.

6. Safeguarding

  • Promote a strong safeguarding culture by implementing policies, ensuring staff training and support, and strictly following incident reporting procedures.

Requirements:

  • An advanced university degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Social Sciences, International Development, Environmental Science / Management, or a related field.
  • Proven experience in the development sector, preferably in fundraising, grant management, donor relations, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
  • Proven experience in climate change adaptation, resilience, and disaster risk reduction related fund/portfolio management (at least 7 years).
  • Excellent knowledge of key donors focused on climate change, adaptation and resilience and disaster risk reduction.
  • 18+ years of relevant experience (with at least 10 years in fund mobilization and management aspects.
  • Experience with German-funded projects would be an advantage.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.

Apply: Email CV to resume.cbf@brac.net with subject line Head of Fund Secretariat – CBF.

Deadline: 28 August 2025

CBF is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.