Lead - Climate Change & Sustainability

IPE Global Limited; Manila; On-site; PHP 7,542,000 - 11,314,000; Full time

Job summary

IPE Global Limited seeks a South East Asia Lead for Climate Change & Sustainability to drive expansion across SEA, build institutional relationships, lead business development, and design multi-year climate resilience programmes.

The role requires deep technical expertise in climate risk, adaptation, and green transition with entrepreneurial drive to establish IPE Global as a leading development partner in the region.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree in Climate Science, Environmental Policy, Development Economics, International Development, or related discipline.
• Professional certification in climate finance, GIS, or project management is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead SEA business development strategy and opportunity pipeline.
• Design and deliver multi-year climate resilience programmes across SEA.
• Build regional institutional relationships and strategic partnerships.
• Provide technical leadership on climate risk assessments and DRR programmes.
• Oversee project delivery, MRV, and financial management.

Skills

Climate risk assessment

Multi-hazard analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Business development

Leadership

Education

Master's or PhD in Climate Science / related field

Professional certification in climate finance / GIS / PM

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

MS Office

Job description

South East Asia Lead - Climate Change & Sustainability Practice

Term Full Time

Location: Manila, Phillipines

Reports To: Head - Climate Change & Sustainability Practice, IPE Global

Practice: Climate Change & Sustainability (CCS) - IPE Global Limited

Position Overview

IPE Global's Climate Change & Sustainability Practice is expanding its footprint across South East Asia as part of the Group's strategic growth agenda. The SEA Lead will serve as the anchor of this expansion - building institutional relationships, leading business development, designing and delivering multi-year climate resilience and sustainability programmes across the region, and positioning IPE Global as the leading development consulting partner for climate action in South East Asia. The role requires a leader who combines deep technical expertise in climate risk, adaptation, and green transition with the entrepreneurial capability to open and grow a new regional market.

Key Responsibilities

1) Business Development & Market Expansion

• Lead IPE Global CCS's South East Asia business development strategy - identifying, qualifying, and pursuing project opportunities with multilateral development banks (ADB, World Bank, AIIB), bilateral donors (USAID, FCDO, AFD, GIZ, DANIDA), ASEAN institutions, and national governments across the region.
• Build and maintain a robust SEA opportunity pipeline in the CCS BD Tracker - tracking expressions of interest, proposal submissions, contract negotiations, and client relationship status across all target geographies.
• Lead the development of high-quality technical and financial proposals for climate risk, adaptation, green transition, disaster risk reduction, and sustainability programming across SEA countries.
• Represent IPE Global CCS at regional conferences, ASEAN climate forums, UNFCCC events, and development finance institution convenings to build visibility and strategic partnerships.
• Negotiate and manage sub-consultant partnerships, consortium arrangements, and teaming agreements with regional and international organisations to strengthen bid competitiveness.

2) Technical Leadership

• Lead the design and delivery of multi-hazard climate risk assessments, Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) mapping, and Climate Risk Observatory deployments across SEA geographies - adapting IPE Global's India-developed methodology to regional contexts.
• Provide technical leadership for national and sub-national Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) programmes, Heat Action Plans, and multi-sector climate resilience frameworks across Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
• Drive the adaptation of IPE Global's Digital Decision Support System (DDSS) for early warning and anticipatory governance into SEA institutional contexts - coordinating with national meteorological and disaster management agencies.
• Lead climate finance readiness advisory for governments and institutions seeking GCF, ADB, and bilateral climate fund access - including investment pipeline structuring, project concept development, and accreditation support.
• Develop and position IPE Global's green transition and just transition advisory for SEA's coal-dependent economies - particularly Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines - aligned with country NDCs and Paris Agreement commitments.
• Provide strategic technical inputs to SEA governments on nature-based solutions (NbS), biodiversity co-benefits, and ecosystem-based adaptation - aligned with IPE Global's CCTS and carbon market expertise.
• Serve as Project Director or Team Leader for major SEA engagements - overseeing work plan execution, deliverable quality, financial management, and client reporting across multi-country programmes.
• Build and manage a regionally embedded team of SEA-based technical and programme staff - including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and professional development.
• Ensure rigorous monitoring, reporting, and evaluation (MRV) frameworks are embedded in all SEA programmes - aligned with donor requirements and IPE Global's internal quality standards.
• Manage sub-consultant performance, financial disbursements, and contractual compliance across SEA project portfolios.
• Maintain regular reporting to the CCS Practice Head and IPE Global leadership on SEA portfolio performance, market development, and strategic opportunities.

4) Knowledge Management & Thought Leadership & Partnerships

• Lead the development of SEA-specific climate risk knowledge products - research papers, policy briefs, op-eds, and event presentations - drawing on IPE Global's Climate Risk Observatory, Climate Vulnerability Index, and Multi-Hazard Risk Atlas methodologies.
• Contribute to IPE Global CCS's global knowledge agenda by translating SEA programme learnings into replicable methodologies, toolkits, and publications.
• Build IPE Global's profile as a thought leader on South East Asia climate resilience, green transition, and development finance - through media engagement, conference participation, and bilateral donor engagement.
• Identify opportunities for South-South knowledge exchange between India and SEA - particularly on solar-agri convergence, heat action governance, and climate finance mobilisation.

5) Partnerships & Stakeholder Management

• Build and sustain high-level relationships with ASEAN Secretariat, national planning and environment ministries, regional development banks, UN agencies (UNDP, UNDRR, UNEP), and bilateral donor missions across SEA.
• Develop strategic partnerships with leading SEA academic institutions, think tanks, and civil society organisations to strengthen IPE Global's technical credibility and local market positioning.
• Coordinate with IPE Global's existing offices in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and the Philippines to leverage established relationships for CCS practice expansion.
• Engage with private sector partners - including renewable energy developers, climate fintech companies, and impact investors - to build blended finance and PPP programming opportunities.

Qualifications

Education

• Postgraduate degree (Masters or PhD) in Climate Science, Environmental Policy, Development Economics, International Development, or related discipline. Professional certification in climate finance, GIS, or project management is an asset.

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in climate change, disaster risk reduction, sustainability, or international development - with at least 5 years of demonstrated business development and programme leadership experience in South East Asia.

Technical Expertise:

• Deep expertise in climate risk assessment, multi-hazard vulnerability analysis, adaptation planning, green transition advisory, and climate finance mobilisation. Familiarity with CMIP6 modelling, GIS/geospatial analysis, and NDVI/satellite data is an advantage.

Institutional Knowledge:

• Strong existing relationships with ADB, World Bank, USAID, FCDO, GIZ, or equivalent donor agencies operating in South East Asia. Experience with ASEAN climate governance frameworks and national NDC processes preferred.

Languages

• Excellent written and spoken English essential. Proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, or Thai is a significant advantage
• Demonstrated track record of winning and managing multi-million dollar donor-funded climate programmes in South East Asia
• Strong proposal writing, financial modelling, and contract negotiation skills
• Exceptional interpersonal, stakeholder engagement, and cross-cultural communication abilities
• Entrepreneurial mindset with ability to build market presence and institutional relationships from the ground up
• Proficiency in MS Office (advanced), project management tools, and familiarity with GIS platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS)
• High level of integrity, professional ethics, and commitment to IPE Global's values of equity, inclusion, and sustainable development
• Willingness to travel extensively across South East Asia - estimated 40-50% travel requirement

About IPE Global:

• IPE Global Limited is an international development group providing expert technical assistance and solutions for equitable development and sustainable growth in developing countries. Headquartered in India with offices in the UK, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Germany, and the Philippines, the Group has implemented over 1,200 projects in over 120 countries across five continents over 27 years, partnering with multilateral and bilateral agencies, governments, corporates, and philanthropic organisations. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and ISO 27001:2013 accredited. Our Climate Change & Sustainability Practice - led by a team of 275+ professionals - is one of the largest dedicated climate practices in the Global South, spanning climate risk intelligence, disaster risk reduction, green transition advisory, carbon markets, and climate finance mobilisation. For more details, visit www.ipeglobal.com