• Location: Fiji
• City: Suva
• Contract Type: Individual Consultant (Deliverable)
• Grade Individual: Consultant 4
• Salary scale: Individual Consultant Scale
• Contract Duration: 8 months
• Deadline: 21/02/2025
• Job Reference: 100012218

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Project: Fiji Development Bank Climate Finance and Technical Assistance Project (FDB-TA)

Position: Climate Change Adaptation Consultant and Team Leader

Duty Station: Suva, Fiji

Contract Duration: 1 April 2025 – 18 January 2026

Number of Workdays Estimated: 115 days each

Consultant level: 4

Total Fees: USD 45,000

BACKGROUND

The Fiji Development Bank (FDB) is committed to supporting Fiji’s transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient economy. Recognizing the urgent need to address climate change and its associated impacts, FDB is enhancing its financial products to support initiatives in electric mobility, renewable energy, and climate change adaptation. These enhancements are designed to expand financing access for climate-aligned projects, prioritizing support for vulnerable populations. This initiative is part of a collaborative project with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), aimed at transitioning from conventional financing models to sustainable finance solutions across key sectors.

FDB’s strategic goal is to align its financing products with national development priorities, as well as global commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, FDB is working alongside GGGI and with funding from AFD to expand its portfolio of climate-resilient loan products, making them accessible to individuals and businesses, including those from underserved communities.

The enhanced loan products will prioritize inclusivity, ensuring clear eligibility criteria that expand access to finance for vulnerable groups—including women, marginalized communities, and geographically isolated populations. This emphasis on equitable access is intended to reduce social and geographic disparities in financial services.

The development and enhancement of these products will follow a structured, collaborative approach, engaging key stakeholders, such as the Fiji Government, private sector entities, and other relevant market actors. Through market studies, alignment with national priorities, and the design of financially viable products, FDB seeks to position itself as a leading institution in sustainable finance, driving real progress toward Fiji’s environmental goals and supporting a more inclusive, climate-resilient economy.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this assignment is to develop frameworks (policy statement, strategy & Lending Guidelines) and enhance FDB’s current loan offerings in three key areas of sustainable finance: Electric Mobility, Renewable Energy, and Climate Change Adaptation. This includes adapting existing loan products such as agriculture (fisheries, forestry, etc.), new energy vehicle loans, sustainable energy finance, transport loans, etc., to support climate-aligned initiatives and broaden access for vulnerable groups. FDB currently offers over 24 loan products, including one for energy-efficient electric vehicles and another for sustainable blue finance. Both individual experts and a consulting firm can express interests.

All proposed products will be designed and refined through a collaborative process with key stakeholders, including FDB, the Fiji Government, civil society organisations, professional associations and other private sector actors. These products will aim to meet the diverse financing needs of individuals and businesses, promote environmental sustainability, and strengthen FDB’s role as a sustainable finance leader in Fiji and the Pacific region.

Specifically, the objectives include:

• Aligning Loan Products with Global (SDGs), National & FDB Mandate Priorities: Developing enhanced loan products that directly contribute to the SDGs, Fiji government’s goals, including 2021 climate change act, national climate change policy for 2018-2030, national adaptation plan (NAP), and FDB’s mandate in promoting electric mobility, renewable energy, and climate change adaptation, ensuring financial accessibility for vulnerable populations. Each product will have clearly defined eligibility criteria to promote financial access for vulnerable groups, addressing gender, social, and geographic inclusion.
• Promoting Sustainable Development: Facilitating access to finance for projects that contribute to environmental and social sustainability, reduce carbon emissions, energy efficiency and build climate resilience. This involves both expanding current products of FDB to meet sustainable development criteria and introducing enhanced financing options for climate-smart investments.
• Enhancing FDB’s Market Position: Positioning FDB as a leading financial institution locally and in the Pacific region for sustainable finance by offering innovative and relevant loan products.
• Capacity Building: Equipping FDB staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage and promote enhanced loan products, ensuring a strong institutional capability to support and sustain the bank’s climate and inclusivity goals.
• Integrating Findings into the FDB Climate & Eco Finance Strategy: The findings from this assignment will contribute directly to the ongoing review of the FDB Climate & Eco Finance Strategy.

SCOPE OF WORK AND OBJECTIVES

GGGI intends to recruit three individual consultants to develop the frameworks and enhance the existing FDB loan products. The evaluation of expression of interests (EOIs) would be heavily focused on individual expert CVs.

The consultants will report to the Manager Climate & Eco Finance (CEF) in collaboration with the Senior Economist-Pacific and Green Investment Officer from GGGI on a monthly basis and work closely with FDB’s teams in Policy and Product, Finance/Treasury, Credit Risk & Approval, Enterprise Risk Management, Internal Audit, Relationship and Sales, with support from the CEF Team. Consultants must provide regular progress updates. All deliverables are subject to FDB’s review and approval before final acceptance.

The Consultant will conduct weekly progress meetings with the Manager of the Climate & Eco Finance Team to provide updates on each task’s progress against the agreed timeline. These meetings will ensure alignment of deliverables and address any challenges that may arise during the implementation. The outcomes of these meetings will be documented in minutes, which will be reviewed and signed by all parties to signify mutual acceptance and agreement on the progress reported.

The consultant/team will also be expected to engage regularly with key stakeholders, including the Fiji Government, private sector representatives, and other relevant actors, to ensure that the loan products are developed in a collaborative and inclusive manner. 

Fiji’s vulnerability to climate change necessitates robust financial products that support adaptation efforts across various sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and infrastructure. FDB’s Climate Change Adaptation Loan Product is designed to offer financing solutions that empower individuals and businesses to strengthen resilience against climate impacts. This product will focus on building adaptive capacity, promoting climate-smart practices, and ensuring infrastructure investments are prepared to withstand future climate risks, thereby supporting a more resilient, climate-ready Fiji.

• Design loan products for climate change adaptation in priority sectors.
• Address the financial needs of vulnerable and underserved local communities.
• As a consultant team leader, coordinate with FDB, GGGI, electric mobility and renewable energy consultants and other relevant stakeholders, including private sector and professional associations, and ensure the delivery of high-quality outputs and reports of all three consultants.

1.1.  Host Workshop on Shared Priorities for Climate Change Adaptation

• Task: Facilitate a workshop with stakeholders to discuss enhancing FDB’s products to support climate adaptation, focusing on sectors like agriculture, fisheries, forestry and resilient infrastructure. Identify opportunities to increase accessibility for at-risk communities.
• Deliverable: Workshop report summarizing key discussions, agreed priorities, potential partnerships, and action items. The consultant will also provide relevant input for FDB’s Climate & Eco Finance Strategy Review, FDB. The consultant will incorporate all comments received from FDB and GGGI.

1.2.  Develop FDB Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Statement

• Task: Draft a strategy for integrating climate adaptation financing into FDB’s loan products, with a focus on inclusivity and resilience. Analyze how current products can be adapted to support adaptation in key sectors.
• Deliverable: FDB Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Statement document, including strategic goals, performance indicators, and an analysis of how this strategy will integrate with FDB’s broader financial offerings. The consultant will also provide relevant input for FDB’s Climate & Eco Finance Strategy Review, FDB. The consultant will incorporate all comments received from FDB and GGGI.

1.3.  Undertake a Fiji Climate Change Adaptation Loan Market Study

• Task: Conduct a market study to assess the demand for climate adaptation financing, particularly for sectors critical to vulnerable communities. Include a review of existing loan products for potential adaptations. The study will also review relevant existing initiatives to leverage synergies.
• Deliverable: Fiji Climate Change Adaptation Loan Market Study report, including market analysis, demand estimation, competitive landscape, and strategic recommendations. The consultant will also provide relevant input for FDB’s Climate & Eco Finance Strategy Review, FDB. The consultant will incorporate all comments received from FDB and GGGI.

1.4.  Design FDB Climate Change Adaptation Loan Product

• Task: Develop an approach to enhance FDB’s adaptation loan products to prioritize resilience-building projects, focusing on inclusivity and access for vulnerable populations. Take consideration of activities outlined in International Development Finance Club Common Principles for Climate Change Adaptation Finance Tracking in the proposed loan product(s).
• Deliverable: FDB Climate Change Adaptation Loan Product Design document, including detailed product specifications, risk assessment, pricing strategy, and implementation plan. The design will also require approval from the relevant FDB management committee. The consultant will also provide relevant inputs for FDB’s Climate & Eco Finance Strategy Review, FDB. The consultant will incorporate all comments received from FDB and GGGI.

1.5.  Operationalize FDB Climate Change Adaptation Loan Product

• Task: Develop the necessary procedures, manuals, lending guidelines, templates, and forms to operationalize the Climate Change Adaptation Loan Product. Training will be provided to FDB staff in relevant departments to ensure they are equipped to manage and promote the enhanced loan products effectively.
• Deliverable: Complete set of operational materials, including procedures, manuals, templates, and forms. Training completion report for FDB staff, documenting the training sessions conducted, participants, and feedback. The consultant will incorporate all comments received from FDB and GGGI.
• Content for FDB’s Climate & Eco Finance Strategy Review.

TIMELINE, DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payments will be made upon FDB and GGGI approval of each deliverable.

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

• A postgraduate degree in economics, finance, sustainability and other relevant fields is preferred.
• At least 4 years of experience in climate change policy and sustainable development.
• Extensive expertise in climate change adaptation and resilience-building projects. Applicants must submit at least two writing samples demonstrating their experience in this field.
• Experience in developing financial products for vulnerable populations (writing samples will be required).
• Strong analytical and stakeholder engagement skills, proven by career track record.
• Relevant professional experience in similar country context is preferred but not mandatory

ADMINSTRATIVE INFORMATION

The assignment is expected to be completed within the timeline of April 2025 to January 2026. The consultant/team is expected to adhere strictly to this timeline, ensuring timely delivery of all deliverables.

Interested consultants are invited to submit their proposals, including:

• A cover letter detailing their suitability for the assignment.
• CV
• 2 references and 2 samples from similar previous assignments.
• A budget breakdown and financial proposal. Field trip(s) should be factored into the financial proposal, with the understanding that the majority of tasks will be conducted remotely from the consultant’s home office.

Proposals must be submitted by 20 February 2025 (11:59 PM KST) through the GGGI online platform in accordance with the platform’s rules. Any correspondence related to this advertisement should be conducted exclusively through the GGGI platform.

Late applications will not be considered. Submissions received after the deadline via the GGGI platform will be automatically disqualified.

 All application materials, including the Cover Letter and CV, must be in English.

The opportunity is for individual consultants only. However, a company may nominate one of their experts. In this case, the contract will be signed solely with the individual consultant. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Relevant Experience: 50%
• Proposed Methodology: 25%
• Budget and Cost-effectiveness: 15%
• Timeline and Work Plan: 10%