Climate and Nature Policy Officer, Mexico City - #7464712

Main purpose of job:

The British Embassy in Mexico City is looking for a new Officer to be the focal point for our work on climate and nature policy including on climate mitigation and adaptation, forestry and land use, and biodiversity. The jobholder will provide technical advice and recommendations to the Embassy’s climate and nature portfolios. They will regularly update their knowledge and understanding on climate and nature through networking, research, and training. This is an exciting opportunity to support the work of our diplomatic network to accelerate climate action and nature conservation in Mexico.

On the programme side, the Officer will provide policy direction and guidance to a wide range of climate and nature initiatives operating in Mexico and funded by UK International Climate Finance (ICF). They will liaise regularly with the three different government departments that provide ICF resources to Mexico: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The successful candidate will be instrumental in strengthening working relationships between the Embassy and programme delivery partners as well as regional and UK stakeholders.

The successful candidate will represent the UK at strategic activities and events on climate and nature including those hosted by the Mexican Government. For example, they will lead on the Embassy’s preparations and contributions to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COPs and UNFCCC COPs and other relevant fora. The jobholder will work closely with the International Forest Unit (IFU) in London on delivery of our forest portfolio in Mexico. The Officer will also manage a small annual Climate Diplomacy Fund (£15,000 per annum) to facilitate progress against the Embassy’s climate objectives.

The Officer will be a member of the Embassy’s Climate Team managed by the Head of Climate. Climate is one of five different teams within the Embassy’s Development Section. All UK development work in Mexico has a strong focus on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). In addition, the Climate Team has its own development communications strategy on sharing impacts and lessons learned from our climate work. The jobholder will proactively contribute to the Climate Team’s GESI and communications priorities. They will also support wider Embassy corporate objectives through membership of one or more committees or taskforces.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Lead on climate and nature policy work in the Embassy (40%)

• Be the Embassy’s main point of contact to progress our work on climate policy and nature including on climate mitigation and adaptation, forestry and land use, and biodiversity.
  
• Keep on top of latest trends and information related to climate and nature and convert these into policy recommendations and technical advice for Embassy climate work.
  
• Identify key areas of opportunity to accelerate climate action and nature conservation in Mexico and mobilise programme and diplomatic tools to address these as appropriate.
  
• Bring relevant Embassy teams together to coordinate and take joint decisions on priority areas for UK support.
  
• Represent the UK and make catalytic interventions at strategic activities and events with a focus on climate and nature.
  
• Be the focal point for the Embassy’s preparations for the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) COPs and UNFCCC COPs, and other climate and nature negotiations fora as relevant.
  
• Manage the FCDO’s annual allocation to Mexico for the Climate Diplomacy Fund working closely with Embassy Colleagues alongside the ICF Support Officer.

2. Support successful implementation of existing climate policy and nature programmes and explore opportunities for new ones (30%)

• Provide policy direction on climate and nature to the UK’s International Climate Finance Portfolio in Mexico including: UK PACT, NDC Partnership, Forests Portfolio (LEAF, ISFL, PMI), Biodiversity Portfolio (Darwin Initiative, OCEAN, ORRAA, IWT, Biofin), GCF, MAF;
  
• Contribute to the development of sector cases under a new UK PACT strategy for Mexico on the areas of climate policy and nature.
• Contribute to strategy and planning activities in Mexico for the programmes listed above, working closely with London programme leads, delivery partners and the Embassy’s ICF Officer.
• As part of policy and strategy conversations with climate and nature counterparts, be on the lookout for gaps and opportunities where the UK can add value and provide strategic inputs within our existing portfolio or through a new initiative as appropriate.
  
• Contribute to the effective integration of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion into our climate and nature portfolios.
• Provide appropriate climate and nature content to the ICF Officer for communication materials.

3. Stakeholder engagement on climate and nature in coordination with other Embassy Teams and Policy Leads (20%)

• Establish and strengthen working relationships with strategic stakeholders in climate and nature in Mexico.
• Given Mexico’s forthcoming elections, engage with candidates’ teams and then the new administration on potential areas and tools for collaboration on climate and nature.
  
• Engage with Delivery Partners for climate and nature programmes on policy issues while contributing to effective ways of working between the Delivery Partner, the Embassy, and the programme leads in London, with support from the Embassy’s ICF Officer.
  
• Be the Mexico representative for the FCDO’s Latin America Climate Action Network (LACAN).
  
• Publicly represent the Embassy and the UK Government as a credible interlocutor in climate and nature related engagements as necessary.

4. Corporate Contribution (10%): Help make the Embassy a great place to work.

• All Embassy staff are expected to fulfil a defined role in the event of a crisis.
• Contribute to the Embassy’s wider corporate agenda and values by being an active member in one of our committees, working groups or taskforces.

Resources managed:

Staff: 1 x Climate Intern

Resources: £15,000 per annum Climate Diplomacy Fund