Director, Resilience & Climate Action Department

Title: Director, Resilience & Climate Action Department

Requisition ID: 5885

Overview

Business Unit: Operations - Global Practices and Partnerships Directorate Department: Resilience and Climate Action Country: Saudi Arabia Location: Jeddah HQ Job Grade: M3 Contract Type: Fixed Term Closing Date: 30-Jul-2026

Job Purpose

The Role will provide leadership, set strategic direction, ensure resource availability and coordinate activities for thematic areas (i) Climate Change, (ii) Environment and Social Safeguards, (iii) Fragility, Conflict, and Resilience (FCR) affected situations, (iv) Disaster Risk Management, (v) Emergency Relief, (vi) NGOs/CSOs and third sector, (vii) Women Empowerment, and (viii) Youth Development in MCs. Accordingly, the Director will lead the teams of Climate Change & Environment Division, Fragility and Resilience Division, and Women & Youth Empowerment Division, and report to the Director-General GPP. The incumbent will undertake Annual Planning and ensuring the Department achieves its Key Performance Indictors and results in line with the strategy of the Bank. Responsible for elaborating development solutions and upstream advisory work related to these thematic areas in coordination with the Bank Sector expertise centers, and for leading the implementation and administration of Bank's policies and strategies under his responsibilities and delivering projects/programs in MCs by working with both internal- and external-partners. The incumbent will advise the Management on strategic level engagement in areas of responsibilities.

Key Accountabilities

Policy, Strategy and Planning:

• Serves as a high-level focal point and ‘resource center’ for all matters pertaining to the thematic areas of the department, name: climate change, environment, women empowerment, youth development, fragility, conflict, resilience, natural disasters, emergency response, civil society and NGOs engagements issues within the Bank and the IsDB Group.
• Provides high-level thematic leadership to the preparation of Member Countries Partnership Strategies in collaboration with the relevant stakeholder teams.
• Provides necessary inputs to the management, coordination, and implementation, as they relate to the key focus areas of the Bank Corporate Strategy.
• Provides high level technical guidance and oversee portfolio monitoring teams, including through the integration of relevant indicators, metrics and tools in the design, conceptualization, client relations, analytics, and interpretation of high-quality data needed to deliver monitoring results.
• Provides high-level leadership to the Bank’s external partnership in all matters related to Resilience and Social Action Department with the objective to improving Bank’s visibility and developing and nurturing networks.
• Oversees the collaboration with other pillars/ sectoral/thematic teams to ensure dissemination of tailored knowledge and expertise to support project implementation and ensures that crosscutting issues such as climate change, environment, women empowerment, youth development, capacity development, fragility, conflict, resilience, natural disasters, civil society, and NGOs engagements are adequately addressed.
• Ensures that the Department shares key knowledge and learning outcomes from/for the thematic areas of the Department.
• Leads the development of short and medium term Global plan and programs to be implemented in MCs.
• Directs the preparation of policy briefs and notes; keeps abreast of international developments and advancements in the Resilience and Climate Action areas across 57 MCs and globally.
• Oversees the development of key results targets and performance indicators (KPIs) related to delivery of action plans of the thematic areas of the department.
• Ensures Department provision of strategic contribution to the Bank’s annual budgeting process, resources, and allocation of budget.
• Identifies business process improvements and ensures changes to the quality team for the update of the Operations Manual.
• Represents IsDB in local and international forums to speak on climate change, environment, women empowerment, youth development, capacity development, fragility, conflict, resilience, disasters risk management and civil society engagement topics as and when required.
• Coordinates the work of all RCA Divisions as well as with other internal units of the Bank and the Directorate in particular.
• Collaborates with other Sectorial Units to ensure dissemination of tailored knowledge and expertise to support project preparation and implementation.
• Reviews overall annual and multi-year plans and oversees, suggests and supports execution of annual programs for the Resilience and Climate Action
• In line with Bank Group synergy requirements, coordinates with the IsDB Group entities on major group wide programs and initiatives that relate to RCA Department, such as the FSRP, etc.
• Coordinate the development and contribution of the thematic units in relevant Sukuk programs under the Sustainable Finance Framework working with Treasury.
  
  

Leadership Responsibilities

• Supervises the Department and its various thematic practices, with high standards of integrity and excellence.
• Aligns with the Director-General for Global Practices and Partnerships on the overall direction of the Department.
• Ensures strong collaboration with other Global Practices and Country Programming.
• Develops partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to provide cross-functional support and act as spokesperson on all matters relating to the Resilience and Climate Action areas.
• Supports work of Division Heads in filling key capability gaps of teams through capacity development and recruiting efforts.
• Provides thought leadership to Regional Hub Sector teams on impact measurement and monitoring practices in support of emerging best practices and capacity building in this space.
• Develops and manages work program delivery of three Divisions of the Department and oversees those of the staff. Coordinates the provision of advisory services and technical guidance in matters related to fragility, conflict, resilience, disasters risk management and civil society engagement areas to IsDB organizational units.
• Provides motivational and inspirational leadership for managerial, Lead, senior and technical staff and communicates direct reports clear performance expectations.
• Manages and leads the Resilience and Climate Action Department managers, leads, senior and technical staff and providing regular feedback and support to improve performance.
• Monitors and assesses the skills and capabilities of the managerial, Lead, senior and technical staff, and determines the actions needed to improve/increase impact.
• Supports filling in key capability gaps of teams through capacity development and recruiting efforts.
• Manages Coaches, mentors, and develops the direct reports and the top talent/ high potential staff of the fragility and resilience division.
• Acts as a role-model to communicate to the unit’s staff IsDB's values and leadership competencies and provides direction and support in times of change.
• Generates commitment, motivation and enthusiasm to Resilience and Climate Action goals, and guide staff through periods of change or uncertainly
• Provide clear direction, prioritize tasks, assign and delegate responsibility and monitor the workflow.
• Plans, manages, and reviews individual performance and provides regular feedback, development, and coaching, taking prompt action where necessary.
  
  

Reporting & Communication

• Oversees the preparation of progress reports on thematic related activities in compliance with the Bank rules and procedures.
• Manage the performance and resources of the RCA Department through delegation of responsibility, setting stretch objectives and providing regular feedback on results at a Department / Unit level, promptly addressing areas of underperformance.
  
  

Academic And Professional Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in environmental sciences, social sciences, conflict and development, social development, economics, or related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in relevant development thematic areas of climate change, women empowerment, youth development, fragility, conflict, resilience, development, social development, and NGOs/ practice or related areas.
• 7+ years of managerial/supervisory experience including 5+ years with Developmental Institution.
• Languages: English: Mandatory | Arabic: Preferable | French: Preferable
  
  

Skills & Necessary Knowledge

• Climate Change
• Women and Youth Empowerment
• Fragility, Conflict, Resilience (FCR)
• Civil Society and NGOs Engagement
• Project Design for Impact and Sustainability
• Project Management
• Thematic Policy and strategy Formulation and Advisory
• Policies and Procedures
• Thematic/Country Dialogue and Work
• IsDB Financing Instruments
• Partnership Management
• Economic Analysis and Assessment
• Ability to adapt to changing business circumstances to maintain effective performance of complex
• Ability to draw actionable steps from IsDB overall strategy
• High degree of Integrity and ethics, confidentiality and protection of sensitive information
• Ability to maintain a rational and objective demeanor when faced with stressful or emotional situations
• Ability to carry out performance evaluations at sub-complex and direct report level
• Plans and prioritizes work tasks appropriately
• Influence others using rational arguments Identify basis for compromise and reaches agreement
• Ability to identify risks and implement necessary mitigation measures
• Consistently works to a high standard and looks for ways to improve current working practices and processes for the benefit of customers and the company
  
  

About Application Process

If you meet the criteria and you are enthusiastic about the role, we would welcome your application. To complete the application you would need the following document(s):

• Resume/CV
• Copy of passport
• Academic certificate
  
  

If you are currently an IsDB Regular staff applying for this role and get selected through the competitive selection process; your current contract type and other terms and conditions will remain unchanged.

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) does not ask for payments of any kind from applicants throughout the recruitment process (job application, CV review, interview meeting, and final processing of applications). In addition, the IsDB does not request information on applicants’ bank accounts. The IsDB declines all responsibility for the fraudulent publications of job posts or job offers in its name or, in general, for the fraudulent use of its name in any way whatsoever.