Climate Resilience Advisor

About the role

The Climate Resilience Advisor will provide technical leadership on Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA), nature-based solutions (NBS), and loss & damage (L&D) mechanisms for the MekongElevate project. The role will support research, capacity strengthening, and evidence-based policy engagement to scale climate-resilient livelihoods and adaptation solutions tailored to the Mekong subregion.

About the MekongElevate project

MekongElevate is a DFAT-funded multi-country initiative focused on strengthening climate resilience for ethnic minority communities - particularly women, youth, and people with disabilities - across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The project promotes climate-smart agriculture, enhanced social protection and safety nets, and inclusive governance to support community-led climate adaptation and mitigation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical Leadership and Advisory Support

• Provide strategic and technical guidance on CSA, NBS, and climate resilience interventions, ensuring their relevance, effectiveness, and gender and social inclusivity.

• Lead the design and implementation of community-driven CSA innovations, integrating Indigenous knowledge and emerging climate adaptation technologies.

• Support the development and piloting of community-based safety nets, including Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), climate risk financing, and L&D response models.

• Ensure climate interventions align with national policies and global climate frameworks (e.g., UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, NDCs).

• Alongside the CARE Australia’s Climate and Partnerships Lead, collaborate with local and Australian research institutions to co-design participatory action research on CSA adoption and L&D financing mechanisms.

• Work with the GEDSI Advisor to ensure GEDSI is well integrated into all project activities.

2. Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Develop and/or deliver trainings/technical guidance for project teams, local implementing partners, farmer groups, and government stakeholders on CSA and climate resilience strategies.

• Strengthen the technical capacity of ethnic minority women-led producer groups to adopt climate-smart innovations and market-oriented CSA models.

• Facilitate knowledge exchange across project countries, supporting cross-regional learning between farmer networks, local organisations and government agencies.

• Develop learning products, such as CSA toolkits, case studies, and policy briefs, to disseminate best practices and evidence-based recommendations.

3. Research, Innovation, and Policy Engagement

• Oversee participatory action research to identify scalable CSA practices and innovative L&D solutions tailored to upland ethnic minority communities.

• Guide research partnerships with universities and other institutions to explore adaptive social protection models and carbon market opportunities.

• Engage in policy dialogues and technical working groups to contribute to national and subregional climate policies that benefit ethnic minority communities.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL)

• Support the development of CSA-related indicators and measurement tools within the project’s MEL framework.

• Contribute to impact assessments, ensuring CSA interventions and safety nets are effectively improving community resilience.

• Document and share lessons learned on GEDSI inclusive climate adaptation approaches, informing continuous improvement and adaptation of project strategies.

• Work closely with the Data & KM Coordinator (MEL) to ensure GEDSI data-driven decision-making and adaptive project management.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• At least 7-10 years of experience in designing and implementing climate resilience, CSA, or nature-based solutions in Southeast Asia.

• Strong understanding of climate adaptation financing, gender & social inclusion, L&D mechanisms, and disaster risk reduction in agricultural and rural settings.

• Experience working with ethnic minority communities, incorporating traditional knowledge into CSA approaches.

• Proven ability to develop and facilitate trainings, technical workshops, and capacity-strengthening activities.

• Experience in action research, working with research institutions, and developing policy recommendations based on field evidence.

• Strong analytical, report-writing, and communication skills, with experience engaging with government agencies, donors, and development partners.

• Excellent spoken and written English and Vietnamese; understanding of Lao and/or Khmer language is an advantage.

Desirable Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Climate Resilience, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.

• Experience working on DFAT-funded or other donor-funded projects related to climate resilience.

• Experience in GEDSI, including integrating GEDSI into climate resilience.

• Familiarity with climate finance instruments, such as carbon credits or climate insurance models.

• Background in agroecology, regenerative agriculture, or participatory rural development.

Application Deadline: 5:00 PM, 14th April 2025.

Interested candidates are kindly asked to combine their CV and cover letter into a single file when submitting their application.