Role purpose

Key Competencies for the CEO

Results-Oriented Change Leadership

The successful candidate must have exceptional leadership and management qualities so as to gain the confidence and trust of individuals, internal and external to the GEF and its stakeholders. A mature and pragmatic doer, they must be able to both lead and empower cross-functional teams representing multiple stakeholders. The CEO will be someone who has deep experience in effective management skills with a track record of successfully tackling challenging transformational change in environments that are complex due to their broad structural, geographical, and cultural reach.

Multi-Cultural and Strategic Breadth

The ideal candidate must have a global perspective with a deep understanding of complexities and quickly shifting global events. The selected candidate will leverage a passion for environmental issues in a development context to advance the agenda of the GEF. Reflecting the complexity of the pathways to change, the ideal candidate will have displayed patience, resilience, and flexibility in dealing with other people, cultures, legal systems, and regulatory environments, preferably in a spectrum of international settings. As an ambassador for the GEF partnership and a guardian of its reputation, the ideal candidate will have strong integrity and be comfortable defining and defending the key strategic priorities for the GEF’s agenda.

Influencing and Interpersonal Skills

The ideal candidate must possess strong communication capabilities, a self-reflective attitude, and have a broad team orientation. They must have the ability to influence and work effectively with cross-functional executives across a large and complex organization, credibly influencing stakeholders through the application of diplomacy to bridge conflictive interests within the GEF partnership, as well as deep subject matter knowledge. Leveraging excellent interpersonal skills, they will be a persuasive oral and written communicator driven to collaborate effectively with Council Members and Operational and Political Focal Points. In this role, they will motivate other stakeholders to buy into and embrace environmental strategies aligned with the brand and positioning of the GEF.

In addition, the ideal candidate must be highly credible and able to inspire confidence.  They will be a self-motivated, enthusiastic individual who demonstrates a high degree of personal integrity, honesty, and respect for others, as shown through strong personal values as well as consistency between words and actions.

In the pursuit of excellence, we continually search for qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds from around the globe. The World Bank is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy Development

The CEO will build upon the GEF’s accomplishments to date, further strengthening GEF's increased relevance and profile based on its successful ninth replenishment. The CEO will lead the development of the strategic direction, considering the emerging role of new financing funds which creates the need to strengthen the GEF’s position as an established, cost-efficient financial mechanism delivering results at scale in the global environmental funding architecture; dealing with the causes of environmental degradation in an integrated way; engaging with the private sector and scaling blended finance to increase the impact of grant and concessional resources; and supporting the demand for increased country ownership of GEF programming.

Operational Management

Building further on a strongly skilled GEF Secretariat, the CEO will lead the development, adoption, and monitoring of the operational policies and programs for GEF-financed activities in a transparent manner that responds, inter alia, to the objectives and priorities of the global environmental conventions and multilateral environmental agreements. The CEO will provide leadership for the content of GEF’s work; effectively lead the day-to-day operations with support from the GEF Secretariat management and staff; and effectively manage and develop staff in order to maximise performance and promote an inclusive and healthy working environment. The CEO is accountable to the Council for the performance of the Secretariat.

The CEO will oversee annual budgeting, programmatic planning, programmatic performance, and assessment of GEF’s efficacy; regularly report to the GEF Council on the progress of GEF’s work program, including its pipeline; and report to the GEF Assembly on progress toward meeting GEF’s overall strategic goals based on the GEF-9 Programming Directions for the next cycle of GEF investments. The CEO will also address country ownership of and accountability for initiatives and streamlined GEF processes. The CEO is responsible for coordinating with the World Bank to apply all relevant World Bank policies and procedures related to the Secretariat.

Relationship Development

The CEO will develop and sustain high-level relationships with participant governments and other key stakeholders that provide the GEF with knowledge and co-financing to ensure the effectiveness and impact of the GEF’s work. Specifically, the CEO will build a compelling narrative to engage existing and potential new donors in the nineth replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund as well as in the continuous support for its other funds (i.e. the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund, as well as Global Biodiversity Framework Fund); oversee the administration of the other fund for which the GEF formally serves as Secretariat host (i.e. the Adaptation Fund); work to catalyze increased private investments and identify additional sources; raise funds to support further growth; ensure the long-term run financial viability of GEF; and manage dialogue with civil society. The CEO will be responsive to the Council and build an effective relationship with it.

In exercising these responsibilities, the CEO not only globally represents the GEF and its Council as it relates to sustainable development and the environment, but also leads the interaction with the Secretariats of the relevant global Environmental Conventions.

Leadership Characteristics

In addition to having a strong work ethic and unquestionable integrity, the CEO will have the stature to establish immediate credibility with a complex group of stakeholders. Bringing substantive experience in multi-stakeholder leadership, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated competency and passion for environmental and social issues in their prior career and view the global environment as a critical issue for sustainable development. Exposure to the work of the global environmental conventions is a plus.

Profile

Leadership

• Proven success as a senior leader in a high-impact non-profit, governmental, multilateral, academic, or private sector organization with global operations and reach.

• Strong intellectual leadership, based on deep knowledge and experience of environmental protection, development, finance, and their interrelationships.

• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills; ability to work with and lead professionals at all levels of the organization by empowering them to take risks and act courageously.

• Excellent change management skills with demonstrated ability to lead an organisation through transitions and increased relevance.

• Demonstrate integrity and flawless professional conduct, in particular regarding the management of human and financial resources.

• Work collaboratively, accept responsibility, be inclusive, and motivate colleagues by creating a safe workplace for all where staff can innovate and thrive.

• Superior and proven communication, negotiation, and advocacy skills, being comfortable with public speaking, media, and decision-makers at the highest level.

Strategy and Vision

• Track record of formulating innovative strategies from concept through funding and execution.

• Excellent communicator with demonstrated experience of influencing senior-level government officials, both maintaining and increasing political buy-in and promotion of their organisation’s importance and impact.

• International reputation and network in the field of economic development, including credibility and experience working in developing and emerging countries, with a preference for experience working in environmental policy.

• Strong understanding of environmental issues and multilateral environmental agreements, significantly GEF’s core themes and the areas covered by its hosted Environmental Conventions.

Organizational and Cultural Sophistication

• Experience forging relationships with high-level government officials, GEF donor and recipient countries, forming and navigating diverse coalitions among government agencies, multi-lateral institutions, private sector entities, and civil society organizations.

• Proven track record in reporting to Boards of Directors and managing stakeholder relationships on potentially contentious issues.

• Demonstrated ability to remain informed of shifting geopolitical changes while providing clear and intentional direction to bring stakeholders together for a sustainable global environment.

Understanding of Finance

• Strong understanding of financial management, including experience in managing budgets, financial planning, project control, and investment monitoring; being accountable for the financial results and performance, and driving operational efficiency.

• Experience in engaging with the private sector and scaling blended finance to increase the impact of grant and concessional resources.

• Understanding and experience of the mechanisms, instruments, and new approaches in the operations of large funds or trust funds, especially within finance for the environment and climate.

In addition to the above and reflective of the international multi-stakeholder environment of the GEF partnership, the candidate must be fluent in written and spoken English and ideally bring a spectrum of multi-cultural and linguistic experience.

Terms of Appointment

Remuneration will be comparable to the level of a Vice President of the World Bank and an Assistant Secretary General in the United Nations common system. The Council will appoint the CEO with a performance-based contract. The CEO’s performance will be evaluated regularly with a performance framework to be approved by the Selection and Review Committee. The term of the position will be four years, with the possibility of reappointment once.

Role Location

The CEO of the GEF will be based at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington, DC.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please ensure you complete the Application Form provided below by 11 May 2026 (23:59 hrs, GMT -4). It is essential that you submit your CV in English, specifically in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx), not exceeding 10MB.

Applications in other languages or formats will not be considered.

Rest assured, all information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

SRI Executive is exclusively retained by Global Environment Facility (GEF) to undertake this assignment.