Specialist, Climate Change job at Brac

About BRAC

BRAC is a global leader in creating large-scale opportunities for the poor. Founded in Bangladesh in 1972, it is now one of the world’s largest development organizations, touching the lives of an estimated 138 million people in 11 countries across Asia and Africa.

About the Initiative:

This role supports BRAC Uganda to design, implement, and scale climate change adaptation and resilience initiatives that are locally grounded, gender-responsive, and integrated across sectoral programs. Led by the Senior Specialist, Climate Change, the work focuses on translating BRAC’s global climate strategy into country-specific action embedding climate-informed approaches within livelihoods, agriculture, food systems, and other priority programs. The role strengthens institutional capacity, builds partnerships with government and local stakeholders, and ensures climate considerations are mainstreamed into planning, delivery, and learning processes. Through coordinated program management, technical backstopping, and knowledge exchange with the Climate Hub, this initiative positions BRAC Uganda as a leader in climate adaptation while supporting communities to better manage climate risks and build long-term resilience.

Job Purpose

The Climate Change Specialist leads country-level development, planning, and execution of BRAC’s climate change adaptation and resilience agenda, working closely with the global Climate Hub team. The role ensures that BRAC International’s global climate change strategy is localized, integrated into national programs, and responsive to Uganda’s contextual realities. The Climate Change Specialist leads the hands-on field implementation of BRAC’s climate related interventions including the climate information services pilots in Uganda, working closely with the Climate Hub and with programs in BRAC Uganda based in the field, where the pilots are currently concentrated. The role is deeply engaged in day-to-day operational delivery. This role strengthens institutional capacity and establishes partnerships that enhance climate-informed activities and decision-making. The Specialist positions the organization as a leader in climate change adaptation and works in compliance with donor requirements, when applicable. This is a new and evolving position: it currently carries no supervisory responsibility and is focused on the successful field implementation of two regional pilots but is expected to grow in scope over time.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Field Implementation and Operational Coordination

• Lead the hands-on, day-to-day field implementation of the climate information services pilots in two regions (with an opportunity to expand in the future), spending significant time in the field with communities and local partners.
• Track pilot progress against timelines and results frameworks, and proactively flag what is and isn’t working so implementation can be adjusted quickly, in coordination with the Climate Hub.
• Support integration of climate action into sectoral programs (Youth empowerment, agriculture, livelihoods, education, health, etc.).
• Contribute field-level data and observations to quality assurance, monitoring, and learning systems, working closely with the colleagues who lead this function.
• Ensure gender equality and social inclusion approaches are mainstreamed in all activities.

2. Technical Support and Capacity Building

• Build capacity across the country programs to mainstream climate change adaptation.
• Serve as the focal point for technical backstopping to field teams and partners.
• Translate global technical guidance into country context-specific approaches and tools.
• Facilitate training and knowledge exchange.

3. Partnerships and Representation (expected to grow over time)

• Contribute to representing BRAC’s climate change work in national coordination forums and government working groups as opportunities arise.
• Build relationships with local partners, research institutions, and community networks that directly support program implementation.
• Coordinate field visits and learning exchanges with BRAC colleagues and external partners and prospects.
• Provide field-level inputs to concept notes, proposals, and donor updates as needed.

4. Coordination and Knowledge Flow

• Maintain strong communication channels between Climate Hub and country-level operations.
• Document and share lessons learned, best practices, and innovations with the Climate Hub and its global community of practice.
• Contribute to cross-country learning by participating in regional adaptation program reviews.
• Coordinate closely with colleagues across different teams and functions within BRAC Uganda to deliver pilot activities without having direct authority over those roles, which requires strong relationship-based influencing and consistent follow-through.

Safeguarding

• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the program’s goals on safeguarding implementation.
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.

Job Specifications

The successful candidate should have a bachelor’s degree in Climate Change, Disaster Management, Geography and Environmental Science, Social Science, Climatology, Meteorology, Agriculture, Development studies or any related field.

Experience

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience managing climate or resilience programs in international NGOs, government, or research institutes,
• Demonstrated ability to work hands-on in the field and take ownership of operational implementation, even without formal authority over other team members,
• Strong understanding of climate change adaptation, community-based resilience, climate smart agriculture and food systems, climate information services, livelihoods programming, and systems integration in development contexts,
• Experience in research programs related to climate change adaptation and resilience,
• Willingness and motivation to spend extensive time in the field, including regular travel to and time based in Masindi and Iganga,
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and local language.

• Lead the hands-on, day-to-day field implementation of the climate information services pilots in two regions (with an opportunity to expand in the future), spending significant time in the field with communities and local partners.
• Track pilot progress against timelines and results frameworks, and proactively flag what is and isn’t working so implementation can be adjusted quickly, in coordination with the Climate Hub.
• Support integration of climate action into sectoral programs (Youth empowerment, agriculture, livelihoods, education, health, etc.).
• Contribute field-level data and observations to quality assurance, monitoring, and learning systems, working closely with the colleagues who lead this function.
• Ensure gender equality and social inclusion approaches are mainstreamed in all activities.
• Build capacity across the country programs to mainstream climate change adaptation.
• Serve as the focal point for technical backstopping to field teams and partners.
• Translate global technical guidance into country context-specific approaches and tools.
• Facilitate training and knowledge exchange.
• Contribute to representing BRAC’s climate change work in national coordination forums and government working groups as opportunities arise.
• Build relationships with local partners, research institutions, and community networks that directly support program implementation.
• Coordinate field visits and learning exchanges with BRAC colleagues and external partners and prospects.
• Provide field-level inputs to concept notes, proposals, and donor updates as needed.
• Maintain strong communication channels between Climate Hub and country-level operations.
• Document and share lessons learned, best practices, and innovations with the Climate Hub and its global community of practice.
• Contribute to cross-country learning by participating in regional adaptation program reviews.
• Coordinate closely with colleagues across different teams and functions within BRAC Uganda to deliver pilot activities without having direct authority over those roles, which requires strong relationship-based influencing and consistent follow-through.
• Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the program’s goals on safeguarding implementation.
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
• Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.

• Strong understanding of climate change adaptation, community-based resilience, climate smart agriculture and food systems, climate information services, livelihoods programming, and systems integration in development contexts.
• Experience in research programs related to climate change adaptation and resilience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and local language.

• Bachelor’s degree in Climate Change, Disaster Management, Geography and Environmental Science, Social Science, Climatology, Meteorology, Agriculture, Development studies or any related field.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience managing climate or resilience programs in international NGOs, government, or research institutes.
• Demonstrated ability to work hands-on in the field and take ownership of operational implementation, even without formal authority over other team members.
• Willingness and motivation to spend extensive time in the field, including regular travel to and time based in Masindi and Iganga.