Program Manager, Green Trade

Job summary

The Green Trade portfolio represents a strategic priority for TradeMark Africa as global and regional trade systems undergo rapid transformation in response to climate imperatives, evolving market standards, and shifting investor expectations. With trade-related emissions increasingly shaping competitiveness and market access, particularly for African economies, the need for sustainable trade solutions has moved from aspiration to necessity.

The Programme Manager will provide strategic leadership, technical expertise, and oversight across TMA’s growing green trade portfolio. The role will be responsible for the design and implementation of TMA’s Green Trade agenda and supporting the achievement of organisational sustainability targets by integrating climate adaptation and mitigation considerations into programme design and delivery across country and regional operations. The Programme Manager will ensure that projects are underpinned by robust environmental assessments, aligned with national regulations, development partner requirements, and international best practice, while strengthening TMA’s internal approaches to managing climate and environmental risks. This includes guiding teams on emissions-conscious programming in priority trade corridors and sectors, and embedding environmental considerations into infrastructure, logistics, and trade facilitation interventions.

The role will provide technical oversight to green projects, shape new programme design, and proactively identify opportunities to advance climate-resilient and low-carbon trade pathways in collaboration with partners and private sector actors. Leveraging TMA’s strengths in programme development, infrastructure delivery, and partnership building, the Programme Manager will help originate bankable initiatives capable of attracting climate and blended finance, positioning TMA as a credible leader in sustainable trade programming while ensuring quality, coherence, and scale across the portfolio.

Knowledge management – ensure TMA is implementing and disseminating global and regional best practice in greening trade through the establishment of communities of practice and other knowledge-sharing and learning frameworks.

Roles and responsibilities

Responsible for the overall management, oversight and integration of climate and environment considerations into TMA’s work in support of the green trade element of TMA’s 2023-2030 Strategy. S/he will work closely with all TMA regional and country teams as part of the Business Competitiveness Department.

The core responsibilities are outlined below:

Design and deliver robust mitigation and adaptation programming in the trade sector.

• Actively fundraise for the Green Trade programmes, including through multilateral and bilateral climate funding mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• Identify and develop climate change mitigation and adaptation approaches and programmes in the trade sector, focused on achieving TMA’s corporate climate targets as part of its 2023-2030 Strategy.
• Develop new institutional relationships and expand existing ones, with organisations active in climate change programming in the trade sector and involved in international climate financing. Lead implementation of TMA Climate Change & Environment programmes (and elements of broader programmes), including donor and internal reporting; work planning and preparing forecasts; and actively participating in external annual reviews or impact evaluations.

Ensure environmental best practice within the organisation.

• Review and develop policy, guidelines, materials, and mechanisms to ensure TMA programming delivers on strategic ambitions, including a Green policy on TMA’s own actions; and environmental sections of environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy, ensuring adherence to national legislation and international environmental management best practice for all TMA’s activities.
• Develop necessary tools to support implementation of ESG policy, including project screening and risk monitoring, impact assessments and reporting frameworks, and train relevant TMA staff to improve organisational capacity and understanding of climate change and environmental considerations in trade.
• Ensure screening and compliance align with best practice for environmental management, including through high-quality Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Environmental Audits, and adherence thereto.
• Conduct training and deploy tools to build the capacity of project teams as well as partners, and support TMA staff to address climate risks which threaten current and planned projects.

Enhance TMA’s thought leadership on climate in the trade sector

• Establish, with partners, systems to measure and monitor greenhouse gas emissions and environmental parameters in the trade sector, developing robust models that stand up to peer review to quantify TMA’s and others’ contribution to reducing emissions.
• Working with the Strategy and Results Team, develop analysis and research into climate change impacts and trends; based on this, advocate and socialise innovation within the organisation and with partners.
• Build strong partnerships with relevant national, regional and international organisations; keep abreast of trends and maintain close ties with experts and institutions; develop a community of practice.
• Together with the Communications team, develop and disseminate thought leadership pieces (blogs, newspaper articles, webinars) to enhance the organisation’s visibility re green trade as well as expanding partnerships and outreach with other like-minded institutions.

Monitoring, learning and adaptation.

• Working closely with the results team, create and measure corporate indicators, developing methodologies to collect and aggregate inclusion-related evidence to monitor progress and impact of programme interventions.
• Develop/revise tools and procedures to document and share knowledge and lessons, coordinating regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events for TMA staff, implementing partners and other key stakeholders.

Academic and professional qualifications

• A relevant undergraduate degree, preferably in natural resources, energy, environment, engineering, or a climate change-related field, is required; and
• A post-graduate degree and professional qualifications in a related field will be an advantage.

Work experience

• Undergraduate degree with at least seven years’ relevant working experience, and postgraduate degree holders with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Leadership and management experience in a reputable organisation.
• At least five years of experience working on climate change/environment issues or climate finance is required, including:

• Experience of working in an international and multi-cultural context, with a proven track record of delivery.
• Experience in conceptualising, designing, and delivering green trade programming, particularly in Africa.
• Experience of working effectively with development partners, national Governments, and policy development agencies.

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