PROJECT BACKGROUND

Based in Seoul, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization that supports developing and emerging countries in transitioning toward inclusive, low-carbon, and climate-resilient economic growth. With 51 Member Countries and a broad network of international partners, GGGI delivers integrated solutions through technical assistance, policy support, capacity building, and investment mobilization, helping countries align development priorities with sustainability goals and accelerate their green transitions.

GGGI operates across two complementary workstreams: Green Growth Planning & Implementation and Knowledge Solutions, providing tailored support to governments in designing, financing, and mainstreaming green growth strategies into national development plans. The organization partners with national governments, multilateral institutions, and the private sector to build economies that are more efficient in resource use, less carbon-intensive, and better prepared for climate-related challenges.

In Morocco, GGGI supports national green growth objectives in areas such as carbon markets, waste valorization, and renewable energy development. Among these, renewable energy is a strategic pillar of Morocco’s energy transition, and GGGI plays a catalytic role in creating enabling conditions and investment readiness for clean energy projects.

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) plays a central role in accelerating the energy transition and driving climate action in Morocco. Masen is an accredited entity to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), following the signing of its Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) in December 2023 during COP28 in Dubai. As such, Masen can directly access climate finance and support the implementation of low-carbon and climate-resilient projects.

A flagship initiative is the offshore wind project along Morocco’s Atlantic coast, led by the Masen. With offshore wind potential estimated at over 500 GW, this project could become the first of its kind in Africa and a cornerstone of Morocco’s strategy to diversify its energy mix. The planned development envisions a 750 – 1,000 MW .

Early-stage support was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which helped define the scope of a pre-feasibility study conducted by DNV in 2021. Subsequently, the European Investment Bank (EIB) mobilized a €2 million grant through the FEMIP Trust Fund to support further feasibility work. However, this funding is insufficient to complete the full feasibility study, particularly considering the technical, environmental, and financial assessments required for such a large-scale offshore wind development.

To bridge this gap, GGGI is supporting Masen in the preparation of a Concept Note (CN) for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This CN aims to present the climate project idea to assess its alignment with the GCF’s criteria and receive initial feedback before submitting a funding proposal and if successful to request additional resources under the GCF’s Project Preparation Facility (PPF). The CN will outline the transformative investment aligned with GCF criteria and Morocco’s climate and energy priorities.

The CN will also identify remaining preparatory gaps, including but not limited to environmental and social impact assessments, marine permitting studies, grid connection analysis, and financial structuring, that require further funding. The technical components are being scoped by an Offshore Wind Consultant mobilized by the Danish Energy Agency (DEA), while GGGI and Masen lead the coordination and drafting of the CN, ensuring alignment with GCF protocols and integration of policy, institutional, and technical insights.

By leveraging its technical expertise, international presence, and policy experience, GGGI and Masen ensure that the Concept Note meets global investment standards, responds to national priorities, and serves as a credible entry point to catalyze large-scale financing for Morocco’s offshore wind sector.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of this assignment is to support the development of a high-quality, submission-ready Concept Note (CN) for Morocco’s offshore wind project, aligned with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) criteria and Morocco’s climate and energy priorities.

The Concept Note Writer (Consultant) will be responsible for drafting the entire CN using the latest GCF template, notably in the frame of “Efficient GCF” initiative, integrating technical, institutional, and policy inputs provided by GGGI, Masen, the National Designated Authority (NDA), and other key stakeholders. Notably, the separate Offshore Wind Consultant mobilized by DEA will be responsible of identifying technical feasibility gaps and recommending how to prioritize further feasibility work within the budget to be allocated by the GCF, conducting stakeholder mapping for offshore wind readiness, performing technical analysis and providing technical inputs to the Consultant. The Concept Note Writer will focus on synthesizing these inputs into a highly relevant investment case, articulating the climate rationale, theory of change, and expected paradigm shift impact of the project.

The work will also include a preliminary PPF request to support additional preparatory studies. The specific scope of these studies, including, but not limited to, environmental and social impact assessments, permitting analysis, grid connection studies, and financial modeling will be defined by the Offshore Wind Consultant based on a detailed gap analysis of the existing documentation. The Consultant will reflect these findings accurately in the PPF justification section of the preliminary PPF request form, without conducting technical assessments directly. The Consultant is expected to ensure that the CN reflects the best practices in GCF proposal development, meets formatting and submission standards, and provides a compelling case for GCF engagement and funding support.

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Deliverables and Payment Schedule:

Information provided in the previous sections is important and needs to be considered for the deliverables of the Consultant.

The Consultant is expected to take the lead in drafting a complete and high-quality Concept Note for Morocco’s offshore wind project in accordance with GCF requirements. This includes coordinating contributions from key technical and institutional partners, ensuring alignment with GCF policies and templates, and preparing the submission package for GCF’s Partner Portal. The Consultant will not be responsible for conducting new technical studies but will synthesize findings provided by the Offshore Wind Consultant, GGGI, Masen, and other contributors.

The Consultant shall perform the following tasks:

• Review and consolidate input from GGGI, Masen and the Offshore Wind Consultant.

• Ensure completion and integration of all required annexes at CN stage, including the ESS screening, preliminary gender assessment and action plan, initial logframe, and PPF request form, following GCF guidelines.

• Conduct internal consistency checks across all sections of the CN and its annexes, ensuring coherence between climate rationale, theory of change, paradigm shift, logframe, ESS, and financial structure.

• Use the most recent version of the GCF Concept Note template and associated guidance notes, ensuring accuracy in format and content alignment.

• Ensure the Concept Note reflects the Accredited Entity’s operational modalities project size thresholds, and relevant linkages to national programming with the GCF.

• Confirm and document with the support of GGGI and Masen, that the National Designated Authority (NDA) has been informed and engaged ahead of submission, in line with mandatory GCF screening requirements.

• Assist Masen in the submission of the Concept Note digitally via the GCF Partner Portal (OSS), including all metadata, annexes, and screening forms required by the GCF screening process. Ensure that it follows the GCF's CN intake and formatting protocols to enable a timely Secretariat review.

• Support GGGI, Masen and the NDA in responding to any GCF Secretariat feedback or requests for clarification following CN submission, including preparation of revised drafts where needed, upon reception of such feedback from the GCF.

The Consultant will deliver the following outputs in line with the scope of work and agreed deadlines. Each deliverable must be approved by GGGI and Masen prior to payment disbursement. All deliverables must be in English and submitted in editable Microsoft Word and Excel formats, aligned with the latest GCF guidance and Partner Portal submission requirements.

Notes:

• The Consultant is responsible for supplying his/her own equipment to produce all deliverables.
• GGGI and Masen will facilitate access to relevant documentation, including previous studies and consultant reports.
• The Consultant is expected to download and use the latest GCF Concept Note template and accompanying guidance available on the GCF website.
• The Consultant shall be flexible, fully dedicated, significantly available to deal with the various matters as per GGGI and Masen’s instructions, including during holidays periods. 

EXPERTISE INFORMATION

Expertise information:

1. A minimum of 8-15 years of relevant professional experience, and an advanced degree in climate policy, energy economics, environmental management, sustainable development, or a related field.

1. Master's degree or higher, in renewable energy, environmental engineering, finance, environmental studies, or other relevant studies.
2. Proven experience in drafting Concept Notes and Funding Proposals for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), with at least two successfully submitted or approved cases.
3. Strong understanding of GCF investment criteria, template structure, and annex requirements, including ESS screening, gender assessments, logframes, and PPF requests.
4. Familiarity with the GCF Partner Portal submission process and compliance with CN screening protocols.
5. Solid grasp of climate finance concepts, including theory of change, climate rationale, paradigm shift potential, and co-benefit assessments.
6. Experience working on renewable energy projects, preferably offshore wind or large-scale grid-connected RE infrastructure in developing or emerging countries. This experience is highly desirable and will be considered a strong advantage during the selection process.
7. Demonstrated ability to coordinate with national stakeholders, such as government ministries, NDAs, accredited entities, and development partners.
8. Excellent written communication skills in English, with the ability to translate complex technical material into concise, policy-relevant content.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

 Administrative Information:

To be considered for the position, the candidate must meet the minimum qualifications listed above. Consideration and selection will be based on a panel evaluation using the evaluation criteria below. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview or writing exercise. GGGI does not cover interview-related expenses unless pre-authorized. Reference checks will be conducted for selected candidates. References must be able to provide substantive information about the candidate’s past performance and abilities.

1. Applicants must also include in their application package:

a)       A cover letter of no more than 3 pages demonstrating how the candidate’s qualifications meet the work requirements.

b)       A curriculum vitae describing education, relevant experience, and career achievements; The curriculum vitae shall demonstrate the expertise from 1 to 9.

c)       Names and contact details (email and phone) of three professional references familiar with the applicant’s work.

All documents must be submitted in English.

All applications submitted by GGGI website, must be in GGGI Seoul, no later than July 20^th, 2025, at 23:59 p.m. Korean Standard Time (KST). Application submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Cover Letter and CV must be sent in English. A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual Consultant assignment.