Steering Committee Member

Written By Abir Samih

Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID)
Climate Finance Community of Practice

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 31, 2026

 
 

LOCATION

Remote

TYPE OF WORK

Volunteer

1. Background

The Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID) Climate Finance Community of Practice (CoP) is a member-driven platform advancing the climate finance ecosystem in Canada and internationally. Launched in November 2024, the CoP provides CAFIID members with a space to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and co-develop practical, inclusive solutions to climate finance challenges. The CoP is one of three CAFIID Communities of Practice, alongside Gender Lens Investing and Impact Measurement and Management. The CoP is guided by a volunteer Steering Committee, which sets the CoP's direction, curates its programming, and represents the community's interests within the CAFIID membership and the board.

2. Purpose of this Role

A Steering Committee member provides strategic guidance, subject-matter expertise, and hands-on stewardship of the Climate Finance CoP on behalf of the broader CAFIID membership. The role is voluntary and unpaid, undertaken in addition to the member's primary professional responsibilities, in service of building a stronger climate finance field in Canada.

3. Key Responsibilities

  • Help shape the CoP's annual agenda, identifying priority themes, timely topics, and gaps in the Canadian climate finance conversation.

  • Propose, secure, and where needed moderate speakers and sessions for the CoP's monthly meetings.

  • Attend and actively participate in Steering Committee planning calls and monthly CoP sessions.

  • Champion the CoP within your own networks — promoting sessions, recruiting speakers, and encouraging member participation.

  • Contribute to CAFIID's broader climate finance field-building work, including knowledge products, events (e.g., Climate Week programming), and joint sessions with other CoPs (e.g., the Gender-Climate nexus).

  • Model and uphold CAFIID's values of inclusive, participatory, and evidence-based engagement.

  • Provide feedback to CAFIID staff on member needs, session quality, and opportunities to improve the CoP experience.

4. Composition & Eligibility

The Steering Committee is composed of a small group of CAFIID members with relevant climate finance expertise, drawn from across financial institutions, development finance, asset management, and technical advisory backgrounds, to ensure a range of perspectives. Eligible candidates must:

  • Be an active individual or organizational representative member of CAFIID in good standing.

  • Have demonstrated experience or active practice in climate finance, climate investment, or climate-related technical advisory work.

  • Be able to commit the time outlined in Section 6 for the full term.

5. Term of Appointment

Steering Committee members serve a term of 24 months, renewable by mutual agreement between the member and CAFIID staff, subject to continued engagement and CoP needs. New CoP members may be onboarded on a rolling basis to maintain continuity and refresh perspectives.

6. Time Commitment

  • Monthly CoP session (second Wednesday of each month, 12:00–1:00 pm EST): attendance expected.

  • Steering Committee planning call: approximately monthly for 1 hour.

  • Ad hoc input on agenda-setting, speaker outreach, and CAFIID climate finance initiatives: estimated 2–4 hours per month.

Total estimated commitment: approximately 5–7 hours per month.

7. Governance & Decision-Making

The Steering Committee operates by consensus. Where consensus cannot be reached, decisions on CoP programming default to the majority view of Steering Committee members present, with CAFIID staff retaining final sign-off on matters of budget, branding, and organizational risk. 

8. Conduct & Conflicts of Interest

Steering Committee members act in the interest of the CoP and broader CAFIID membership rather than promoting individual organizational or commercial interests. Members must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest related to speaker selection, session content, or partnerships and recuse themselves from related decisions as appropriate.

Members are required to follow the CAFIID Community of Practice Steering Committee Terms of Reference and sign the CAFIID Code of Ethical Conduct for members of CAFIID Committees. 

9. Recognition

This is an unpaid, volunteer role. Steering Committee members are recognized publicly on CAFIID's website and communications as Climate Finance CoP Steering Committee members, and benefit from elevated visibility, network access, and thought-leadership opportunities within Canada's impact investing community.

10. How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to express interest and submit their bio or CV via email to: apply@cafiid.ca with the subject line: Climate Finance COP Steering Committee Member Application by Oct 31, 2026.

Abir Samih
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