International Consultant – Development of Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines for Kazakhstan
Develop national Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines for Kazakhstan.
This opening expired 3 months ago.
Do not try to apply for this job.
Overview
Develop national Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines for Kazakhstan.
You have:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in Economics, Finance, Environmental Policy, Sustainable Development, or related field.
- Additional certifications in sustainable finance, ESG, or bond markets (e.g. CFA ESG, ICMA Green/Social/Sustainability Bond certification, CBI, UNEP FI training) are an asset.
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in sustainable finance, capital markets, or environmental finance.
- At least 3 years of direct experience in green or blue bond framework development, issuance, verification, or Second Party Opinion processes.
- Proven experience with international standards such as ICMA Principles, CBI criteria, and EU Taxonomy.
- Experience working with governments, financial regulators, or development finance institutions is highly desirable.
- Experience in emerging markets or Central Asia is an asset.
- Fluency in English required. Knowledge of Russian is an asset.
Contract
This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.
Result of Service
-Development of national Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines aligned with international principles and tailored to Kazakhstan’s water and regulatory context. -Preparation of a Blue Bond Eligibility Criteria addendum defining eligible sectors, subsectors, safeguards, and Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principles. -Strengthened institutional and market capacity to structure and issue Blue Bonds. -Technical advisory support to 1–2 pilot Blue Bond issuers. -Finalized, consultation-based Blue Bond framework ready for joint publication by relevant national authorities.
Work Location
Remote
Expected duration
6 months
Duties and Responsibilities
UNEP is the voice of the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the sound use of the environment and sustainable development. Located within the Industry and Economy Division, the Finance and Economic Transformations Branch examine how the economy, trade and finance interact with the environment and contribute to sustainable development at the local, national, regional and global levels. Based in Geneva, the Division leads the Green Economy Initiative to help countries integrate environmental considerations into their economic and trade policies. The Economic and Fiscal Policy Unit (EFPU), under the Finance and Economic Transformations Branch of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division, supports countries in advancing sustainable finance frameworks and economic policy reforms aligned with climate, nature, and pollution objectives. Under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), UNEP provides technical assistance to governments to strengthen green fiscal policy, sustainable finance instruments, and enabling frameworks for economic transformation. Kazakhstan has made significant progress in establishing a regulatory and market framework for green and ESG finance, including the adoption of a national Green Taxonomy, ESG bond rules, and provisions enabling sovereign green bond issuance. Building on this foundation and in light of increasing water-related challenges, the Government of Kazakhstan seeks to develop national Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines aligned with international standards and tailored to its freshwater and basin-level priorities. The consultant(s) shall undertake the following tasks: Task 1: Develop Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines •Prepare draft Blue Bond Issuance Guidelines (to be proposed for the joint publishing by either the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan or the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan AND the Agency of RoK for Financial Markets Regulation and Development) based on a review of existing international green/blue bond frameworks, and benchmarking of international practices (ICMA Blue Bond Guidance, CBI criteria, EU taxonomy), covering: -Pre-issuance requirements (framework preparation, disclosure). -Use of proceeds. -Management of proceeds. -Reporting on the eligible use of proceeds (allocation and impact). -External review. -Ensure compatibility with ICMA’s Green and Blue Bond Principles and national regulatory context. Task 3: Consultation and Capacity Building -Organize stakeholder consultations (ministries, municipalities, SOEs, financial market regulators, exchanges, DFIs, investors) to factor in Kazakhstan’s regulatory, institutional, and water sector realities in the draft documents developed. -Revise draft documents based on feedback. -Deliver a training session for the ministries, financial regulators, municipalities, SOEs and market stakeholders. -Provide consultations and advisory support to 1-2 pilot issuer(-s) of Blue Bonds.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in Economics, Finance, Environmental Policy, Sustainable Development, or related field. Additional certifications in sustainable finance, ESG, or bond markets (e.g. CFA ESG, ICMA Green/Social/Sustainability Bond certification, CBI, UNEP FI training) are an asset. Minimum 5 years of professional experience in sustainable finance, capital markets, or environmental finance. -At least 3 years of direct experience in green or blue bond framework development, issuance, verification, or Second Party Opinion processes. -Proven experience with international standards such as ICMA Principles, CBI criteria, and EU Taxonomy. -Experience working with governments, financial regulators, or development finance institutions is highly desirable. -Experience in emerging markets or Central Asia is an asset.
Languages
-Fluency in English required. Knowledge of Russian is an asset.
Additional Information
Not available.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
Potential interview questions
| Can you describe your experience in developing financial frameworks for sustainable projects? | This question assesses your hands-on experience relevant to the role. | Highlight specific examples of frameworks you have developed or worked on that relate to sustainability. |
| What international standards are important in the context of blue bonds? | Understanding international standards is crucial for the role. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How would you approach stakeholder consultations in a project like this? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you provide examples of how you've integrated local regulatory contexts into financial guidelines? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies would you employ to train stakeholders on new financial instruments? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Discuss a challenge you faced in past sustainability finance projects and how you overcame it. | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you stay current with developments in sustainable finance? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What do you see as the key components for the successful issuance of Blue Bonds? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
Added 3 months ago
-
Updated 3 months ago
-
Source:
careers.un.org
Recent jobs in Environment in Geneva
5 days left
11 days left
