Resilience Financing Specialist

Volunteering Finance & Economy

Overview

Provide technical support to enhance financing for resilience and engage sectors involved in investments.

You have:

• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in development finance, climate finance, disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience financing, public finance, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in the analysis, design or implementation of financing mechanisms, financial instruments, investment strategies or public policies supporting sustainable development and resilience.
• Experience working with government institutions (national, subnational or local), international organizations, financial institutions, private sector entities or United Nations system organizations.
• Proven experience in preparing high-quality technical analyses, reports and knowledge products for policy and decision-making processes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including strong technical drafting, document formulation, and reporting abilities.
• High level of accuracy and professionalism in document preparation, review, and editing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with demonstrated cultural, social, and gender sensitivity; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively and adapt professionally in challenging environments, including multicultural teams composed of national and international personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience working in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Experience delivering technical assistance and capacity development to government counterparts.
• Experience engaging with international financial institutions, development banks or private sector actors.
• Experience applying gender-responsive, inclusive and risk-informed approaches in development finance or resilience-related work.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations, and regional organizations and activities, in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG/ASG), UNDRR has over 140 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. It supports regional and national implementation of the Framework, catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, and the science and technology community.

Investing in disaster risk reduction (DRR) for resilience is Priority 3 of the Sendai Framework. Finance remains one of the largest bottlenecks to protecting countries’ sustainable development from the devastating impacts of disasters. The midterm review of the Sendai Framework further stressed the need for accelerating investment in DRR as the current level remains vastly inadequate and issued several calls for action to this end. The political declaration of the high-level meeting on the midterm review of the Sendai Framework, called upon States to strengthen their investment in disaster risk reduction. In particular, it called for: (i) identifying gaps in public spending on DRR and mainstreaming risk reduction into the financial framework; (ii) developing comprehensive DRR financing strategies, and (iii)promoting the development of innovative instruments and tools to finance DRR (GA Resolution 77/289).

This UNV assignment is part of UNDRR’s flagship programming initiative of the new Strategic Framework 2026-2030 under the catalytic area of “Financing for DRR” that aims to embed DRR in financial systems, mobilize and scale financing for resilience, strengthen national and local capacities for DRR financing and investment, and engage and foster private sector action for resilience.

Under the supervision of the Economic Affairs Officer of UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean (ROAC), the UNV will:

• Provide technical support to national, subnational and local governments to increase and enhance financing for resilience. • Engage with private sector companies and networks to increase private investment in key resilience areas such as infrastructure, supply chains, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), insurance, early warning systems, among others. • Support the design and implementation of innovative DRR financing instruments in partnership with financial stakeholders, particularly to mobilize resources from financial markets towards resilience investment. • Provide technical input for the development of knowledge products, such as the Regional Assessment Report 2027 (RAR27), Regional Infrastructure Resilience Report and support communications to advocate for risk-informed financing for development at the regional and global level • Support partnership building and joint projects for DRR Financing and Investment with International Financing Institutions, UN Agencies, and other regional and international stakeholders. • Actively participate in the preparation and delivery of key regional and subregional events such as the Regional Platform for DRR 2027, Global Platform for DRR and others, supporting the integration of DRR financing and investment into the programs, discussions and outcomes. • Contribute to integrate resilience financing and investment across UNDRR’s ROAC different thematic workstreams.

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in development finance, climate finance, disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience financing, public finance, or related areas.

• Demonstrated experience in the analysis, design or implementation of financing mechanisms, financial instruments, investment strategies or public policies supporting sustainable development and resilience. • Experience working with government institutions (national, subnational or local), international organizations, financial institutions, private sector entities or United Nations system organizations. • Proven experience in preparing high-quality technical analyses, reports and knowledge products for policy and decision-making processes. • Excellent oral and written communication skills, including strong technical drafting, document formulation, and reporting abilities. • High level of accuracy and professionalism in document preparation, review, and editing. • Excellent interpersonal skills, with demonstrated cultural, social, and gender sensitivity; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with communication for development tools and approaches. • Ability to work effectively and adapt professionally in challenging environments, including multicultural teams composed of national and international personnel. • Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines.

  Desirable experience:

• Experience working in Latin America and the Caribbean. • Experience delivering technical assistance and capacity development to government counterparts. • Experience engaging with international financial institutions, development banks or private sector actors. • Experience applying gender-responsive, inclusive and risk-informed approaches in development finance or resilience-related work.

The assignment will be based at the regional office of UNDRR in Panamá City, in and will include frequent travels, mainly to carry out on-site missions to provide technical assistance to local governments across the Americas and the Caribbean. The security level in Panamá is high. The city is air travel hub for the Americas and the Caribbean. There is good availability for accommodation, food, water, facilities, and good city infrastructure, however the cost of living in Panamá is higher than in other countries in the region. Panamá City provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 months ago - Updated 4 months ago - Source: unv.org