UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) - Co-Head of Banking

Consultant Environment Finance & Economy

Overview

Oversee and support the implementation of sustainable finance initiatives.

You have:

• A master’s degree in environmental studies, economics, international relations, public policy, management or finance studies is required.
• A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 9 years of relevant experience.
• At least seven (7) years of experience in banking is required.
• At least 5 years in sustainable finance is required.
• Established track record of working with diverse groups of banks on a global scale in sustainable finance is required.
• Experience engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including policy makers, regulators, civil society organizations is required.
• Have a good grasp of the financial system and the banking business and are familiar with key UN frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate, and the Convention on Biological Diversity is required.
• Fluency in English is required.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

The consultant will be responsible for: • oversight and providing strategic direction on activities intended to support membership progress on portfolio and client transitions. • oversight and providing strategic direction on activities intended to support convening of the banking industry with key actors in the real economy, with the aim to facilitate dialogue and support the process of addressing barriers to transition. • ensuring the effective delivery of support to PRB signatories, including through regional workshops, capacity building activities, peer learning and sharing, case studies development, and the PRB Academy. • ensuring engagement and coordination with internal stakeholders, including thematic leads and regional coordinators to deliver effective and appropriate implementation support to PRB signatories, including on exploratory projects such as responsible artificial intelligence. • supporting data and digitalization projects that enrich member experience and accessibility of resources and information. • engagement with key stakeholders and participation in global and regional outreach and knowledge sharing sessions to create further awareness of the PRB and its membership.

Work Location

Working remotely / Home-based

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 32 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. UNEP FI’s Banking Team is responsible for the initiative’s work with its over 350 member banks in more than 80 countries around the world. This includes overseeing and supporting the implementation of the Principles for Responsible Banking. About the Principles for Responsible Banking: On 22nd September 2019, UNEP FI member banks representing USD 47 trillion and with that over a third of the global banking industry officially signed and launched the Principles for Responsible Banking together with UN Secretary General Guterres. The Principles for Responsible Banking guide the change towards a new, sustainable global banking industry that takes on a key role in helping society to achieve its goals for a sustainable future. With these Principles, banks commit to strategically align their business with and scale up their contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate. The principles are supported by a strong implementation framework that defines clear accountabilities and requires each bank to set, publish and work towards ambitious targets and report publicly on their positive and negative impacts and progress in implementing their commitments. Banks that are not in line with their commitments can be removed from the list of signatories. UNEP FI require a consultant to ensure that the community of 350 responsible banking signatories are well supported in their journeys to transition their portfolios, including engagement with key real economy actors, such as industry bodies, policymakers, investors etc. Working alongside the Banking Team Head, the consultant will be responsible for overseeing the implementation working groups focused on supporting real economy transition through client engagement, with a focus on key sectors, and interlinkages between priority areas, as well as context-specific regional support activities. The consultant will also be responsible for overseeing membership engagement with, and participation in, Banking work programme activities and implementation support opportunities. Objectives: The consultant will be responsible for overseeing the implementation working groups focused on supporting real economy transition through client engagement, with a focus on key sectors, and interlinkages between priority areas, as well as context-specific regional support activities. The consultant will also be responsible for overseeing membership engagement with, and participation in, Banking work programme activities and implementation support opportunities Specific tasks and responsibilities: The consultant will: • Oversee the rollout of the client engagement work track, including its work on engaging with diverse departments within banks to support client transition, engagement with other key stakeholders in the real economy, and driving progress on sector-focused integrated approaches to priority areas. • Support the development of a strategy for engaging with key stakeholders, necessary to support members’ work on transitioning their portfolios. • Support the development of structures for the work on climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as overseeing the conceptual work and development of a framework for building nature capabilities within banks, with the necessary links to climate change etc. • Oversee the strategy to improve and enrich data and digitalization processes in internal systems, that improve quality, accessibility and streamlining of information and progress across workstreams. • Oversee and support the strategy to improve the accessibility of membership-focused resources and guidance, including formats of documents, location of documents, frameworks/matrices that improve navigation and ease of locating specific resources. • Oversee and guide the development and roll-out of support activities for members, specific to each region, and in some instances countries. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Head of Banking Team, UNEP FI.

Qualifications/special skills

Education: A master’s degree in environmental studies, economics, international relations, public policy, management or finance studies is required. A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 9 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: At least seven (7) years of experience in banking, and at least 5 years in sustainable finance is required. Established track record of working with diverse groups of banks on a global scale in sustainable finance, and experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects is required. Experience engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including policy makers, regulators, civil society organizations are required. Have a good grasp of the financial system and the banking business and are familiar with key UN frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate, and the Convention on Biological Diversity is required.

Languages

English is the working language of UNEP FI. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is an asset.

Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge: The role is crucial for the legitimacy and credibility of the principles, their signatories and ultimately UNEP FI. Consequently, the successful applicant must have demonstrated integrity throughout their career. Able to quickly understand, synthesize and analyse substantial amounts of information. They must be reliable and deliver consistently high quality within agreed timeframes. Able to follow through on commitments towards others, especially towards their constituency and clients. Quickly gain and then maintain people’s trust. The must be a team-player, have interest in and derive joy from collaborating with others. As such, able to share knowledge and expertise and helping more junior colleagues develop. Motivated and driven by the purpose of the team/organization is working towards and the impacts we are trying to achieve.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 7 months ago - Updated 7 months ago - Source: careers.un.org