UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Pollution and Circular Economy Lead

Result of Service UNEP FI members will have increased understanding of pollution issues and actions they can take to mitigate pollution through their portfolios, and of circular economy/resource efficiency financing risks and opportunities and actions they can take to increase financing to facilitate the transition to circular business models in relevant sectors.

Work Location Home based

Expected duration 6 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 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) manages a network of over 450 banks and insurers to help align the financial sector with the global agreements to address the triple planetary crisis on nature, climate and pollution. UNEP FI launched Principles for Responsible Banking in 2019. 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 in areas including circular economy/resource efficiency. UNEP FI provides capacity building to support implementation of the Principles for Responsible Banking and related guidance and tools.

Furthermore, UNEP FI hosts the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), which is the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the insurance industry. The PSI serves as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities—and a global initiative to strengthen the insurance industry’s contribution as risk managers, insurers and investors to building resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and economies on a healthy planet. In addition to the above, the PSI is working on resource efficiency-related initiatives that capture the roles of the insurance industry as risk managers, insurers and investors. An example of this the first ever study on the risks of plastic pollution to the insurance industry, launched in 2019.

UNEP FI published a global guidance on circular economy/resource efficiency targets in 2022 and established a new Pollution & Circular Economy workstream to build the agenda and market practice in the financial sector. UNEP FI is also supporting financial sector engagement on intergovernmental negotiations and action to address plastic pollution. UNEP FI has developed a work programme to mobilize finance for a circular economy but currently does not have the internal capacity to undertake such the guidance and work programme development, and hence outside expertise is required.

UNEP FI has an annual work programme for 2023 to support implementation of its strategy for 2022 and 2025 to mainstream sustainability in financial institutions while contributing to overall industry transformation. In line with global industry needs and strengthening alignment with UNEP, UNEP FI has established a new thematic area focusing on Pollution and Circular Economy. This workstream will continue to build support on circular economy technical capabilities and help financial institutions address pollution risks such as plastics.

In 2023, the workstream will be advancing integration of pollution and circular economy into financial decision-making by: - Supporting resource efficiency and circular economy target setting by banks with version 2 of Guidance and regional initiatives. - Catalysing circular economy financing through target setting and implementation support to UNEP FI members, and through regional initiatives. - Building readiness for banks and insurers on plastic pollution in view of the future international plastic treaty and contributing to the negotiation process, through a leadership initiative with financial institutions on plastic pollution, integrating circular economy strategies. - Advancing chemical and plastic pollution prevention and reduction in the agriculture sector and food systems. - Supporting integration of energy efficiency into financial decision-making through a collaboration with the European Commission. - Working in close collaboration with UNEP FI’s Banking team, Insurance team, Thematic leads and the Investment Leadership Programme to support integration of the Pollution and Circular Economy area with other impact areas and workstreams.

The consultant shall have the following specific tasks and responsibilities: - Develop and implement UNEP FI work plan for its Pollution & Circular Economy Workstream. - Raise funding to implement UNEP FI work plan for its Pollution & Circular Economy Workstream. - Develop and launch Version 2 of the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Target Setting Guidance for banks. - Launch the Finance Leadership Group on Plastic, a leadership initiative with a core group of banks and insurers to support the negotiation process of the future plastic agreement, secure the funding of the initiative, develop and implement its work plan, coordinate the work to be developed with sponsor, experts and partners. - Coordinate the GEF FARM Project review process during the review phase running until June 2023, for its private finance component, in coordination with UNEP Chemical and Waste GEF Unit, GGKP and other partners, and prepare for the launch of the implementation phase of the Programme. - Lead for the establishment of a collaboration agreement with the European Commission to support the development and deployment of an energy efficiency finance workplan. - Coordinate with the Banking Team and regional coordinators for the development and deployment of a capacity building program on circular economy, resource efficiency and/or energy efficiency. - Coordinate with UNEP FI Thematic and Industry Leads to foster awareness raising on interlinkages between circular economy and other impact areas (climate, biodiversity, etc), including through a sectoral approach in relevant sectors (e.g. agriculture and food systems, chemical, textile).

The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Programme Officer at UNEP FI.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent experience) in economics, finance, environment, resource management, sustainability, business, strategy, management, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with additional relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. The consultant should have excellent listening, writing and speaking communications skills.

Professional experience: A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible work experience, ideally in the area of sustainability/resource efficiency/circular economy. Experience working in/with banks, insurers and/or investment firms is an advantage, as well as experience working in international contexts. Furthermore, the candidate should have a track record of delivering consistently high-quality outputs on time and on budget. The candidate should have successfully managed complex, ideally multi-stakeholder, research projects or studies. Experience of stakeholder engagement is a plus.

Skills & Knowledge: The candidate should have excellent proven conceptual, analytical, research, interviewing, writing and editing skills. The consultant should have strong project management, stakeholder engagement and consultation competencies. He or she should have an understanding of financial services (banking, insurance and/or investment) and sustainable consumption and production/resource efficiency in the private sector. The candidate should be able to work independently in an organized and timely manner. The consultant will have the ability to prioritise and identify and capture opportunities to add value to the work programme and engage financial institutions in guidance development. Strong technical skills will be an advantage. Knowledge of sustainable finance and/or banking is desirable.

Languages Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Knowledge of other United Nations languages are an asset.

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.