UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Senior Technical Officer

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Through these services the Initiative will be able to engage a broad range of financial institutions, including commercial banks, asset managers, insurers, and multi-lateral development banks and agencies in supporting the development and implementation of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). UNEP FI is a founding partner, implementation partner and piloting partner to the TNFD, supporting the uptake of TNFD globally and helping financial institutions to report and act on evolving nature-related risks.

UNEP FI has a Nature team that includes research and engagement with financial institutions on financing for a sustainable blue economy, sustainable land use, and will expand its focus on sustainable finance for food systems, circular economy and freshwater. The TNFD implementation programme will be essential to helping financial institutions better understand and establish their nature journeys, supporting them to further connect them to these other workstreams, along with supporting financial institutions deliver on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, notably on Targets 14 and 15.

The services will also help promote sustainability into all aspects of the financial sector’s operations and services. Finally, the services will help the Initiative to broaden its outreach both within UNEP / UN and external to banks, insurers and investors, governments, regulators, private sector and multi-stakeholders, including supporting institutions.

Work Location

Working remotely

Expected duration

3 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 30 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 is looking for a senior technical officer to support all industry-related work on nature-related impacts and dependencies and translating them to financial risks and opportunities when working with subject matter experts, key stakeholders and UNEP FI members. The senior technical officer will notably coordinate the establishment of UNEP FI’s implementation programme towards the familiarization and implementation of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Key activities include:

• Support awareness raising, engaging with global financial institutions on applying, understanding, using the TNFD framework, and making investment decisions in relation to corporate nature-risk disclosures • Coordinate the TNFD implementation programme with support from the technical officer, establishing priority content areas for development, engaging with relevant stakeholders, developing preparatory materials and relevant updates accordingly, conducting working group meetings, and managing support related to project management activities • Coordinate activities related to the emerging UNEP FI Risk Center, ensuring good communication and established synergies between the climate and nature risk thematics • Support outreach to UNEP FI members and global financial institutions to better understand their journey to act and report on nature-related risks • Support communication activities including monthly reporting on main activities to internal and external stakeholders, and/or the organization of webinars and presentations

UNEP FI needs a consultant to expand its work in the nature team with a focus on the implementation and awareness raising of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, along with the establishment of UNEP FI’s TNFD implementation programme and emerging UNEP FI Risk Center.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

1. Lead the establishment of the TNFD implementation programme To ensure the implementation and global uptake of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures risk and disclosure framework for corporates and financial institutions to act and report on their nature-related impacts and dependencies, UNEP FI is establishing its implementation programme to guide financial institutions on how to get started and what are the best practices for nature-related reporting. This programme builds on UNEP FI’s track record on its TCFD piloting programme – a programme allowing for UNEP FI to take on a leadership role in developing good practices regarding climate risk in the financial sector, involving almost 100 financial institutions. The consultant will assist in the establishment of this programme, identifying key areas of development, relevant methodologies, data and metrics.

2. Lead communication, stakeholder engagement and capacity building activities The consultant will coordinate communication and stakeholder engagement activities relevant to the TNFD implementation programme and, whenever relevant, for the UNEP FI Risk Center activities (and its nature-related risk workstream). For stakeholder engagement, this includes identifying relevant financial institutions to engage with, actively following up and following financial institution’s nature journey and engage with other key partners at UNEP FI or externally; on communication the consultant will support the delivery of webinars to raise awareness or develop capacity building, draft messages to participants, contribute to newsletters and other internal activities, and to other communication opportunities from the nature team.

The consultant would be based in the UNEP FI Nature team but to ensure seamless coordination between banking, nature and regional teams as well as key partners including the TNFD Secretariat team and the GEF/WWF team.

3. Support project management and monitoring controls The consultant will support the establishment of an internal monitoring and reporting system to keep track of the progress from all financial institutions joining the UNEP FI pilots in support of the TNFD; along with supporting the daily project management of the project, scheduling meetings and following up with participants.

4. Lead activities related to the establishment of the emerging UNEP FI Risk Center The consultant will coordinate activities related to the emerging UNEP FI Risk Center, ensuring good communication and established synergies between the climate and nature risk thematics; and will lead the delivery of one working group for the best suited thematic following agreement and oversight from the Risk Center leads (from climate and nature teams).

Deliverables/outputs;

Establish priority areas to develop for the TNFD implementation programme. Deliver preparatory materials following engagement with relevant stakeholders.

Schedule meetings and workplan for working group meetings with pilot participants, updating materials and priority areas as needed. Ensure coordination activities within the Risk Center scope of work.

Establish and execute a continuing workplan for the TNFD implementation programme. Ensure coordination activities within the Risk Center scope of work.

The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of Head of UNEP FI and report directly to Programme Management Officer, working in close coordination with UNEP FI’s Communications Coordinator and Ecosystems team.

Qualifications/special skills

Education: Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in natural sciences, environmental engineering, business, finance or a related discipline. A First degree could be taken in lieu of advanced degree provided the selected candidate has 7 years of relevant experience.

Professional Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible work experience related to financial sector, biodiversity and natural capital.

Languages

Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Proficiency in other languages is desirable.

Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge: Excellent oral and written communications skills in English, strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with digital technology; ability to cope with juggling multiple tasks across diverse projects in an organized and timely manner; attention to detail; experience with project management. The consultant is expected to have experience working with senior professionals. Experience in nature-related risk and disclosure would be valuable. Experience in technical assistance in developing/emerging markets and experience working for public sector donors especially bilateral development agencies would be valuable.

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.