UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) - Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Sustainable Insurance Facility (SIF) Regional Expert – Africa & Middle East

Result of Service The ultimate result of the services is the effective and efficient management, delivery and implementation of the SIF global work programme in the Africa & Middle East (MENA) region.

Work Location Geneva (remote working arrangement possible)

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 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 400 banks, insurers and investors. For over 29 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 carries out its mission to help the financial industry align with and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and with that take on the crucial role it must play in achieving a sustainable future.

Founded in 2012, UNEP’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) serves as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The PSI is the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the global insurance industry with more than 200 organisations, including insurers which represent about one-third of world premium.

At the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), the V20—55 climate-vulnerable economies with a total population of 1.4 billion—launched the V20-led Sustainable Insurance Facility (SIF). The SIF is a project pipeline development facility to assist V20 economies in scoping the financial protection needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It aims to deliver climate-smart insurance solutions that build resilience of MSMEs and support transition to a net-zero economy. The SIF facilitates project concept and proposal development under the leadership of V20 finance ministers.

The overarching aim of the SIF Project Office is to develop a minimum of 14 SIF proposals spanning 12 V20 countries. The SIF Project Office is hosted by PSI and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ). The core team of the SIF Project Office will be made up of one Global Coordinator, this operations role, a communications specialist, a product specialist, and three regional climate and disaster risk finance & insurance (CDRFI) experts—one for each of the following regions: Asia-Pacific, Africa & the Middle East, and Latin America & the Caribbean.

The PSI-hosted SIF Project Office is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development (BMZ).

Under the direction and supervision of the PSI Programme Leader and while working directly with the V20 SIF Global Coordinator, the Consultant will manage the activities of the SIF Project Office in Africa & the Middle East, including liaising with the V20 Secretariat, donors and partner organisations.

The Consultant will develop demand-driven proposals and projects for climate-smart risk transfer for MSMEs, gaining the endorsement of relevant V20 finance ministries with the support of SIF, PSI, and V20. Projects will be based on scoping missions, in-country consultations with key stakeholders, and field missions in support of needs-based project design. Consultant will have a hands-on role from concept development to financing by a third-party.

The Consultant will also engage in regional and international forums relevant to climate-smart insurance for MSMEs and streamline SIF implementation activities within the international implementation architecture, including the members of the InsuResilience Program Alliance.

V20 SIF Africa & Middle East work programme

The Consultant will be responsible for a work programme which includes the following objectives and deliverables:

Objective 1: Project Development in Africa & the Middle East

Develop climate smart MSME insurance solutions and project proposals for a minimum of five (5) V20 economies in the Africa and Middle East in line with the 5 SIF Action Areas.

During 2023, the Africa and Middle East Coordinator will be expected to deliver at least 2 project concept notes and at least 2 project proposals targeting start of implementation during 2023.

Project proposals will describe the opportunity, go-to-market, implementation partners, as well as the intended insurance instrument(s). Each will include: - Demand, business, and impact rationale - Business and impact performance metrics - Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with implementation partners - Letter of support by the relevant V20 finance ministries - Submission to appropriate financing vehicles (e.g. InsuResilience Solutions Fund, Global Index Insurance Facility, Green Climate Fund)

Objective 2: SIF Development & Knowledge Sharing

Together with SIF colleagues and other stakeholders, establish SIF as an effective accelerator of climate smart MSME insurance solutions which identifies needs and coordinates the actions to meet them.

Raise awareness in key forums, and position both SIF and the V20 as innovative, country-led implementation platforms at the national and international levels.

Lead development and execution for Africa & the Middle East of: - 1 annual regional roundtable which includes InsuResilience and other international donors / funders - 1 annual knowledge sharing paper (or more) - Regular updates to SIF and key regional and/or stakeholders (e.g., V20 Finance Ministries) - Knowledge sharing between regional and/or local implementation partners (e.g., insurance industry and last-mile aggregators)

Collaborate with SIF colleagues to produce: - 1 biennial SIF progress report (including next key actions) - 1 annual global roundtable in collaboration with the InsuResilience Secretariat - Updates of SIF project pipeline to V20 members & InsuResilience Secretariat - Knowledge sharing between regions - Active engagement with an SIF Advisory Group - SIF communications strategy and content - Ad hoc contributions to communications of V20, InsuResilience, UNEP PSI, and other stakeholders

To achieve the objectives of the SIF Project Office, UNEP FI’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative would require the consultant’s assistance with the following:

Development of SIF project concept notes and proposals:

¿ At least 2 SIF project concept notes and 2 SIF project proposals completed for MENA region in 2023 and 5 launched projects by 2025 ¿ Letter of support by the relevant V20 finance ministries for each SIF project proposal ¿ MoU with identified implementation partners for each of the SIF proposals ¿ SIF project proposals successfully submitted to financing vehicles dedicated to climate and disaster risk financing (e.g. InsuResilience Solutions Fund, Global Index Insurance Facility, Green Climate Fund) and implemented in 2023

Contribution to other SIF deliverables:

¿ 1 biennial SIF progress report (including next key actions) ¿ Confirmation or modification of proposed SIF project pipeline by V20 members ¿ Identified pool of potential regional and/or local industry implementation partners ¿ Regular exchanges with the SIF Advisory Group for quality assurance ¿ Updates on relevant implementation progress within and outside the SIF as part of regular calls with the InsuResilience Secretariat ¿ Regular advice to V20 members on international climate-smart insurance support needs ¿ Engagement with key stakeholders advancing and supporting the role of insurance in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g. insurance company members of the UNEP-PSI “Insurance SDGs” initiative, UN Office for Partnerships) ¿ Regular engagement with local and regional insurance networks ¿ 1 annual roundtable in MENA, including segments for discussions with the InsuResilience Secretariat and donors ¿ Support of 1 annual global roundtable in collaboration with the InsuResilience Secretariat ¿ 1 annual knowledge sharing paper for MENA ¿ SIF communications strategy, including regular communications, news articles and social media posts to strengthen the visibility of the SIF and InsuResilience ¿ Contribution to V20 press releases and communiqués, InsuResilience communications and knowledge materials, strategic documents and events as needed

The Consultant will carry out the following main duties and responsibilities, in coordination with the V20 Secretariat:

¿ Function as the head of the SIF Project Office for MENA ¿ Develop successful SIF proposals for V20 countries in MENA. This includes:

o Developing a minimum of five (5) country demand-led project proposals for customised climate-smart MSME insurance solutions in the region

¿ Coordinate SIF implementation in MENA in collaboration with the SIF Global Coordinator, V-20, and regional UNEP and UNEP FI colleagues ¿ Contribute to establishing a SIF Advisory Group, including relevant experts (e.g. Munich Climate Insurance Initiative), to ensure the development of high-quality proposals ¿ Channel V20 demand for individual SIF implementation projects in collaboration with the SIF Global Coordinator and V20 Secretariat ¿ Coordinate SIF implementation across MENA, including through standardised project development approaches, and identify synergies and opportunities to scale up ¿ Identify funding potentials and collaboration opportunities for SIF implementation within the global energy finance architecture ¿ Engage with insurance industry leaders in V20 regions through the PSI network and relevant PSI initiatives (e.g. PSI’s TCFD programme, Net-Zero Insurance Alliance) to build knowledge in, and the business case for, climate-smart insurance for MSMEs ¿ Based on V20 country demand, engage with international and local MSME finance actors (e.g. World Bank MSME Finance Forum, Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion, regional multilateral development banks’ MSME finance programmes, domestic MSME programmes) to drive financial inclusion ¿ Based on V20 country demand, engage with international and local actors to develop climate-resilient and low and zero-emission business models for MSMEs in order to drive economic transformation, climate-smart MSME investments and income-generating activities ¿ Contribute to production of a biennial SIF progress report for global knowledge sharing ¿ Convene SIF implementation stakeholders (e.g. V20 finance ministries) in MENA to share lessons learnt and action gaps (e.g. enabling environment through regulatory interventions or premium and capital support); exchange perspectives and priorities between donors and recipient countries; and highlight InsuResilience as a central platform for climate and disaster risk finance and insurance ¿ Develop and disseminate knowledge materials on regional and global challenges, lessons learnt, and collaboration opportunities to key stakeholders ¿ Develop SIF communications strategy (including social media strategy) for MENA aligned with Global SIF, V20, and InsuResilience communications strategies

The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly and be supervised by the PSI Programme Leader and will work directly with the V20 SIF Global Coordinator, and interact with V20 SIF team, stakeholders, and external media outlets.

Qualifications/special skills Education: An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in risk management, insurance, finance, business, development economics, environmental/sustainability issues, international relations, or related fields.

A first-level university degree in combination with at least nine (9) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Professional experience: At least seven (7) of progressively responsible experience in the insurance industry and related organisations, including proven knowledge and expertise in developing and promoting non-life sustainable insurance strategies, products and solutions in developing countries in the global south, encompassing climate and disaster risk insurance, inclusive insurance, microinsurance, and/or insurance for low and zero-emission technologies. Expertise in renewable energy and/or energy efficiency topics is advantageous.

Prior experience at the international level is advantageous. Proven experience in project management and stakeholder engagement is required.

Special knowledge and skills: The successful candidate should have strong analytical and programme management skills, excellent spoken and written communication skills; should be able to carry out manage multiple projects and activities in an organised and timely manner; and should be a team player and able to communicate and interact effectively with various internal and external stakeholders in the private and public sectors, across multiple cultural and professional backgrounds.

In addition to the above, the candidate should possess sufficient knowledge and expertise in the following areas:

1. Core skills & experience ¿ Working experience in Africa & Middle East required and within insurance industry preferred ¿ Experience acquiring collaboration partners (aka business development), preparing work programs (aka business plans), and launching new initiatives strongly preferred ¿ Experience leading a project consortium, start-up, or organization strongly preferred ¿ Good understanding of financial statements, forecasts, and budgets preferred ¿ Knowledge of digital and mobile channels and their business models preferred ¿ Experience working with development and public sector actors preferred ¿ Experience as a self-starter in a multicultural team required ¿ Willingness to challenge existing methods and establish fresh approach required

2. MSME insurance ¿ Understanding of insurance products, services, and operations for MSMEs required ¿ Experience serving the MSME segment with insurance strongly preferred ¿ Expertise in insurance distribution and marketing, such as insurtech, embedded, affinity, and other non-traditional partnerships, strongly preferred ¿ Understanding of climate and disaster risk insurance products and solutions, such as parametric insurance and microinsurance, strongly preferred ¿ Practical understanding of combining insurance with other financial solutions, such as credit, savings, and remittances, strongly preferred. ¿ Insurance underwriting and/or actuarial, including risk modeling, programming, and quantitative analysis preferred

3. MSME resilience

¿ Knowledge of relevant national policies and networks supporting adaptation and MSME resilience strongly preferred ¿ Knowledge and experience working with MSMEs, particularly in the retail, service, and/or agricultural sectors, strongly preferred ¿ In-depth understanding of MSME exposure to catastrophe and climate risks preferred ¿ Experience with integrated disaster risk management, including disaster prevention and reduction, preparedness, response, and rebuilding preferred ¿ Expertise and experience in developing training, capacity-building, communications, and outreach materials for vulnerable communities is preferred

Languages Language: English is the working language of the PSI and UNEP FI Secretariat, oral and written fluency in English is required. Fluency in other languages, particularly official UN languages, is highly desirable.

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.