Programme Specialist – Financing for Environment, IPSA-11, Homebased (UNCDF) - [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]
Overview
The Programme Specialist – Financing for Environment will provide technical advisory support to projects, contribute to portfolio development, lead knowledge management and communications, and support strategic partnerships and resource mobilization.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical advisory support on sustainable blue economy, environmental finance, policy/regulatory environments, and private-sector engagement to the Pacific I2I project.
- Guide participating countries in developing sustainable blue economy strategies, policy, regulatory, and institutional frameworks, financing mechanisms, and investment priorities.
- Provide technical inputs to country assessments, consultations, capacity-building activities, technical studies, and the development of sustainable blue economy investment opportunities.
- Support the integration of innovative and blended finance approaches into project activities.
- Review and provide quality assurance for key technical outputs and facilitate access to relevant UNCDF expertise, experience, and partnerships.
- Guide the development and implementation of UNCDF's plastics and circular economy portfolio, including the Plastics Transition Investment Facility (PTIF) and related programmes and initiatives.
- Identify and contribute to the development of programme and investment opportunities in plastics, circular economy, and sustainable resource use.
- Conduct policy, market, and financing analysis and contribute to the development of investment concepts, pipelines, and innovative financing approaches.
- Coordinate with UNCDF regional and country teams and external partners to originate and develop programmes and investment opportunities.
- Prepare concept notes, programme proposals, investment pipeline materials, and donor/investor materials.
- Facilitate knowledge management and communications for UNCDF's Financing for Environment portfolio.
- Develop knowledge products, technical briefs, case studies, investment stories, presentations, web content, and other communications materials.
- Capture and disseminate lessons, good practices, financing models, and investment cases from UNCDF programmes and investments.
- Coordinate knowledge exchange, learning events, and engagement with relevant regional and global platforms.
- Collaborate with UNCDF communications teams and programme partners to strengthen the visibility of UNCDF's Financing for Environment work.
- Support strategic engagement with governments, UN entities, GEF and other multilateral environmental and climate funds, development finance institutions, donors, foundations, investors, and private-sector partners.
- Identify partnership and resource mobilization opportunities across UNCDF's Financing for Environment portfolio.
- Prepare technical inputs, briefing notes, presentations, and other materials for senior management engagement with strategic partners.
- Support donor consultations, partnership meetings, and external events and follow up on agreed actions.
- Contribute to the development of strategic initiatives and partnerships that connect environmental priorities with UNCDF's financing capabilities.
Required Experience
Minimum of seven (7) years (with a Master's degree) or nine (9) years (with a Bachelor's degree), of progressively responsible professional experience in sustainable development, environmental policy, environmental finance, programme development or a related field. Demonstrated experience in environmental policy and sustainable development, including experience in one or more areas such as sustainable blue economy, oceans, plastics, circular economy or related environmental areas. Demonstrated experience in programme and portfolio development, including development of concepts, proposals, programmes and/or investment opportunities and donor engagement. Experience in knowledge management and communications, including preparation of technical, strategic and communications products for different audiences. Experience in sustainable finance, blended finance, SME finance, investment development and/or private-sector engagement. Experience with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or other multilateral environmental and climate funds is highly desirable. Experience working in LDCs and/or SIDS, including the Pacific region. Experience in strategic partnerships and resource mobilization involving governments, donors, UN entities, development finance institutions, foundations and/or private-sector partners. Previous experience with the United Nations or another international development organization.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Environmental Policy, Economics, Finance, International Development, Public Policy, Natural Resource Management, Business Administration, International Relations or another relevant field is required; or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.