Fiscal Policy Consultant

Result of Service

The consultant will support the implementation of the NZNPA Global Platform through technical expertise and execution of deliverables under the programme’s component two related to analysis and approaches related to fiscal policy. The consultant will also support the implementation of public finance activities developed within the scope of the FARM programme, more specifically: Providing technical inputs to FARM public finance activities and linkages with the component one on finance and investment.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator, and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division plays a leading role in the Green Economy Initiative (GEI), which aims to transition national economies onto a new path, in which jobs and output growth are driven by increased investment in green sectors, and by a switch of consumers’ preferences towards environmentally friendly goods and services. Located within the Industry and Economy Division, the Finance and Economics Branch examines how economics, trade, and finance interact with the environment and contribute to sustainable development at the local, national, regional, and global levels. Within this branch, the Economic and Fiscal Policy Unit (EFPU) conducts research and provides capacity building support and advisory services to enable the transition to inclusive and green economies, contributing to the Financial and Economic Transformation sub-programme in UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy and Programme of Work. One area of work for the EFPU is to lead the Net Zero Nature Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme under the Global Environment Facility’s eighth programming cycle (GEF-8). Seeking to integrate the climate and nature agenda, this Integrated Programme is composed of a Global Platform and twelve child country projects. Co-led by ADB and CAF, the Global Platform seeks to integrate climate and nature considerations by creating global guidance related to (1) planning, (2) financing, and (3) monitoring as well as reporting. The programme’s twelve country child projects, which are implemented in cooperation with partner organizations, will utilize the guidance to advise the (1) upstream macroeconomic and (2) downstream sectoral policies of participating nations, and use the lessons learned to further empower the guidance provided by the global platform. As an established global knowledge brokerage, the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP) is a global community of policy, business, and finance professionals and organisations committed to collaboratively generating, managing, and sharing knowledge on the transition to an inclusive green and circular economy. The GGKP is led by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Bank. The mission of GGKP is to empower government decision makers, companies and financial institutions with evidence-based knowledge that can best support them to contribute effectively to the green and circular economy transition. GGKP provides targeted knowledge management, communication and stakeholder engagement services for global projects funded under the Global Environment Facility (GEF). These include the global child project of the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) programme, which aims to strengthen the sound management of agricultural chemicals and their waste, through better control, and reduction and / or elimination. There are seven Child Projects within the programme in three regions, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, for which the executing agencies are UNEP/Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNIDO. The role of GGKP’s Global Child Project is to coordinate the efforts of the child projects, promote knowledge generation and sharing, and lead engagement with international stakeholders. The Net Zero Nature Positive (NZNP) Accelerator Integrated Programme and the GEF-funded FARM programme present strong opportunities for collaboration, as both initiatives sit within UNEP’s broader Green Economy framework and share a common objective of aligning financial systems and public policies with environmental sustainability goals. While the NZNP programme focuses on integrating climate and nature considerations through macroeconomic planning, financing frameworks, and monitoring systems, the FARM programme complements this by targeting sector-specific challenges particularly in agriculture through improved financial flows, risk reduction strategies, and pollution prevention. Their convergence around finance, policy coherence, and capacity building creates a clear rationale for joint implementation, knowledge exchange, and stakeholder engagement, especially in developing regions. In this context, there is a clear requirement for a consultant/individual contractor to operationalize these synergies under the UNEP Finance and Economics Policy Unit (EFPU) work programme and GGKP’s global knowledge coordination mandate. Specifically, the consultant will contribute to the Financial and Economic Transformation sub-programme by supporting the NZNP Global Platform,particularly components on planning and monitoring/reporting, and strengthening coordination with country teams, including leading engagement in Africa, while also advancing the FARM programme’s work on finance and investment (component 2). This dual role ensures coherence between global guidance and country-level implementation, enhances cross-programme learning, and supports public finance actors in aligning policies and de-risking strategies with global, regional, and national objectives on climate, nature, and pollution reduction. Specific tasks and responsibilities: NZNPA Global Platform Provide technical inputs on fiscal policy and public finance to advance uptake of knowledge and strengthen capacity of key stakeholders in the programme’s 12 country projects. To this end, the consultant will: •Conduct research and develop tailored engagement materials on the Sustainable Budgeting Approach (SBA) •Conduct research and provide inputs to written materials including reports, concept notes, and guidance documents under Component 1 •Provide technical assistance to child projects on fiscal policy by revising relevant documents and providing inputs to project management calls •Facilitate consultations, trainings, and capacity-building workshops with child project country teams and government counterparts on fiscal policy, including analysis, modelling and best practices •Develop agendas, concept notes, presentation packages, and summary reports for relevant events and consultations •Provide logistical support to relevant event planning and implementation, including online consultations and in-person meetings FARM Provide technical inputs to FARM public finance activities and linkages with the component one on finance and investment. To this end, the consultant will: •Facilitate consultations, trainings, and capacity-building workshops with child project countries on public finance, particularly concerning blended finance, harmful subsidies, and incentives to alternatives practices a gender responsive approach •Provide technical assistance to child projects on FARM thematic areas by revising relevant documents and providing inputs to project management calls. •Provide technical reviews of implementing partners’ agreement deliverables such as the development of scoping studies and capacity-building assess

Qualifications/special skills

Post Graduate Degree (Masters level or above) in economics, international affairs, international development, environmental governance, public finance, or related field. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of five years of experience on green fiscal policy and public finance at the national, regional and/or international levels is required. Experience with climate change, subsidies on agrochemicals and nature-related topics is required. •Proven experience supporting engagement with governments, including cross-ministerial planning and particularly with Ministries of Finance, on macro-economic and fiscal policy-related initiatives is strongly desired. •Understanding of the public finance landscape at regional level, in particular in Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific •Experience in coordinating multistakeholder engagement processes is desirable, including supporting the organization, facilitation, and follow-up of international workshops, webinars, or conferences related to public finance and/or sustainable development. •Experience working in an international, multi-cultural environment is desirable

Languages

English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in written and oral English is required

Additional Information

Not available.

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.