Junior Consultant – Fiscal Policy

Result of Service

The work of the consultant will contribute to implementing the ‘Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Global Platform’ project', which seeks to support countries to accelerate efforts to achieve net-zero nature-positive economies through the catalysing of finance and partnerships, the triggering of investment, the promotion of policy and governance coherence, and the curation, diffusion, and transferring of experiences, good practices and lessons learned. Subject to satisfactory performance, s/he may also support the IKI-FAST project, which seeks to implement or optimize public finance measures to direct financial flows towards the acceleration of biodiversity protection. In this regard, the consultant will contribute to UNEP’s Climate, Nature, Science and Policy and Finance and Economic Transformation’ Programmes.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system, acting as a catalyst, advocate, educator, and facilitator to promote sustainable development through the effective use of the global environment. Its Industry and Economy Division plays a leading role in the Green Economy Initiative, which aims to shift national economies towards a sustainable trajectory. By doing so, it seeks to ensure that growth is driven by increased investment in green sectors and a transition of consumers’ preferences to sustainable goods and services. Located within this Division, the Economic and Fiscal Policy Unit examines the manner in which economics and public finance interact with the environment, thereby contributing to sustainable development at the local, national, regional, and global levels. The NZNPA Global Platform, as the coordination project of the GEF Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme (NZNPA IP), will address complex and systemic connections between climate change and biodiversity loss, supporting countries’ pathways to carbon neutrality while securing nature positive outcomes. To this end, the Global Platform will service, coordinate amongst, and create capacities and enabling conditions for the 12 countries taking part in the NZNPA IP. Under this integrated programme, these countries will be concomitantly implementing their own national NZNPA ‘child projects’. In this sense, the platform is a global ‘enabler’ that will support participating countries to achieve significant global and local environmental benefits through its enabling actions, which lead to further sustainable development co-benefits. Another area of work is the ‘IKI-‘FAST’ ‘Fast-tracking Transformation through Sustainable Public Finance for Biodiversity’ project, which is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) aims to contribute to a transformation of public finance systems in four biodiversity-rich partner countries, to align these systems with biodiversity protection and phase out public and private finance which encourages biodiversity-harmful business models. To achieve this goal, the implementation and enhancement of SPF measures will direct financial flows towards biodiversity protection and align public finance with biodiversity and climate objectives (Outcome) and in so-doing, contribute to a socially just and inclusive ecological transition as defined in national strategies and international agreements such as the GBF, the Paris Agreement, and the Agenda 2030 (Impact). To this end, UNEP is responsible for implementing the first and fourth outputs - the first being Output I: Knowledge, evidence and policy recommendations, and the fourth being Output IV: Global exchange. Specific tasks and responsibilities The consultant’s responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to: NZNP Activities: •Overall Partner Coordination: Assist with day-to-day coordination between country projects, implementing partners and the project team for the development of products and programming that’s responsive to key stakeholder and country project needs. •Annual Needs Assessment and Country Engagement: Lead the design, deployment, and synthesis of the annual country needs assessment across 12 country projects, translating findings into updated engagement strategy and targeted webinars. •Steering Committee Support & Team Meetings: Prepare country-level analysis, presentations, and minutes for the programme's annual Steering Committee meeting and core team meetings. •Country Coordination and Reporting: Coordinate quarterly check-ins and coordination calls with country projects, producing minutes, presentations, and disseminated updates for projects, partners, and donors. •Programme Reporting: Contribute country-level narrative, financial, and indicator updates to the programme's half-yearly and annual reporting. IKI Activities: •Support to IKI Global Launch Event: Preparing a briefing note for the IKI Global Launch event, while contributing to the summary report. •Programme Reporting: Consolidate inputs from the four partner countries to draft the annual monitoring report, responding to feedback from the GIZ and UNEP project teams. •Partnership Management: Produce and build on partnership concept notes for implementing partners including WCMC, Oxford University, and two others that will lead on an international community of practice.

Qualifications/special skills

Master’s degree in business administration, economics, environmental policy, international development, international relations, public policy, law, or closely related fields is required. A multi-disciplinary profile is strongly desired. •A minimum of two years of project/program management experience in climate change, biodiversity, green fiscal policy, and/or macro-economic policy is required. •Proven experience supporting the organization, facilitation, and follow-up of international workshops, webinars, or conferences related to public finance and/or sustainable development is required. •Experience with major multilateral and bilateral environmental funds, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Climate Initiative (IKI) is strongly desired. •Proven experience supporting engagement with governments, particularly Ministries of Finance, on climate, nature and/or fiscal policy-related initiatives is strongly desired. . •Experience in country-office setting is preferred. •Prior experience working within the United Nations system, particularly at UNEP, on fiscal policy is a strong advantage. In particular, experience with contracting and coordination with implementing partners is strongly desired.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Fluency in oral and written English is strongly preferred.

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.