UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) - Regional Climate Mitigation & Net Zero Coordinator (APAC)

Result of Service

The ultimate objective of the services is to build climate institutional capacity for the financial services sector in Asia Pacific and support banks and other financial institutions in the design and implementation of their climate journey. With that objective, the consultant will work directly with the UNEP FI climate, banking, and regional teams to conduct regional / country analysis of existing climate capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities, scope and prioritise regional and country-specific climate capacity-building needs, and plan and facilitate the delivery of climate capacity-building activities by engaging and leveraging the capabilities of relevant UNEP FI and other strategic partners’ teams in line with the regional and country-specific capacity-building plan. The consultant will work closely with UNEP FI’s Climate Team, Banking Team and Regional Coordinators as well as other strategic partners.

Work Location

Working remotely / Home-based

Expected duration

9 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 32 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 needs a consultant to, as part of UNEP FI’s global climate and regional Asia Pacific teams, scale up and further develop climate initiatives for principally commercial banks, and secondarily insurers, and asset owners in Asia Pacific, with a strong focus on capacity-building and advisory. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The consultant will work directly with UNEP FI climate, banking, and regional teams to perform the following tasks: • Conduct regional / country analysis of existing net zero capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities to advance institutional capacity across the different areas of financial decarbonisation. • Scope and prioritise climate capacity-building needs in chosen region / jurisdictions taking into consideration PRB review data and regional knowledge. A clear emphasis should be on existing UNEP FI members with an objective of membership satisfaction and retention. • Build climate capacity-building plan by considering UNEP FI’s and other strategic partners’ capabilities and resources. • Design and prepare regional / country-specific training materials. • Design and deliver capacity-building work in various forms to support FIs to advance their climate journey (all the way from impact analysis and climate risk management to Paris Alignment and transition planning). • Engage with relevant parties (bilaterally or collectively) to raise awareness and deliver climate capacity-building activities for banks, insurers, and asset owners in line with the plan to build institutional capacity across the stage of climate journey. • Deliver peer-to-peer learning activities on financial decarbonisation in line with the plan. • Drive 1-2-1 engagement with FIs on climate with support by global teams and regional teams. Priorities should be defined with global and regional APAC teams in conjunction. • Organize and deliver events for the acceleration of financial sector decarbonization, by leveraging UNEP FI and other partner capabilities. • Map local stakeholders and engage them to create an enabling environment for banks’ climate journey, establish specific channels of collaboration towards the acceleration of banking (financial sector) decarbonization. • Conduct maturity analysis of emissions data capabilities and explore opportunities to advance those. • Identify potential partners to support gathering country specific data (e.g. GHG intensity factors and climate transition scenarios for specific sectors). • Join UNEP FI climate and APAC team meetings to align planning, outreach, activities and travels. • Prepare reporting materials: evaluations of strengths and weaknesses and insights for planning 2026/27. Outputs and Deliverables: ● Members’ progress in their climate journey under consideration of PRB’s Review Team data. ● Regional / Country Analyses (as per the stages of the journey) ● Regional Climate Capacity-Building Plan (as per the stages of the journey) ● Country-Tailored Capacity-Building (as per the stages of the journey) workshops and other forms of capacity-building and technical assistance. ● Country-Tailored Training Materials (as per the stages of the journey) ● Country Emissions Data Gap Analysis & Proposed Approach The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI, and report directly to the Climate Team Lead, UNEP FI’, and work closely with UNEP-FI’s Climate Mitigation & Banking Lead, and other UNEP FI programme and regional teams; and aligned with the internal governance where workplans and activities are approved.

Qualifications/special skills

Education: A master’s degree in finance, banking, economic development, sustainable finance, climate finance, climate technologies, sustainable development, international relations, political sciences, or a related field is required. A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 7 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: At least five (5) years of working experience with financial institutions in net zero, climate finance and/or in relevant capacity building/training work is required.

Languages

Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is an asset.

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.