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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to innovate

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.

The Sustainable and Blended Finance Specialist (the Specialist) will bring their expertise in support to the Senior Adviser Sustainable Financing (SF) to offer expert advice and guidance around the Sustainable Finance work of WASH Hub in development and humanitarian contexts.

More specifically, there is a need for the Specialist to provide expert guidance to UNICEF WASH and to support the development of tools to support SF application in WASH, with potential for scaling up and strategies for leveraging SF approaches to provide catalytic funding for innovative WASH approaches.

The successful candidate will report to the Senior Adviser, Sustainable Financing responsible for SF in the Hub, and assist in driving projects to scale in close collaboration with the Senior Adviser Innovation and the Hub Portfolio Manager. The successful candidate will also work collaboratively with the WASH GPD Centre of Excellence and UNICEF Country Offices.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Provide technical support for SF solutions in the WASH Hub Portfolio:

• Support the identification and development of financing options to facilitate the scaling of WASH and Climate solutions
• Provide technical and strategic advice to internal stakeholders to facilitate the acceleration of integration of SF approaches into WASH programmes
• Design and/or support feasibility studies into project viability in select countries in ESAR & WCAR
• Preparation of key knowledge documents and briefs for partners, donors, and key stakeholders in collaboration with the Sustainable Finance Specialist
• Work together with institutional consultant(s) to develop key assets to donors and partners

2. Financial Analysis & Modelling

• Conduct financial analysis and modeling to assess the viability of innovative financing solutions for WASH in target countries via a mix of in-country support or desk study with online interviews as agreed.
• Support the development of scalable and sustainable business models that attract investment into climate-resilient WASH solutions, including carbon credit projects and other solutions in the WASH pp
• Support the coordination of the implementation of sustainable and blended solutions in sanitation in target countries with regional consultants

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Consultancy Financial Offer template.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education:  An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in one of the following fields is required: Finance, Public Policy, Business Administration, Development, or related degree.
*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of eight years of relevant work experience at national and international levels in innovative or sustainable finance, project management, consulting, research, budget, development, or equivalent experience.
• An in-depth understanding and relevant experience of direct impact investing, venture capital, or private equity is essential.
• Experience working in deal structuring and due diligence process is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 1 year of experience of working with finance institutions in UNICEF program countries required.

Skills:

• Strong capacity to work effectively in inter-divisional teams is required.
• Strong capacity to distill and translate multifaceted and critical issues for organizational attention is required.
• Ability to conceptualize, plan, and execute ideas as well as to manage projects.
• Strategic, global thinking, and analytical ability are required.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills

Language Requirements: English fluency is required. 

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in/knowledge of the UN system and knowledge of UNICEF’s work would be an asset.
• Experience in establishing WASH SF and blended financing projects is a strong asset.

Travel:

• The position is remotely based.
• The consultant is expected to travel to key country offices, expected 3 times in total, 5 days each time to Madagascar, Kenya and Ghana.
• The consultant is expected to spend up to four weeks at the WASH Hub in Copenhagen at 5 days at a time
• The consultant is responsible for arranging his/her own travel, including visa and travel insurance.

Payment details and further considerations
Payment of professional fees will be based on the submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

How to apply:

• Interested applicants are required to submit a financial proposal with all-inclusive fee. Please see the financial proposal template.  Consultancy Financial Offer template.docx
• Financial proposal must include travel costs (economy class) and daily subsistence allowance, if travel is required as per TOR and any other estimated costs: visa, travel/health insurance
• Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. 

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.