Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
Financing for gender equality is situated within the broader context of financing for development as reflected in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the primary global framework for financing sustainable development and implementing the 2030 Agenda. Since 2020, UN Women has worked on sustainable finance, focusing on innovating alternative mechanisms and catalyzing an increase in both quantity and quality sources of financing of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Through global convening, context-specific policy guidance, country technical support and capacity strengthening on the mobilization, and allocation of high-impact financing aligned with gender equality objectives, UN Women aims to support the development and deployment of sustainable finance instruments aligned with the mandate for an equitable and just global economy that leads to lasting social change and positive effects for women’s economic and social rights, livelihoods, and wellbeing. UN Women is equally advocating that sustainable finance frameworks, guidelines and standards, and practices should make financing for gender equality accountable and transparent.
UN Women’s sustainable finance work has achieved tangible results at global, regional and country levels. Elevating this work in line with corporate strategy requires expanded engagement and enhanced capacity in sustainable finance, especially at Regional and Country Office levels. It would provide UN Women with the competency to work with regional and local financial ecosystem, identify emerging opportunities and support the design, delivery and scale-up of its sustainable finance work.
UN Women’s ambition in West Africa is to increase the scope and expand its sustainable finance work building on the early achievements made, and with added expertise go beyond pilots to scaled engagements. Given its gender expertise, convening capacity and well-established partnerships with governments, UN entities, standard setting bodies, IFIs, and the private sector, UN Women aims at leveraging these strategic partnerships for the growth of credible gender responsive financing instruments and mechanisms in the region, which will ultimately contribute to reducing gender inequalities and strengthening women’s rights and economic autonomy.
Notably, UN Women has advanced the market development of gender bonds in Africa through the launch of a pioneering toolkit for the design and issuance of gender bonds, aimed at equipping stakeholders with practical guidance to unlock capital for women's empowerment and gender-responsive investments across the continent.
The recruited consultant will provide advisory support, strategic guidance and technical expertise to the Regional (RO) and the Country Offices (CO) in West Africa for the identification of emerging market opportunities in sustainable finance for gender equality, targeted public and private sectors stakeholders that UN Women could collaborate with to accelerate implementation of sustainable finance, and the expansion of UN Women’s outreach and engagement in financial ecosystem, and the pathways of operationalizing gender finance mechanisms and instruments in the region.
Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work
1) Strategic leadership and technical advice to UN Women country offices for the initiation and piloting of gender bonds work in selected countries in the region, in close consultation with UN Women Global Sustainable Finance Team
Manage the dissemination, piloting, and implementation of gender bonds toolkit for Africa and scale up by leading technical dialogues and high-level engagement with targeted government entities, financial institutions, private sector players, IFIs and other finance ecosystem stakeholders. Guide country teams in identifying potential partners for gender bond market development and bond issuances, including bond issuers, regulators that enable market environment, financial intermediates that facilitate bond issuance. Develop UN Women’s positioning and advisory support options to partners to advance gender bonds in West Africa, responding to corporate strategy, country priorities, and market opportunities; and define and set up the collaboration mechanisms with key stakeholders involved in the gender bonds issuance. Provide technical advisory and gender expertise to preparation of sustainable bond issuance, leveraging green, sustainability and sustainable bonds to integrate gender consideration and to mobilize investment in care infrastructure, women-led businesses, and gender responsive climate investment, and gender related portfolios etc. Lead capacity development of UN Women’s staff on policy tools and the best practices on gender bonds. Contribute to shaping UN Women’s positioning as thought leader and advisor on gender bonds and in the innovative financing arena in general, through outreach and establishing relations with ecosystem stakeholders.2) Strategic advice and leadership for UN Women’s engagement strategy with capital markets, sustainable financial system and private sectors in the West Africa region
Technical leadership and expertise on analyzing regional landscape of sustainable financial system and capital markets development. Provide high quality advice on and contribute to UN Women’s sustainable finance and private sector engagement work, in terms of networks, opportunities and partnerships, including supporting both regional and country-focus activities. Technical advice on positioning UN Women as thought leader and gender advisor in the sustainable financing arena in general, through outreach and establishing relations with ecosystem stakeholders. Provide international experiences of sustainable finance from other regions, and facilitate across-region learning, foresight and ideation regarding region/country-specific innovative approaches in directing capital from private sources towards SDG5 in the region, especially in emerging areas such as care and green economies. Advisory inputs to UN Women West Africa and partner governments, when required, to identify region/country-specific themes, sectors, and innovative financing mechanisms for mobilizing, channeling and effective use of capital to address SDG5 (for example, including for women’s entrepreneurship, investments in care services and infrastructure, gender responsive climate finance and green investment, blended finance), in close consultation with regional Women’s Economic Empowerment team and global Sustainable Finance Team. Identify and develop a framework for mobilizing and channeling climate finance for GEWE in WCA Advisory inputs to UN Women West Africa and partner governments to support strategies to unlock additional private finance from international and domestic sources; providing foresight and ideation regarding innovative approaches in directing capital from private sources towards SDG5 in the region, especially in emerging areas such as care and green economies. Conduct risk assessment, and cost-benefit analysis on potential partnership opportunities with capital market, financial institutions and private sector players.2) Business development and resource mobilization:
Lead cost-recovery analysis for UN Women’s technical assistance provided to both public sector and private sector partners to advance existing or potential innovative financial mechanisms, in line with UN Women’ mandates, operational rules and partnership engagement strategy. This includes demand assessment, cost-efficiency analysis, developing cost-recovery modalities, and recommendation of sustainability strategies for maintaining and scaling up regional sustainable finance portfolio that aligns with organizational objectives. Donor outreach and consultation (including both private and public donors, such as development partners, private sector donors, CSR and foundation) in the region to help office resource mobilization3) Advocacy, communication and capacity development:
Contribute to advocacy for systematic change around private sector and investment, capital markets, sustainable finance for gender equality. Support in articulating UN Women’s positioning for sustainable finance and private sector development for GEWE in West Africa through providing strategic vision and technical expertise and driving policy level dialogues with stakeholders.Reporting line
The consultant will report to UN Women Regional Office Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Specialist, in close consultation with Global Sustainable Finance Specialist at HQ.
Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel
This is a home-based consultancy. As part of this assignment, the consultant should expect at least 50% of time travelling to UN Women West Africa countries of interest.
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
Sustainable Finance: Knowledge of green finance, thematic bond, impact investing, ESG, financial inclusion, and aid effectiveness. Proven track record in advising and structuring innovative finance instruments including gender finance instruments, thematic bonds, including process, target markets and partnerships in Africa, and more specifically the West and Central Africa region. IFI Partnerships: Knowledge and understanding of IFIs (strategies, approaches, processes and systems) Private Sector Engagement & Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector. Ability to identify, develop and manage partnerships that leverage private sector technical expertise and resources. Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UN Women’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions; Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends Business Acumen: Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome; Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Experience working with complex projects and data sets and synthesizing them to build partnerships and mobilize resources.Desired additional skills
Experience working in a sustainable finance context in middle income countries and emerging markets. Experience working with gender bond issuance, or GSS+ bond arrangement Experience working with finance ministries, securities commission, or financial authoritiesRequired Qualifications:
Education and Certification:
Advanced university degree (Masters or its university equivalent) in Business, Finance or Economics, or another related fieldExperience:
Minimum of 10 years professional experience in the financial services industry, of which minimum of 10 years of exposure to impact investments, development or blended finance fields, debt instruments, structuring and launching finance instruments, or closely related areas is required. Proven track record of engagements with DFIs or the UN System related to sustainable finance, private sector development and partnerships with the private sector (including financial institutions) is required. Deep knowledge and long-term experience in capital markets, impact investing, venture capital, private equity, venture philanthropy, and financial innovation in both the private sector and international development is desired. Extensive network of contacts across the financial and investment sectors and proven record of successful partnership development with IFIs, commercial banks or investment funds is an asset. Proven leadership experience working with high-level government officials and decision-makers in finance sector. Excellent negotiating and communication skills to mobilize support from a wide range of partners (public, private, academic, business community leaders). Experience in managing cross-country complex programs and projects assuming policy level and field level engagements with the involvement of financial infrastructure players.Languages:
Fluency in English required, proficiency in French highly desirable. Knowledge of any other UN official is an asset.Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (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.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.