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

How can you make a difference? 

Despite the economic progress in the last few decades, there are still very important gaps in children’s rights in the LAC Region, even in upper-middle income and high-income countries. Persistent poverty, high rates of violence and the lack of adequate opportunities in the labour markets young people are just some examples of the challenges that the countries in the region are facing.

Tackling these challenges requires a higher commitment from all stakeholders, including the State and the private sector. This requires more funds directed to closing gaps of children’s rights. The current scenario is very challenging, as governments are mindful of increasing spending and international cooperation funds are being retracted. In this context, both UNICEF at a global level and country offices face the challenge of carving out a role in the financial landscape that incentivizes the capital flows towards improving the livelihoods of children – which will also improve the future wellbeing of the whole society, as this higher investment in children pays out in the future.

In this context, in its Strategic Plan 2022–2025 UNICEF globally committed to proactively drive ‘fit for purpose’ Innovative Finance instruments and/or develop new Innovative Finance for Children (IF4C) partnerships and mechanisms to align, amplify, accelerate and access new sources of financing for children’s welfare globally. These initiatives address critical issues such as climate change, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction, targeting the most vulnerable and marginalized children and adolescents. Globally UNICEF IF4C team plays a crucial role in driving these efforts forward through strategic private-sector engagements.

At the same time, UNICEF Business Model Initiative (BMI) in select countries has set out to explore more effective and innovative ways of working that enhance the capacity of UNICEF to leverage sustainable and innovative financing from the private sector, foundations, philanthropic organization, alliances, International Financial Institutions (IFI), Official Development Assistance (ODA), others or a mixture towards results for children at scale.

There are three UNICEF country Offices in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) – Chile, Colombia and Uruguay – which have prioritized and are looking to diversify Sustainable/Innovative Finance options as part of the UNICEF BMI.

To do so, the Offices require dedicated technical expertise to drive and/or develop innovative and sustainable financing options to optimize results and resources for children in the three countries. In these three countries there are examples of sophisticated financial operations that are innovative and relate to sustainability. However, these initiatives are not primarily focusing on children’s rights. From UNICEF’s point of view, those are missed opportunities.

Purpose of Assignment

The Innovative and Sustainable Financing consultant will be instrumental in leading the CO teams and providing strategic advisory to the Colombia, Chile and Uruguay CO teams in exploring, designing, and implementing a variety of financing solutions.

The role involves providing leadership to BMI ideation and implementation under the Innovative and Sustainable Finance Learning Lab in 3 countries, making critical contributions to innovative finance structuring, product development, and the coordinating with public and private sector (PPD and PFP) colleagues the execution of financing strategies to effectively mobilize resources that support UNICEF’s mission.

The role involves providing leadership to BMI ideation and implementation under the Innovative and Sustainable Finance Learning Lab in 3 countries, making critical contributions to innovative finance structuring, product development, and the coordinating with public and private sector (PPD and PFP) colleagues the execution of financing strategies to effectively mobilize resources that support UNICEF’s mission.

The different tasks will be conducted in consultation, while contributing to strategic ideation under the Business Model Initiative, working directly with three country offices and in collaboration with key divisions in the LAC regional office.

Travel is expected across the three participating countries. The duration of stay in each country will be determined by the Representatives as part of the 11-month workplan.

The consultant may be based in one of the three countries (Chile, Colombia, Uruguay), or elsewhere with frequent and extensive travel in the three countries. While the consultant will report to respective UNICEF Country Representatives for country specific components of the work, under overall coordination of the UNICEF Representative in Chile.

Objective(s)

Under the leadership of the 3 country offices and in alignment with UNICEF PFP IF4C team in HQ and LACRO, the Consultant will have the following objectives: 

• Provide leadership in driving ideation and action under the Sustainable Finance: Innovation and Diversification priority of the BMI in the 3 countries.
• Support the development of innovative and sustainable finance mechanisms that align with UNICEF’s strategic goals and the SDGs (e.g., sovereign debt restructuring/swaps, bridge financing, sustainability-linked bonds, catastrophe bonds, outcome-based financing, climate financing, and insurance) in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region.
• Contribute to the implementation of innovative finance models with the public and private sector partners.
• Support the scaling of IF4C projects by providing technical expertise in innovative finance, strategy, and product development.

Major Tasks to be Accomplished

• Conduct scoping exercise with the government and financial sectors
  • Organise and lead meetings with the governments, financial sector and CO staff in each country to determine if there is demand to link innovative financial instruments to policies to improve childhood wellbeing and identify advocacy needs.
• Strategic Policy Advice
  • Provide guidance and support to Country Office Representatives and technical teams in navigating negotiations with key public and private stakeholders, including Government, IFIs, private sectors, and others, in the design and implementation of innovative finance solutions.
  • Advise CO leadership regarding analysis of options, timelines and risks associated with proposed solutions.
• Feasibility Analysis and Program Design
  • Conduct thorough assessments and feasibility analyses of prospective innovative finance instruments to be deployed in Colombia, Chile and Uruguay, including considerations and recommendations for structuring, incubating, and capacitating each initiative.
  • Identify with financial instruments might also provide funding for UNICEF activities in each country.
  • Work closely with CO´s Philanthropy and Social Policy teams and LACRO´s Philanthropy and other HQ teams to support the adoption of the child-lens impact investing framework in the three countries.
  • Analyse the possibility of collaborating with other UN agencies or IFIs in these instruments.
• Development of Financial Models, Strucutures and Concepts
  • Support the design and implementation of innovative and sustainable finance solutions in Chile, Colombia and Uruguay in alignment with LACRO and HQ IF4C Core Group. This includes:
    • Prepare concept note and political pitch on the role of UNICEF in the finance space. 
    • Prepare concept notes and technical pitches of the finance solutions detailing roles and responsibilities of key private and public sector actors, potential impact, scope, etc.
    • Prepare detailed terms of reference and project initiation plans for new financing initiatives.
    • Provide strategic recommendations on innovative finance transaction structures and produce relevant written content, such as technical pitches, research studies, and concept notes.
    • Liaise with global, regional and country level PPD and PFP teams to engage public and private sector partners in innovative finance solutions.
• Reporting and Documentation
  • Document strategic decisions and operational processes to ensure transparency and facilitate future initiatives.
  • Support the global and regional IF4C learning agenda by capturing and disseminating case studies and lessons learnt of the implementation of the innovative finance solutions in Chile, Colombia and Uruguay.
  • Write content for the annual IF4C impact report that relates to the implementation of the innovative finance solutions in the Latin American and the Caribbean region.
  • Produce detailed impact reports providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
  • Create other internal and external knowledge management and capacity-building materials.
• Technical and coordination support to the implementation of Business Model Initiative with a focus on Sustainable Finance: Innovation and Diversification Learning Lab:
  • Provide leadership and support to design and implementation of the ideation workshops in the three countries.
  • Develop a thorough mapping of actors and capacities in IF4C in the countries and in LAC region for the ideation process.
  • Ensure documentation and learning is documented and is fed back to regional learning lab and global learning labs under the BMI.

Responsibilities of the Consultant: 

• The consultant will use their own equipment, including laptops, microphones, software and other accessories that may be required for this task.
• The consultant will not provide the content or any part thereof to any third party without the written permission of UNICEF. All components will be a property of UNICEF, and the consultant will not share them with anyone else.
• The consultant will not include their own name or logo/emblem on the content or final products. The only organization branding will be UNICEF’s, if required.
• Maintain regular liaison with and accountability to managers, content owners, and any related units.

Responsibilities of UNICEF: 

• UNICEF will provide all details pertaining to the activity and the requirements.
• UNICEF will orient the consultant on its branding guidelines.
• UNICEF will share the documents and specifications with the consultant as they become available and will coordinate the timely delivery of work.

SEE THE DETAILED TERMS OF REFERENCE HERE:

 Terms of Reference _Multi-country Sustainable and IF Consultant P.pdf

Minimum Qualifications required: 

• An advanced university degree in international development, finance, economics, public or business administration, or a closely related field is required. A first university degree in a relevant field, combined with 2 additional years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in the Latin America and the Caribbean region at national and international levels in innovative finance, ESG/impact investing, project management, consulting, or other related fields.
• Experience in innovative finance or a related field is required, with a solid understanding of the innovative finance landscape in the Latin American and the Caribbean region.
• Strong strategic thinking skills; experience in strategy development is desired.
• Prior experience in structuring innovative and sustainable finance products (such as sustainability-linked bonds, impact bonds, outcome-based financing, and debt swaps) would be a strong asset.
• Prior experience with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) is a strong asset.
• Experience in or knowledge of the UN system and UNICEF’s work is an asset.
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required; knowledge of another official UN language is considered an asset.
• Other:
  • Excellent planning and organizing skills.
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
  • Experience with design thinking would be an asset.
  • Experience working on or knowledge of children´s rights would be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.