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. One of the top banking priorities over the coming years will be to support the real economy transition by helping banks to support client transition. For that reason, a new multi-year initiative designed to strengthen client engagement practices has been set up, the PRB Worktrack on engaging clients on sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities. This is an umbrella initiative under which several workstreams will be running in parallel, starting with a workstream on the Essentials of Client Engagement, two sectoral workstreams (on Digital infrastructure, data centres and AI, and on Agriculture, with a focus on dairy/livestock) and a workstream on supporting SME clients in their sustainability journeys. One goal is to set up a community of client-facing practitioners and convene engagements with stakeholders in the real economy, including trade associations. The Sustainable Finance Professional with a client relationship management background will contribute to the goals and the success of the work track. This professional will lead and participle in some of the (sectoral) workstreams. Specific tasks and responsibilities: UNEP FI requires a Sustainable Finance and Client-Facing Banking Professional to: • Strategically and operationally contribute to and lead one workstream of the PRB worktrack on engaging clients on sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities, e.g. Sectoral workstreams in either agriculture, digital infrastructure, data centres & AI, or related sectors (or energy, real estate, metals&mining at later points in time), focusing on business opportunities and risks, interlinkages between sustainability impact areas and success factors for meaningful client engagement efforts, with a focus on intuitive framing to the target audience (client-facing staff within banks) and business-appropriate messaging • Contribute to the setup of a client-facing community of business practitioners, focusing on sustainable finance dialogues; starting with having informal peer exchanges to identify needs and establish interest, then building up communities via the different workstreams and the overarching worktrack Informal conversations to establish interest and needs • Develop summary notes of worktrack sessions to be shared with wider membership, (sectoral) client engagement questionnaires, or other support materials helpful to banks in their client engagement efforts • Support banks in making the connection between corporate sustainability teams, risk and strategy functions, and front-line business units and client-facing functions, by creating e.g. Scripts or playbooks for the sustainability business case that can be used by different functions in banks • Support banks with embedding sustainable finance practices across product development, client coverage and portfolio management by providing practical advisory support to front-office teams • Enable banks to advise business units (corporate, retail, SME, investment banking, etc.) On integrating sustainability into their strategy, products, and client engagement by helping them to support the integration of sustainability into client conversations, product structuring, and transaction execution, and translating strategic sustainability requirements into practical, revenue-generating banking solutions. • Identify sector-specific sustainability risks and opportunities that directly impact clients (e.g., energy transition, green real estate, sustainable agriculture). • Liaise and work with knowledge partners (data providers, consultancies, think tanks) to bring in relevant sector-specific expertise regarding technologies, sector economics, risks and opportunities, • Work with UNEP FI banking sub-teams to develop and deliver on the UNEP FI banking strategy and work programme, in close collaboration with PRB workstreams and other thematic teams. Deliverables include amongst others: • 6 workstream sessions successfully delivered, incl. The preparation of content based on client-facing staff needs, in collaboration with unep fi banking team members • Community of client-facing staff, delivered through the prb worktrack on engaging clients on sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities, set up (incl. Contact base of relevant business functions like sustainable finance heads, relationship managers, commercial / wholesale banking leads within banks), with high engagement levels throughout • Summary notes of workstream sessions to be shared with wider membership, and/or client engagement scripts or questionnaires • In collaboration with external knowledge partners (data providers, consultancies, think tanks), sectoral guidance notes and sector briefs for relevant sectors such as agriculture, digital infrastructure/data centres & ai, or power generation, incl. Elements on client engagement strategy, business opportunities, internal policies and processes • Internal training materials and guidance for commercial teams on sustainable finance opportunities. • Support in toolkit or training module for business units on sustainable finance. • Recommendations for integrating esg criteria into credit and risk processes that support the work and research projects of the unep fi risk centre. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Co-Head of Banking, UNEP FI.
Qualifications/special skills
Education: A master’s degree in business, finance, environment, banking, or sustainability is required. A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 9 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: At least seven (7) years of experience in a commercial banking role (corporate, SME, or investment banking), preferably with experience in a client-facing role is required. Demonstrated expertise in sustainable finance, ESG integration, or sustainability strategy is required. Strong understanding of the sustainable finance landscape (incl. relevant regulatory and policy pillars) is an asset.
