Development Finance Specialist

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR. 

UNOPS Geneva Office is providing support to a wide range of portfolios, including UNEP, UNICEF, UNHCR, and other partners.

This position is a Partner Personnel role. The selected candidate will be hired by UNOPS under its rules and regulations and will be engaged as UN Partner Personnel for UNICEF - Digital Inclusion (DI) and will operate under the effective management and supervision of UNICEF.

UNOPS is supporting UNICEF-DI as a UN Partner and acting on its behalf to provide recruitment and administrative support for this position.

About UNICEF Digital Inclusion

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.

The DI Finance Solution team, based in Geneva, plays a key role in mobilizing the capital required to connect schools and health centers around the world to the internet. The Development Finance Specialist (Contractor) will support DI’s financing workstreams at the intersection of development finance and digital infrastructure, contributing to the identification of sustainable investment pathways for connectivity.

The contractor will support UNICEF Country Offices and their government partners in the preparation of bankable projects and identification of financing solutions, including through collaboration with development finance institutions, private investors, and public donors.

Working under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, the contractor will contribute to financing analysis, project preparation, and stakeholder coordination across Giga teams, supporting the development of scalable connectivity solutions that deliver long-term impact for children and communities.

1. Financing Analysis and Innovative Finance Support 

• Undertake analysis on financial instruments, market trends, and investment opportunities relevant to connectivity 

• Develop inputs to investment cases, financial analyses, and briefing materials 

• Contribute to the identification and assessment of innovative and blended financing solutions 

• Support resource mobilization efforts, including donor mapping and analysis

1. Partnerships and Stakeholder Coordination Support 

• Maintain and update the Funding Tracker and Capital Provider database 

• Monitor and analyze funding flows, commitments, and emerging opportunities from IFIs, DFIs, and other partners 

• Prepare analytical inputs and briefing to support engagement with PFP, PPD, and external stakeholders 

• Coordinate with internal teams and country offices on financing-related activities

1. Project-Level Financing and Country Support 

• Contribute to the development of a pipeline of connectivity projects through data collection and analysis 

• Develop inputs to business cases, cost estimates, and financing scenarios 

• Support project preparation activities and development of investment documentation 

• Provide analytical support to country offices on financing strategies and resource mobilization efforts

1. Market Analysis and Product Support 

• Conduct market and competitive analysis to inform the positioning of DI financing-related products and services 

Contribute to the development of materials supporting product design and go-to market strategies 

1. Knowledge Sharing and Reporting 

• Prepare reports, presentations, and knowledge products related to DI’s financing activities 

• Support the organization of events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions 

• Document lessons learned and best practices 

• Contribute to internal coordination and reporting processes

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Investment, Banking or a related field is required.

• A first level university degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. 

Required:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in finance, financial advisory, investment, strategy consulting, or related roles.

• Experience in development finance, infrastructure, sustainable and impact investments and working with public and private sector stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct financial analysis and support development of business cases or investment proposals.

• Demonstrated strong skills in PowerPoint and Excel.

Desired:

• Experience working in multi-stakeholder environments.

• Experience in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, or development projects.

• Experience in a UN system agency or international organization. 

• Work experience in the context of low-and-middle income countries.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.