UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) - Senior EU Policy Engagement Expert

The purpose of this assignment is to contribute to UNEP FI’s strategic engagement with European Union (EU) policymakers, regulators, and financial institutions to advance the bankability and financing of the transition to a sustainable, competitive, and inclusive European economy. The Senior EU Policy Engagement Expert will play a central role in operationalizing two main activities: Activity 1: Building a value proposition and toolkit for EU sectoral policy engagement for banks. Activity 2: Promoting innovative finance solutions: from sectoral transition to policy to bankability. These activities aim to bridge the gap between EU industrial and sectoral policies and the financial sector’s capacity to mobilize capital at scale. This includes developing sector-specific policy engagement approaches, facilitating structured dialogue between banks and non-financial policymakers, and identifying and scaling innovative financing solutions that support industrial decarbonization, circular economy transition, and broader EU Green Deal priorities. The consultant’s work will also contribute to upholding UN core values, ensuring that human rights-based approach, the principle of leaving no one behind and gender equality and women’s empowerment are integrated throughout their work at UNEP FI’s.

Working remotely / Home-based

4 months

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. UNEP’s work is firmly grounded in the UN core values, including the human rights-based approach, the commitment to leaving no one behind, and the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment across all activities. 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 34 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. The political landscape within the EU underscores the growing importance of supporting the European Commission with its competitiveness agenda. UNEP FI is strategically positioned to turn this agenda into a practical business opportunity—helping the finance industry mobilize capital toward real-economy transformation that creates jobs, strengthens supply chains, and drives sustainable innovation. Banks increasingly need clear, sectoral policies that are both effective and bankable—providing predictable frameworks and tangible investment pathways that can translate ambition into financeable action. By linking sustainability goals with competitiveness, UNEP FI can further support a meaningful involvement of the finance industry in driving the Green Deal and the transition of the real economy, demonstrating that decarbonisation and value creation can go hand in hand. The initiative aims to direct capital toward tangible projects—such as clean industrial production, circular economy investments, and low-carbon infrastructure—that deliver measurable impact on the ground and support resilient, competitive value chains. Equally essential is the integration of social policy measures—such as fair transition mechanisms and social protection schemes—which serve as enablers of decarbonisation and ensure the transition is equitable and sustainable. Objectives: The Senior EU Policy Engagement Expert will: • Design and implement a structured value proposition for banks’ engagement in EU sectoral policy processes, including the development of toolkits, guidance, and engagement frameworks. • Contribute to aligning EU industrial policy (e.g., Clean Industrial Deal and sectoral initiatives) with financial sector practices and investment capabilities. • Provide technical expert advice on the identification, analysis, and prioritization of key EU sectoral policies (e.g., energy, transport, real estate, chemicals, circular economy) and translate them into actionable financing pathways for banks. • Facilitate the development of outputs including sectoral policy briefs, engagement toolkits, and practical guidance to support banks’ participation in policy dialogue. • Coordinate and facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues (banks, policymakers, industry, public finance institutions) to strengthen policy–finance alignment and support implementation. • Develop a compendium of innovative financial solutions, including blended finance instruments, guarantees, securitization, and other bankable models supporting industrial decarbonization and transition investments. • Ensure coherence between policy engagement and financing realities from a banking/lending perspective, including risk-return considerations, capital allocation, and regulatory constraints. • Engage with EU institutions (European Commission, EIB, ECB, platforms) and relevant initiatives to position UNEP FI as a key interlocutor linking policy ambition with finance. • Work closely with UNEP FI teams (e.g., policy, banking, climate, nature, communications) to ensure integrated delivery of outputs. The result of the consultant’s work will be the following successful high-quality outputs (exemplary outputs which will need to be adjusted as exploratory steps yield relevant learnings and options to advance with key stakeholders and following the guidance of the expert hired). Specific tasks and responsibilities: The consultant will provide assistance in the following tasks: a. Coordination and Policy Engagement • Coordinate the policy team engagement with EU policy processes related to the Green Deal, Clean Industrial Deal, and sectoral transition strategies. • Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders including the European Commission, EIB, national authorities, industry associations, and financial institutions. b. Delivery of Activity 1: EU Sectoral Policy Engagement Value Proposition • Develop sectoral policy engagement frameworks for banks. • Develop and implement the production of sectoral policy briefs, engagement toolkits and guidance, and recommendations for policy–finance alignment. • Facilitate expert sessions, roundtables, and dialogues bringing together banks, policymakers, and industry actors. c. Delivery of Activity 2: Innovative Finance and Bankability for the Transition • Coordinate the identification and scaling of innovative financial instruments with UNEP FI members (e.g., blended finance, guarantees, Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD), securitization structures). • Ensure alignment between financing solutions and EU policy frameworks, including public financing instruments (e.g., InvestEU, EIB guarantees, and Industrial Decarbonization Bank). • Promote peer learning and knowledge exchange among banks and stakeholders on bankable transition solutions. • Provide technical expert advice on how policy design affects bankability and capital mobilization. d. Stakeholder Coordination and Representation • Coordinate and support representation of UNEP FI in EU platforms, working groups, and policy dialogues. • Coordinate internal and external stakeholders to ensure consistency and impact of engagement activities. • Contribute to communications and dissemination of outputs. • Ensure that all communications outputs reflect UNEP and UN core values, including human rights-based approach, the principle of leaving no one behind and gender equality and women’s empowerment and contribute to internal awareness on these values. • Support the implementation of UNEP FI’s 2026–2029 Social Action Plan by including all relevant measures from the plan in their work. Key Deliverables: • Development of a structured value proposition and toolkit for sectoral policy engagement for banks. • Delivery of sectoral policy briefs across priority sectors aligned with EU Green Deal priorities. • Organization and facilitation of expert dialogues, roundtables, and stakeholder convenings. • Delivery of a draft compendium of innovative financial solutions supporting industrial decarbonization and circular economy investments. • Contribution to policy platforms and working groups, including documented inputs and engagement outcomes. • Evidence of strengthened policy–finance alignment (e.g., uptake of recommendations, stakeholder engagement, participation metrics). • The above deliverables will be developed and implemented in alignment with UNEP FI’s Social Action Plan and guided by the UN’s core values. The consultant will report to: Overall supervisor: The Head of UNEP FI. Direct Supervisor: The Policy Lead, UNEP FI Close coordination: The consultant will work closely with colleagues across the UNEP FI policy team and, where relevant, with the UNEP FI banking team.

Education: A master’s degree in finance, law, economics, business administration, international relations is required. A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 12 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: At least ten (10) years of professional experience and expertise in investment and/or lending activities, development finance and/or investment banking, banking regulation, supervision, and sustainable finance is required. At least five (5) years of professional experience in the banking sector, including experience in a European policy and banking setting, would be an advantage.

Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish or other United Nations languages is an asset.

Skills & Knowledge: • Professional network among relevant financial sector regulators, policy makers, investors, or their respective organizations. • Strong interpersonal and communications skills and good public speaking • Ability and willingness to travel up to once per quarter. • Self-starter, enjoys building up, testing, and adapting new structures and models. • Ability to collaborate horizontally across the team.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.