Finance Manager (Investment), P4, FTA, Office of Innovation, Helsinki, Finland

The Finance Manager (Investment) will bring her/his expertise in support to Chief of Hub to offer expert advice and guidance around the work of the Innovative Finance and Funds Management Team as it relates to the development and implementation of new financial structures (e.g. blended funding/financing, loans/guarantees, impact bonds) that can leverage additional resources for children at country, regional and global scale, as well as make existing resources more efficient and results-oriented and aligned with the new Global Innovation Strategy 2.0. The Manager will also overlook the development of the key components of the Child-Aligned Investment Amplifier, while also serving as one of the technical resources for the Division and the Organization in the development and use of innovative financial arrangements to meet UNICEFs Strategic Plan and ultimately the SDGs.

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.

For every child, hope

The Office of Global Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the startup thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions. 

The incumbent is placed within the newly established Innovative Finance Hub, reporting to the Director of Office of Innovation at UNICEF. He/she will work closely with other divisions on innovation and innovative finance.  

Underpinned by the UNICEF Global IF4C Strategy and the UNDP-UNICEF Joint Financing Flagship, the new Innovative Finance Hub will develop new transformational strategies, standards & frameworks:

1. To re-define innovative financing & impact standards and concepts to include the needs of children
2. To co-create fintech & cutting-edge technologies to leverage new, innovative resource channels for children

The Innovative Finance Hub will reimagine how UNICEF operates, accelerates and streamlines finding new sources of funding and financing to fill the SDG gap - to protect gains made, rebuild from losses from COVID-19 and radically accelerate progress towards the SDGs for children. Our aim is to build a genuine, global thought leadership hub around innovative financing that not only be transformational as an approach for UNICEF’s Global Innovation Strategy but also serve as a catalyst for change within the development industry. 

How can you make a difference?

The Finance Manager (Investment) will be responsible for managing, coordinating, and delivering the following:

1. Design and launch the first of its kind world-class products for child-aligned investments
2. Develop an Experimental “Sandbox” Environment for Innovative Solutions: with components including – SDG Global Impact Investment Standards for Children, SDG Child-Aligned Metrics for Impact Reporting, and SDG Child-Aligned pipeline development methodology
3. Build linkages to UNICEF HQ and Innovations Hubs, UNICEF Country Offices, National Committees, Finnish & global innovation / IF ecosystems & partnerships, donors / impact investors and identify potential entry points for new project ideas for child-aligned investments.
4. Support the application of the strategies and frameworks from the new IF concepts and innovative financing solutions above to create game-changing results for children
5. Accelerate existing and develop new IF instruments for UNICEF Global in line with the Innovative Financing Strategy 2.0 
6. Finalize UNICEF’s Child Bond Standard (CBS) in key areas and apply a child lens to UNDP’s SDG Global Impact Standards
7. Ensure design and launch of a Private Equity Innovation fund – including identification of investable projects and securing commitments from 5-10 “anchor” funders in its first year of operation 
8. Co-design the Global Outcomes Digital Literacy Gender Equity Fund, identifying outcomes metrics with on-the-ground partners and creating innovative impact investing opportunities for investors while working closely with OoI Partnerships on fundraising efforts. 
9. Support the expansion of UNICEF’s Venture Fund (currently US 17.9 million in size), which aims to identify and pilot promising frontier technologies to develop scalable platforms that UNICEF can use in a range of applications and country settings.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree in relevant field, e.g., Public Policy, Business Administration, Finance, Development, or related degree.
  • *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience at national and international levels in project management, consulting, research, budget, development, or equivalent education experience.
• An in-depth understanding and relevant experience of direct impact investing, venture capital or private equity is essential.
• Experience working in deal structuring, due diligence process is strongly preferred.  
• Familiarity with existing standards/frameworks adopted by financial institutions – including Equator Principles, ESG criteria, etc.   
• Strong capacity to work effectively in inter-divisional teams.
• Strong capacity to distill and translate multifaceted and critical issues for organizational attention.
• Experience in/knowledge of the UN system and knowledge of UNICEF’s work would be an asset.
• Strategic and global thinking and analytical ability.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communications skills.
• Ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as to manage projects.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Nurtures, Leads, and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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 and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles 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.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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