Consultant for Gender-Sensitive Green Finance Access

Job Posting Organization:
ONU Femmes, established in July 2010, is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. It was created as part of the UN reform agenda to consolidate resources and mandates for greater impact on gender equality and women's empowerment. ONU Femmes operates globally, focusing on eliminating discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving gender equality as partners and beneficiaries in development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. The organization collaborates with various partners, including governments and civil society, to implement projects that enhance women's access to economic opportunities, particularly in green and climate finance. The regional office for West and Central Africa works closely with ECOWAS and other stakeholders to promote gender-sensitive climate action and green economic opportunities for women, supported by multiple governments including Ireland, France, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.

Job Overview:
The consultant will support the project aimed at enhancing women's access to green and climate finance in Senegal. This role involves providing technical assistance to financial institutions to develop and implement gender-sensitive financial services for women entrepreneurs in the green economy. The consultant will work closely with ONU Femmes' team and stakeholders in Senegal, including government partners, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations. The position requires designing and facilitating workshops that promote dialogue and capacity building among various actors, as well as developing project proposals for gender-sensitive climate financing initiatives. The consultant will also be responsible for creating financial products tailored to women's needs and ensuring that all deliverables align with ONU Femmes' priorities and international best practices in gender-sensitive financing.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical assistance to financial institutions to develop, implement, and monitor gender-sensitive financial services for women entrepreneurs in the green economy.
• Review existing financial products and processes, identify gaps, and propose practical improvements that align with ONU Femmes' standards.
• Design and organize two multi-stakeholder workshops on inclusive financial products for women entrepreneurs in the green economy, bringing together financial institutions, women entrepreneurs, government representatives, and development partners.
• Develop content and facilitate workshops, including interactive sessions that promote dialogue, knowledge exchange, and capacity building.
• Support the organization of workshops by drafting terms of reference, agendas, invitations, and educational materials.
• Develop project proposals for donors on gender-sensitive climate financing initiatives, including objectives, implementation plans, and budgets.
• Create a model and roadmap for a green/climate financing mechanism targeting women through public-private partnerships (PPP), detailing operational structures, financing models, and recommendations for scaling up.
• Ensure all deliverables are clear, evidence-based, actionable, and compliant with ONU Femmes' priorities and international best practices in gender-sensitive and climate financing.

Required Qualifications:

• Education and Certifications: A Master's degree or equivalent in economics, finance, gender studies, sustainable development, or a related field is required. A bachelor's degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• Professional Experience: At least 15 years of progressive professional experience in the financial sector in West and Central Africa. Experience in designing and facilitating training or capacity-building activities. Experience in resource mobilization and developing partnerships with the private sector. Experience in developing financial products, financial inclusion, and green/climate finance. Previous work experience with ONU Femmes or other UN agencies is a significant asset. Strong analytical skills, results-oriented approach, and ability to work independently. Excellent communication and writing skills in French are required, with examples of previous work to be provided.

Educational Background:
A Master's degree or equivalent in economics, finance, gender studies, sustainable development, or a related field is required. A bachelor's degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:
At least 15 years of progressive professional experience in the financial sector in West and Central Africa is required. This includes experience in designing and facilitating training or capacity-building activities, resource mobilization, and developing partnerships with the private sector. Experience in developing financial products, financial inclusion, and green/climate finance is also essential. Previous work experience with ONU Femmes or other UN agencies will be considered a significant advantage.

Languages:
Fluency in French is mandatory. Knowledge of English will be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The consultant will be based remotely but will be required to participate in several meetings in Dakar, Senegal, and potentially undertake field missions to other regions of Senegal. The presence at the ONU Femmes office is not mandatory for this mission. The payment schedule is structured based on the completion of specific deliverables, with percentages allocated to each milestone. The consultant is expected to adhere to ONU Femmes' policies and procedures, including a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations.