Public Climate Finance Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which is a leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda and promotes sustainable development through sound environmental practices. UNEP was established in 1972 and has since been instrumental in coordinating responses to environmental challenges at the international level. The organization operates in over 150 countries and employs thousands of staff members, working collaboratively with governments, civil society, and the private sector to address pressing environmental issues. UNEP's mission is to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices, and it plays a crucial role in promoting climate action, biodiversity conservation, and pollution reduction.

Job Overview:
The Public Climate Finance Consultant will undertake a part-time assignment focused on gathering and analyzing data related to Fiji's public climate finance. This role involves reviewing public expenditures from the national budget for the years 2020 to 2024, and potentially 2025, to identify climate-relevant expenditures. The consultant will utilize a template developed in collaboration with UNEP to categorize and assess the climate relevance of these expenditures. The consultant will also engage with local stakeholders, leveraging their network to facilitate data collection and validation processes. This position requires a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement and a commitment to producing high-quality deliverables that contribute to the development of Fiji's Climate Finance Snapshot, which aims to reflect both public and private climate investments and expenditures.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a variety of tasks, including but not limited to:

• Conducting a desktop analysis to understand the previous Climate Finance Snapshot (2016-2019) and identifying lessons learned for improvement.
• Developing a Stakeholder Engagement Plan, including stakeholder mapping and a workplan.
• Coordinating project activities on the ground, including stakeholder consultations and data gathering.
• Drafting the Climate Finance Snapshot for the years 2020-2024, and potentially 2025, based on gathered data.
• Facilitating validation workshops to refine the Climate Finance Snapshot and ensure stakeholder buy-in.
• Producing a graphic design version of the final Climate Finance Snapshot for publication.
• Conducting a lessons learned exercise and developing a report with recommendations for future climate finance tracking and reporting.
• Delivering a capacity-building workshop for stakeholders to address identified gaps in knowledge and skills related to climate finance tracking and reporting.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s Degree or equivalent in fields such as environmental engineering, finance, economics, development studies, business, management, or administration. Additionally, a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in development project implementation in Fiji is required, particularly with national public institutions or the private sector. Candidates should have demonstrated experience advising public organizations in Fiji on climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as a deep understanding of the country's climate priorities. An expert understanding of climate-change relevant public budgets and expenditures is essential, along with experience working with Fijian institutions on climate finance.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s Degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as environmental engineering, finance, economics, development studies, business, management, or administration. This advanced education is crucial for understanding the complexities of climate finance and public budgeting processes.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7 years of work experience in development project implementation, specifically in Fiji. Candidates should have experience working with national public institutions or the private sector, including the financial sector. A strong background in advising public organizations on climate change issues, as well as familiarity with Fiji's public budget processes, is essential for success in this role.

Languages:
Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory for this position. This proficiency is necessary for effective communication with stakeholders, as well as for the preparation of reports and presentations related to the Climate Finance Snapshot.

Additional Notes:
The position is part-time and expected to last for 5 months. The consultant will work closely with the UNEP team and local stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of project activities. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants should be cautious of any fraudulent requests for personal information or bank account details.