Consultant - Climate Finance, East and Southern Africa Regional Office

The objective of the consultant assignment is to provide technical, analytical, and stakeholder engagement support to UNICEF’s ESARO Climate Hub and Partnerships team.

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! 

Background and Justification

The East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impacts of climate change with children bearing the brunt of the burden. UNICEF has an essential role to play in closing this gap and protecting children’s rights in the climate crisis. In order to deliver on the ambition of the SCAP, UNICEF plans to expand the capacity and support to Country Offices (COs) to access and explore climate finance opportunities. This aims to support children being the focus of an increased number of climate interventions at scale.

The Climate Finance Specialist will be instrumental in driving this agenda forward. By supporting the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) Climate Hub and Partnerships team to increase capacity and experience in the support to 21 COs and key sectors. The consultant will enhance UNICEF’s ability to secure climate finance, develop proposals, and build capacity in climate finance for children efforts. The consultant will ensure that developed interventions maintain a UNICEF lens and are responsive to children's needs whilst enhancing their climate narrative and strategic approach. By following the SCAP framework for implementation, the Climate Finance Specialist will contribute to protecting children's rights in the climate crisis and building a sustainable future for the most vulnerable populations in the region.

Scope of Work

• Enhance and strengthen the understanding and capacity on climate and innovate financing and partnerships in UNICEF ESARO and ESAR Country Offices.
• Increased and improved quality of climate finance concept notes and proposals especially linked to the unique profile (narrative) and positioning of UNICEF in the climate finance space.
• Capacity and understanding of climate finance improved among UNICEF ESARO and ESAR CO staff, both among climate, Partnerships, and specific sector colleagues.
• Hands-on support provided, and quality improved of climate finance and partnerships opportunities, for specific Country Offices and ESARO, to improve chances of securing climate finance for children.

Activities and Tasks:

Under the supervision of the Sustainability and Climate Regional Adviser and in coordination with the Partnerships team and UNICEF HQ, the consultant will provide expert guidance and direct support to COs and the RO for the following key deliverables:

Objectives	Tasks
Map climate finance opportunities in ESAR, including sector-specific opportunities linked to climate-smart social services for children to enable an understanding of the climate finance landscape and architecture.	Develop a work plan detailing below deliverables and timeframes below. Conduct a mapping of key climate finance opportunities in ESAR, including sector-specific opportunities linked to climate-smart social services for children
Suggest and design innovative public, private, and blended climate finance solutions that leverage various types of funding opportunities to build climate resilience and accelerate adaptation projects for children, across countries and sectors.	Develop two concept notes (2-pagers) on blended finance solutions in the climate finance space linked to social services for children in ESAR. Develop a brief guidance note on opportunities and programming for blended finance (2-pager)
Develop and adapt a UNICEF climate narrative for the region that COs can incorporate in CNs and proposals to get a better understanding of additionality and other key concepts.	Conduct a desk review of existing guidance material and proposals and concept notes submitted from UNICEF and of global and regional climate, energy, environment, and DRR material conducted. Develop a general climate narrative for ESAR including for two core sectors developed in consultations with HQ and RO Conduct consultations with COs, at least one jointly for all COs, and at least six country-specific consultations. Develop country-specific climate narratives for 21 COs, including sector-specific approaches
Develop high-level guidance on the importance of linkages between child-centered climate policies and accessing climate finance for children	Develop one two-pager or guidance note summarizing the linkages between climate policy and climate finance with examples from at least two countries in ESAR.
In close collaboration with the RO Partnerships team, facilitate and advise on engagement with key stakeholders, including both public and private sector partners as well as multilateral climate finance institutions, to mobilize resources and foster partnerships for climate finance for children.	Provide support to the Partnerships team as per request, especially on key climate finance stakeholders in ESAR, e.g., AfDB, GCF, Adaptation Fund, etc. Summarize the provided support in at least 2 2-pagers
Support the development and implementation of webinars and clinics for RO and CO staff on climate finance, including (but not limited to); the landscape of climate finance, process and investments needed, opportunities and challenges, key concepts such as additionality, and climate narratives.	Develop one outline for a climate finance training package, which would include 4-7 webinars and clinics. Develop 4 PPT slide decks on relevant aspects of climate finance for UNICEF ESAR staff
Conduct four webinars/clinics to help RO and CO staff build capacity in climate finance and innovative finance mechanisms.	Conduct 4 x 1/1.5-hour webinars on agreed-on relevant climate finance topics for RO and CO staff. Develop a brief report capturing the capacity-building training opportunities and lessons learned from these.
Provide high-quality and hands-on input to support concept notes and proposal development by RO and COs for various climate finance opportunities.	Provide support to develop project ideas, concept notes, and/or full proposals for climate finance opportunities to at least six COs and for the RO (minimum 7 CNs)
Provide technical support for the CF4C proposal development phase in partnership with DBSA and UNICEF counterparts.	Provide technical support and review of key related documents to the CF4C team linked to the development of the detailed ToRs in alignment with GCF requirements for the following, (a) Prefeasibility CF4C Project Pipeline, (b) CF4C Vulnerability Assessment, (c) CF4C Funding Proposal Development

The detailed TOR: TOR_Individual Consultant -Climate Finance 101024.docx

Payment Schedule

The payment schedule is outlined above and is linked to approved deliverables. Payment is upon satisfactory completion of deliverables.

Desired competencies, technical background, and experience

Requirements:

1. Education: Master’s Degree in Environment, Sustainability or Climate Finance, Climate Change, Economics, International Development, or a related field. (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.)
2. Minimum 8 years of relevant work experience in climate finance or related fields.
3. Experience in developing and managing climate finance projects.
4. Demonstrated ability to formulate and submit high-quality climate finance proposals to international donors.
5. Experience in designing and delivering training sessions and webinars is preferred.
6. Proven track record of successfully implementing climate finance projects, including monitoring and evaluation.
7. Prior experience working in the African region is strongly preferred.
8. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
9. Languages: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French or any of the UN languages is an asset.

 

UNICEF Core Values of:

1. Care
2. Respect
3. Integrity
4. Trust
5. Accountability
6. Sustainability

Competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships.
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness.
• Drive to achieve results for impacts.
• Innovates and embraces changes.
• Manages ambiguity and complexity.
• Thinks and acts strategically.
• Works collaboratively with others

Administrative issues

The consultant will primarily work remotely and preferably located within a time zone that is within +/- 3 hours of Nairobi time (EAT). They are expected to be available for at least 3 hours between 10 AM and 4 PM EAT for regular communication and coordination with the RO and CO. Working hours may be adjusted based on specific project needs and international stakeholder coordination, considering the time zone limitations. Progress meetings will be scheduled throughout the duration of the contract, with weekly check-ins to discuss project status, challenges, and next steps. The consultant will use their own office equipment.

Conditions

• As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 percent of the total contract value in cases where advances purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
• Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations, or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract will not be considered ‘staff members’ under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants.
• The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.
• Consultants are responsible for determining and meeting their tax or duty liabilities in accordance with local or other applicable laws. UNICEF does not issue statements of earnings to consultants.
• UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions, or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterward in your assignment.

Risks

Unforeseen circumstances like extended data collection or travel restrictions may cause delays. Mitigation involves creating a detailed project timeline with buffer periods, regularly monitoring progress, and maintaining clear communication with all stakeholders.

Insufficient or unreliable data can impact proposal and report quality. Mitigation involves establishing strong communication channels, providing data collection guidance, and implementing a system for cross-verifying information and addressing data gaps.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV, or P11 form and their technical proposals to the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System) or email provided.

Interested candidates to indicate their ability, availability, and rate (daily/monthly) expressed in US$ for international consultants or KES for national consultants to undertake the terms of reference. The fees should be inclusive of other costs incurred such as travel/return ticket, VISA, and subsistence allowances for international consultants who will be based in Nairobi.

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.