Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 225763
Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
Job Family : Environmental Affairs
Category and Level : Consultants, CON
Duty Station : PANAMA CITY
Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
Date Posted : Jan 20, 2024
Deadline : Feb 2, 2024

Result of Service
Contributing to the timely and quality implementation of the development and implementation of the Brazil’s Sustainable Taxonomy, following the guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee and Supervisory Committee as part of the established national governance structure and in accordance with the Ministry of Finance of Brazil’s Action Plan and its calendar.

Specific tasks and responsibilities
The Coordinator Consultant will contribute to the effective development and implementation of the Brazil’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, following the guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee and the Supervisory Committee, and in accordance with the workplan set forth by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, GIZ and UNEP, by performing the following tasks, but not limited to:
• Define and agree with GIZ the coordination structure and process between the two technical partners (GIZ & UNEP).
• Develop and agree with the GIZ team a joint workplan and budget estimation, defining each phase of the BST development process, in accordance with the Ministry of Finance of Brazil’s Action Plan and its calendar, including the responsible team, roles, milestones, deadlines, and constitutive arrangements for its implementation (division of labor between GIZ & UNEP), to be approved by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil.
• Manage the day-to-day implementation of the technical assistance, including coordinate the delivery of the activities/deliverables, based on the workplan agreed between the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, GIZ, and UNEP, with a view to achieving the established milestones/results in a timely manner;
• Develop together with GIZ the governance structure for the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups and Advisory Committee, including the composition of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups and the Advisory Committee, a proposal of criteria for the selection of the Advisory Committee members, number of technical specialists to be hired per Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, among others, to be approved by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil.
• Collaborate with the formation of the Advisory Committee (if needed), in accordance with the principles and guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee and Supervisory Committee, and the governance approved by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil.
• Participate in the formation of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, in accordance with principles and guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee and Supervisory Committee and considering the division of labor agreed with GIZ and the governance approved by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil. This task will include the following sub-activities, but not limited to:
o Draft the terms of references (ToRs) of the technical specialists or service providers to be hired for the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Group, including the requirements/specifications, products to be delivered, timeline, among others.
o Identify potential technical specialists or service providers that have the knowledge and the experience in working with the assigned economic sectors or thematic dimensions in Brazil.
o Collaborate with the selection and hiring process of the technical specialists or service providers for the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups.
o Work closely with the Administrative and Finance Officer to ensure that the hiring processes are managed in line with the internal operational rules and the terms of the technical assistance.
• Define and agree with GIZ a common functioning and working methodology of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups to be approved by the Ministry of Finance:
o Organize technical dialogues/training programmes for the members of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, Supervisory and Inter-ministerial Committees on the Common Framework of Sustainable Finance Taxonomies for LAC, with a focus on the guidance for technical screening criteria development (relevance of interoperability).
o Define a common methodology for the identification, prioritization, and selection of the economic sectors to be included in the BST.
o Establish a common methodology for the identification, prioritization, and selection of the economic activities to be considered under each economic sector.
o Define a common methodology and process for the development of the technical criteria for the economic activities (metrics and thresholds).
o Develop a common methodological proposal for the operation of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups “rules of operation and participation” (numbers of technical roundtables, technical reviewing process, meetings with the Sectoral and Thematic Technical coordinators and members, meetings between technical partners, etc.); as well as its interaction with other levels of governance (Advisory, Supervisory, and Inter-ministerial Committees)
o Establish a common format for collecting and consolidating the feedback from the groups and a common format (outline) for the sectoral/thematic chapters.
o Define and agree on the outline of the BST framework(s).
o Carry out the scheduling of the work sessions of each group.
• Provide technical inputs on the work of the hired technical specialists and/or service providers for the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, consolidate progress, and periodically report their progress to the Inter-ministerial and Supervisory Committees.
o Build, motivate and advise the technical team – technical specialists and/or service providers – hired for the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups; provide technical inputs on its work and deliverables; coach the technical team in both substantial and operational issues.
o Ensure that the products and results are delivered by the individual technical specialists and/or service providers in accordance with the required quality standards and specified time constraints.
o Ensure the timely preparation of workplans for: (i) the development, review and finalization of the sectoral technical annexes for the assigned Sectoral Technical Groups and (ii)the development, review and finalization of the deliverables related to the MRV Thematic Technical Group (e.g., BST financial readiness activities and financial regulatory recommendations for the BST implementation across the financial sector) for approval by the Supervisory Committee.
o Coordinate the implementation, within the defined deadlines, of the workplans presented by the technical specialists and/or service providers and approved by the Supervisory Committee for: (i) the development, review, and finalization of the sectoral technical annexes for the assigned Sectoral Technical Groups and (ii) the development, review and finalization of the deliverables related to the MRV Thematic Technical Group.
o Ensure that the common methodologies, approved by the Supervisory Committee, for: (i) the identification and selection of economic activities to be included in the BST and (ii) the definition of technical screening criteria are applied across all the assigned Sectoral Technical Groups by the technical specialists and/or service providers.
o Establish and maintain close communication and coordination with the coordinators of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups; act as a secretariat focal point and liaise with the coordinators, the members and the hired technical specialists for each the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, in accordance with the agreed common functioning and working methodology.
o Propose and conduct, together with the technical specialists and/or service providers, training sessions to guide and advise the development of the sectoral technical annexes by the coordinators and the members of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups and the Advisory Committee (if needed).
o Organize, conduct and document (minutes), in collaboration with the technical specialists and the Supervisory Committee, Coordinators and members of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, sectoral roundtables to review sectoral technical annexes and make all relevant technical documents available to their coordinators and members, in accordance with the schedule established by the Supervisory Committee.
o Collaborate with the coordinators of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups on the exchange of information through the members of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, organizing and documenting periodic meetings that ensure the participation and joint work of the members.
o Provide technical inputs on the deliverables presented by the technical specialists and/or service providers, provide feedback and verify that the observations raised by the coordinators and the members of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups are integrated.
o Provide the coordinators of the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups the required strategic inputs and relevant information to report the progress of the work and results achieved within the assigned Sectoral and Thematic Technical Group.
o Coordinate with GIZ, the technical consultants from other Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups and other technical partners (e.g., Advisory Committee), when necessary.
• Prepare the documents associated with the BST (sectoral technical annexes) to be approved and published by the Supervisory and Inter-ministerial Committees:
o Prepare the first version of the documents associated with the BST (sectoral technical annexes) for presentation to the coordinators of the assigned Groups, and Supervisory, Advisory, and Inter-ministerial Committees. Ensure that the sectoral technical format and the included information is comparable between sectors.
o Consolidate the feedback received by the coordinators of the assigned Groups, and Supervisory, Advisory, and Inter-ministerial Committees.
o Prepare the second version of the documents associated with the BST (sectoral technical annexes) for presentation to the coordinators of the assigned Groups, and Supervisory, Advisory, and Inter-ministerial Committees. All changes to the sectoral technical criteria must be documented and justified. Ensure that the sectoral technical format and the included information is comparable between sectors.
o Repeat the previous process until the documents associated with the BST (sectoral technical annexes) are approved by the coordinators of the assigned Groups, and Supervisory and Inter-ministerial Committees and ready to be submitted for public consultation.
o Collaborate with the country authorities in conducting consultations of the sustainable finance taxonomy to receive comments/feedback from relevant stakeholders, incorporate the comments/feedback, and develop the final taxonomy document ready to be published by country authorities, if needed.
o Participate with the country authorities in the organisation of a launch event of the sustainable finance taxonomy document.
• Coordinate, together with the technical specialists and/or service providers, the work related to the sustainable finance taxonomy financial sector readiness (test, pilot and assess the application of the Brazil’s sustainable finance taxonomy to financial entities’ portfolios) to be performed under the MRV Thematic Technical Group.

• Perform monitoring, reporting and dissemination activities:
o Regularly monitor and report on the technical performance and delivery to the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for LAC, including progress, achievements, challenges encountered and proposed corrective actions.
o Develop the required communication package and/or information materials (policy notes, power point presentations, results frameworks, etc.), upon request of the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for LAC, for dissemination via UNEP and its Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) globally and regionally, and external stakeholders.
Work Location
UNEP Brazil Office, Brasilia, Brazil.
Expected duration
12 Months
Duties and Responsibilities
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. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LAC Office), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The overall objective of the UNEP’s 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 UNEP Brazil Office, located in Brasilia, works closely with the Brazilian Government and other stakeholders, and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Program of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) brings together a large network of banks, insurers and investors that collectively catalyzes action across the financial system to deliver more sustainable global economies. For more than 30 years the initiative has been connecting the UN with financial institutions from around the world to shape the sustainable finance agenda. UNEP FI established the world’s foremost sustainability frameworks that help the finance industry address global environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges, supporting the implementation of global programs at a regional level across Africa & the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean and North America.To meet the agreed climate, biodiversity, and land restoration targets in LAC, it is necessary to redirect investments towards a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive economy. Sustainable finance taxonomies provide credibility, integrity, and transparency to the market, facilitating the identification of environmentally sustainable investment opportunities for the private sector, particularly for financial market participants, and, in turn, enabling the mobilization of capital linked to the goals of the Paris Agreement, other environmental objectives beyond climate change, and social objectives. Sustainable finance taxonomies are being developed at a rapid pace in the LAC region.

On 21st of September of 2023, the Ministry of Finance of Brazil launched the Action Plan for the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy (BST) , an initiative that aims to transform and guide the country’s economy towards a more sustainable and regenerative model. The Action Plan is the first step towards the construction of a BST, whose technical development will be carried out during the year 2024. A sustainable finance taxonomy can serve as a central policy instrument to mobilize and redirect capital flows towards the investments needed for a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive transition, in line with the Brazil’s Ecological Transformation Plan. This instrument consists of a classification system that defines criteria for economic activities, assets and/or categories of projects that are aligned with climate, environmental and social objectives. The BST has three strategic objectives: (i) to mobilize investments for areas of positive impact, (ii) to foster technological innovations for an environmentally sustainable economy, and (iii) to establish a solid foundation for the generation of reliable information related to sustainable finance.

Moreover, the BST is one of the lines of action of the Ecological Transformation Plan and contributes to Brazil achieving its national and international commitments related to seven environmental and climate objectives and four economic and social objectives:
1. Climate change mitigation;
2. Climate change adaptation;
3. Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems;
4. Sustainable land use and conservation, management and sustainable use of forests;
5. Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources;
6. Transition to circular economy;
7. Contamination prevention and control;
8. Generation of decent work and increase of income;
9. Reduce socioeconomic inequality, considering racial and gender aspects;
10. Reduce regional and territorial inequalities in the country;
11. Promote quality of life by expanding access to basic social services.

The Ministry of Finance of Brazil is the coordinating body of the BST’s development and implementation process, being responsible for the coordination of all the tasks involved for this purpose in articulation with the other authorities and institutions involved. In this role, the Ministry of Finance of Brazil chairs the BST Inter-ministerial Committee, a deliberative body responsible for strategic decisions related to BST. A Supervisory Committee, composed of members of the Inter-ministerial Committee and coordinated by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, is the body responsible for the coordination and articulation of the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, being the link between the Inter-ministerial Committee and the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups. At a third level of governance, there are the Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups, the technical sphere of BST’s governance, established by the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, and monitored by the Supervisory Committee in accordance with the guidelines of the Interministerial Committee.

The Sectoral and Thematic Technical Groups are in charge of developing: (i) BST technical criteria per economic sector/activity; (ii) contribution index to the reduction of inequality; (iii) a monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system, and (iv) the respective sectoral/thematic chapter of the BST document. The three action fronts of the Technical Groups are carried out in accordance with the principles and guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee.

The eight Sectoral Technical Groups are: •Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture (A) •Mining and quarrying (B) •Manufacturing industry (C) •Electricity and gas (D) •Water, Sewerage, Waste Management and Decontamination Activities (E) •Construction (F) •Transport, storage and mailing (H) •Relevant services: Tourism, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and Urban Infrastructure Planning The two Thematic Technical Groups are: •Tackling inequalities •MRV of sustainable finance flows Each Sectoral and Thematic Technical Group must be made up of four Consultants, supported by other members of the Technical Group and coordinated by the designated bodies (members institutions of the Inter-ministerial Committee). These consultants will be hired by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The GIZ and UNEP are the Ministry of Finance of Brazil ‘s Technical Partners in this initiative.

Finally, an Advisory Committee, established by the Inter-ministerial Committee and composed of twelve representatives of the financial system, the real economy, civil society organizations, the third sector, and academia, participating in the public interest, acts as an advisory and observer body responsible for contributing, evaluating, and observing the work developed within the scope of the BST. With the objective of accompanying the Ministry of Finance of Brazil in the process of development and implementation of the BST via the established national governance structure, UNEP is looking for a Coordinator Consultant for UNEP’s Technical Support in the Development of the Brazil’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy (hereinafter, the Coordinator Consultant) to be located in Brasilia. Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for LAC and in close coordination with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative Latin America and the Caribbean (UNEP FI LAC) Network Coordinators and Head of Global Policy, and the UNEP Brazil’s Office team, the Coordinator Consultant has the overall responsibility for achieving the technical assistance results/activities/deliverables as defined in the published BST Action Plan, the agreed workplans, and other relevant documents through timely and quality implementation, and monitoring and reporting. Additionally, he/she will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Finance of Brazil, other authorities involved in the BST governance structure, GIZ team, and other nongovernmental counterparts relevant for the BST process. The Coordinator Consultant will work 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday, full time and he/she will be in UNEP Brazil Office located in Brasilia, Brazil.

The incumbent will directly report to the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for LAC. The purpose of this consultancy is to perform the coordination role for UNEP’s Technical Support to the Ministry of Finance of Brazil in the development and implementation of the Brazil’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, in accordance with the principles and guidelines established by the Inter-ministerial Committee, the Supervisory Committee, and other bodies that are under the BST’s governance structure and with the Ministry of Finance of Brazil’s Action Plan and its calendar.
Qualifications/special skills
ACADEMIC:
•Bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, business administration, political science, engineering, or other related studies is required.
•Master’s degree in economics, finance, business administration, political science, engineering, or other related studies is required.

PROFESSIONAL:
•At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in international organizations, research center, non-governamental organizations, the financial services sector, or private sector working with sustainable development, macroeconomics, or sustainable finance is required.
•One (1) years of experience in managing complex projects or progammes coordinating multiple stakeholders with different interdisciplinary backgrounds, as well as proven strong interpersonal and relationship management skills is desirable.
•Experience in client-facing role in financial services of sustainability-related consulting is desirable.
•Proven knowledge/experience in the field of sustainable finance is desirable.
•Understanding of drivers of sustainability in the financial sector in emerging economies is highly valuable, with a focus on LAC/Brazil as a preference.
•Knowledge/experience of the private banking, insurance and/or investment industries in emerging markets is desirable, with a focus on LAC/Brazil as a preference.
•Previous experience working for or with government entities or the public financial sector in LAC/Brazil is desirable.
•Practical experience in areas related to design, planning, execution and monitoring in project development is desirable.
•Proven track record in coordinating complex projects or programmes with diverse range of partners is desirable.
•Experience in positions related to facilitating and coordinating the participation of government-led stakeholders in setting up an externally funded program or projects in Brazil or elsewhere is highly desirable.
•Practical experience with international donors and other public, non-state or private actors in developing countries, preferably in the LAC region, in the management of international technical cooperation projects is an asset.

LANGUAGE:
•Fluency in Portuguese and English is required. Fluency in Spanish is desirable.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
•Team oriented mind-set and strong interpersonal communication skills;
•Ability to communicate findings to high-level and mid-senior-level management;
•Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to organize and deliver written updates, events, management desirable conference calls and webinars;
•Skills in facilitating consultations, workshops, and grass-roots engagements.
•Ability to manage multiple stakeholders in a diplomatic, organized and timely manner; proven influencing skills;
•Ability to cope with juggling multiple tasks across diverse project outputs in an organized and timely manner;
•Proficiency in using Microsoft Package (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) collaborative platforms (i.e., Teams, Google Drive) and virtual meeting platforms (i.e. Webex, Zoom, etc.) is required.

SKILLS:
•Professionalism: ability to perform a wide range of administrative functions, for example, human resources, budget/work program, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. He/she shows pride in work and achievements; is thorough and efficient in fulfilling commitments, meeting deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence in the face of difficult problems or challenges; keeps calm in stressful situations; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with customers by gaining their trust and respect; identifies customer needs and combines them with appropriate solutions.
•Communication: He/she speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, interprets others’ messages correctly and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and shows interest in having two-way communication; adapts the language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness to share information and keep people informed.
•Teamwork: He/she works in collaboration with colleagues to achieve the objectives of the organization; solicits contributions by genuinely valuing the ideas and experience of others; is willing to learn from others; shares credit for team achievements and accepts joint responsibility for team deficiencies.
•Planning and organization: He/she develops clear objectives that are consistent with the agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and tasks; adjusts priorities as necessary; allocates the appropriate amount of time and resources to complete the work; foresees risks and allows contingencies when planning; supervises and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.