JOB DESCRIPTION

Result of Service

The consultant, acting as the Review Team Co-Lead, will co-manage the delivery of UNEP FI’s Individual Feedback and Review Process for PRB Signatory Banks. They will assess banks’ progress in implementing the Principles for Responsible Banking and provide structured, individualized feedback through annual meetings and written reports. As Co-Lead, the consultant will share responsibility with the Review Team Lead for ensuring the quality, consistency, and timely execution of all reviews, as well as supervising and supporting the team of Review Experts. The consultant will contribute to consolidated data and insights for collective progress reporting, identify cases requiring governance escalation, and highlight emerging trends and good practices to strengthen peer learning and sustainable banking capacity within UNEP FI.

Work Location

Working remotely / Home-based

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 overall objective of the UNEP’s Industry and 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 United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 32 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. To ensure the effective implementation of the Principles for Responsible Banking, the Banking Board approved accountability mechanisms. The Review team is responsible for designing and executing them. That includes the individual as well as the collective review process. It includes an annual review, feedback & review meeting (mostly virtual) between the UNEP FI Secretariat and each Signatory Bank, following the Signatory Bank’s annual reporting. In addition to ensuring each bank is making progress at an adequate speed and providing feedback and support, the outcomes and learnings from these meetings will feed into the broader peer learning and support structure all banks benefit from, as well as the biennial collective progress report the community of Signatories has agreed to publish through UNEP FI. The Review team also prepares cases of banks not in line with their commitments for the governance process. The Review Team compiles and shares the data it gathers from the reviews in ways that enable the other teams to make good use of the data, both for informing our guidance and support work and effectively managing the membership. The Review Team works closely with regional coordinators during the individual review process and draws on subject-matter expertise within the Banking Team and the UNEP FI team to provide targeted support to banks. UNEP FI is thus looking for a Review Team Co-Lead. The Review Team Co-Lead supports the coordination and delivery of UNEP FI’s Individual Feedback and Review Process, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and constructive feedback to participating financial institutions. Working closely with the Review Team Lead, the co-lead assists in managing timelines, reviewer coordination, quality assurance, and process documentation. He/she directly reviews and provides feedback to banks. This includes analyzing the bank’s disclosures, preparing and delivering meetings with the banks, producing individual reports, collecting relevant data and examples to be shared with signatories. The role involves analytical review, stakeholder communication, and operational oversight to uphold UNEP FI’s standards of transparency and integrity. The co-lead also acts as an alternate focal point to ensure continuity and effective execution of the review process. Specific tasks and responsibilities : The consultant will:

• Deliver high-quality individual assessments of PRB Signatory Banks’ implementation of the Principles for Responsible Banking, identifying both progress and areas for improvement. Each assessment will include an annual feedback meeting (mostly virtual) and a written, tailored report to support the bank’s internal discussions and action planning.
• Collaborate closely with UNEP FI’s regional coordinators to deliver feedback meetings and ensure regional relevance and coherence. Prepare individualized written reports following each meeting to guide banks in strengthening alignment with the principles.
• Input all review results and key findings into UNEP FI’s central database to contribute to the monitoring of collective implementation progress and to provide validated data for the biennial PRB Collective Progress Report.
• In coordination with the Review Team Lead, identify banks requiring additional action to meet their PRB commitments. Where shortcomings persist, ensure referral to UNEP FI’s banking governance body in accordance with established procedures.
• Capture and share examples of good practice and case studies to inform UNEP FI’s peer learning and knowledge-sharing activities, helping to build sustainable banking expertise across the initiative.
• Support the Review Team Lead in planning, scheduling, and executing the overall review process, including the allocation of assignments, monitoring of progress, and adherence to established timelines and protocols.
• Contribute to quality assurance by reviewing and validating feedback outputs to ensure accuracy, tone, and consistency with UNEP FI guidance. Participate in calibration sessions to promote a harmonized approach among reviewers.
• Propose and support the implementation of process improvements to enhance the efficiency, consistency, and quality of the Individual Feedback and Review Process, including updates to templates and methodologies.
• Assist in onboarding and mentoring reviewers on assessment methodologies, templates, and review standards, ensuring coherence and capacity building within the team.
• Act as an alternate focal point in the absence of the Review Team Lead, coordinating tasks, leading meetings, and ensuring operational continuity of the review process. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Review Team Lead, UNEP FI and working in close coordination with UNEP FI’s Banking Team leadership .

Qualifications/special skills

Education: A master’s degree in economics, finance, environment, international relations, social sciences, development or a related filed is required. A bachelor’s degree may be accepted in lieu of a master’s degree, provided the candidate has 10 years of experience. Professional Experience: At least eight (8) years of experience in sustainable banking or related field, preferably in a bank is required. Acquainted with and directly involved in implementing international sustainable banking best practices and standards is required. Previous experience in advisory/consulting roles is required. Experience in reporting to executives and/or Boards in Financial Institutions is an asset.

Languages

Languages: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is an asset.

Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge:

• Experience and expertise in sustainable banking to be viewed as a credible expert by the banks whose progress he/she will review and provide feedback and support. Thus, a minimum of 8 years of experience in sustainable banking or a related field. Well acquainted with and have been directly involved in implementing international sustainable banking best practices and standards.
• Collaboration skills with team members and external partners to achieve the agreed goals. Ability to quickly gain and then maintain people’s trust. Team player, have an interest in and derive joy from collaborating with others. As such, he/she also enjoys sharing knowledge and expertise and helping colleagues develop.
• Acts as a trusted deputy to the Review Team Lead, able to coordinate tasks, chair meetings, and provide guidance to reviewers as needed. Takes ownership of delegated responsibilities and proactively supports the delivery of high-quality outputs.
• Ability to quickly understand, synthesise and analyse substantial amounts of information. The successful candidate delivers consistently high quality within agreed timeframes. He/she follows through on commitments towards others, especially towards your constituency/clients. He/she can adapt your behavior and style of communication to different cultural contexts. He/she is fluent in English, as this is UNEP FI’s working language. Beyond English, fluency in other languages, especially other official UN languages, is highly desirable.
• The tasks he/she will be responsible for in this role are the basis for ensuring all Principles for Responsible Banking Signatories are in line with their commitments and that support is provided and processes set in motion where this is not the case. This role is thus crucial for the legitimacy and credibility of the principles, their signatories and ultimately UNEP FI. Consequently, as the successful applicant he/she must have demonstrated integrity throughout his/her career.
• He/she is motivated and driven by the purpose the team/organization is working towards and the impacts we are trying to achieve. When deciding to apply for this position, please consider that the remuneration and benefits for this position will be lower than what would be offered in the financial industry for a position requiring similar qualifications and experience.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.