JOB DESCRIPTION

Result of Service

The consultant will be responsible for undertaking an in-depth analysis and review of the climate targets and actions set by PRB signatories to determine alignment with the criteria in the Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks, and delivering feedback & support meetings. The successful candidate will provide regular updates to the Banking and Climate Teams about trends, challenges and good practices identified through the feedback and support process. The consultant will contribute to consolidated data and insights for collective progress reporting and identify cases requiring governance escalation. The consultant will support a smooth and effective interface mechanism between the climate review, climate regional advisory/capacity-building, and global climate content creation teams. They will join a small team of Review Experts, and work together to deliver these feedback and support meetings. Where capacity permits, the climate review expert may be asked to support climate capacity-building activities in North America and Europe, leveraging learnings and insights from the engagement with banks as part of the annual review process.

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. UNEP FI supports the development and implementation of sustainability frameworks including the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), now committed to by more than 350 banks collectively holding USD 89 trillion in assets, representing almost half of global banking assets, and the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), established 2012 by UNEP FI and today applied by one-quarter of the world’s insurers (25% of world premium). The Framework for Banking Transition to Net Zero, under the Principles for Responsible Banking, aims to accelerate science-based climate target setting and develop common practice. Regulatory developments globally have fundamentally shaped the approaches of financial institutions to the integration of sustainability considerations and commitments. This is becoming important across the globe, and critical interactions between financial institutions and regulators are needed to move the needle forward. As such, regulatory considerations are a critical element to be considered in the implementation of sustainability frameworks, for climate mitigation journeys and transition planning with institutions in those regions. To ensure effective implementation of the Principles for Responsible Banking, UNEP FI will provide an annual feedback and review meeting (mostly virtually) between the UNEP FI Secretariat and each signatory bank, following each bank’s reporting. In addition to ensuring each bank is making progress at an adequate speed and providing feedback and support to the individual member, the preparations for, and outcomes and learnings from, these meetings will feed into the broader peer learning, capacity-building and support/advisory structures, including at the regional level, all banks benefit from, as well as the collective biennial progress reports of the PRB. In addition to the regular annual reviews under the PRB framework, former NZBA members who are making their contributions for 2026 under that programme, will be eligible for a ‘check list’ style review, specifically against key criteria in the Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks. UNEP FI is looking for a senior climate finance expert to support the feedback & review process, and assist with the new ‘independent’ review function against the key criteria set out in the Guidance. Working within the team of review experts of the Banking Team, and in close liaison with the respective climate consultants in the regions, the climate finance expert will be responsible for reviewing the banks’ climate mitigation targets and actions. Objectives: The consultant will support the banks’ climate progress, by ensuring high-quality, consistent, and constructive feedback to participating financial institutions. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The consultant will work directly with UNEP FI review team and liaise with the Climate, Banking and Regional teams to perform the following tasks:

• Evaluate banks’ climate targets and implementation plans and provide feedback and support on their next steps for fulfilling their commitments. The individual annual feedback is composed of a meeting (mostly virtual) once a year and a written report. Meetings and reports will be prepared and delivered jointly with the PRB Reviewer. After the meeting, the Climate Mitigation & Net Zero Consultant prepares the climate-related sections of the individual feedback report coordinated by the PRB Review Expert.
• Input the assessment results in a central database that is used to consolidate the status of collective implementation, follow up on banks’ progress and provide data for analysis, reports, dashboards, and the biennial collective progress report.
• Based on its review and in coordination with the Banking Team Lead and Climate Team Lead, identify cases where banks need to take additional action to be in line with their commitments. Where shortcomings are not addressed adequately, in coordination with the Banking Team Lead and Climate Team Lead, refer the case to UNEP FI’s banking governance body.
• Assist with operationalizing the new independent review process by conducting the reviews or checking the reviews conducted by another reviewer. In this process, banks which have made 2026 contributions may request a review specifically against key criteria set out in the Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks. This will be done by reviewing a bank-completed self-assessment template and sending it back to the bank. The bank may wish to challenge findings within a short review window. Any challenges will need to be consulted with UNEP FI colleagues with technical climate expertise. Where the bank requesting this review is a PRB member, this process will aim to be integrated with their regular PRB annual review and feedback process.
• Identify and register case studies and good practices to feed into the systematic peer learning program and communications.
• Share your knowledge and experience and help develop sustainable banking expertise within UNEP FI.
• Provide inputs into the biennial PRB collective progress report and any framework impact report.
• Keep records of specific challenges faced by banks in developing and executing their climate strategies so that insights can be brought to inform the ongoing implementation work under the framework.
• Coordinate with colleagues in the Banking team to share information and support related processes.
• Share your knowledge and experience and help develop climate and sustainable banking expertise within UNEP FI.
• Where capacity allows, the consultant may be asked to support climate capacity-building activities in North America and Europe. Outputs and Deliverables:
• Undertake an individual in-depth analysis and review the climate targets and actions set by banks to determine alignment with the Guidance for Climate Target Setting.
• Support the PRB Review Team in conducting meetings (mostly virtually) with signatory banks to discuss their progress and provide feedback and support for their next implementation steps.
• Conduct feedback meetings with former NZBA members that are not PRB members, if they have made 2026 contributions and have requested a review.
• Based on the individual reviews and in coordination with the Banking Team, identifying cases where banks need to take additional action to be line with their commitments. Where shortcomings are not addressed adequately, in coordination with the Banking Team Lead and Climate Team Lead, refer the case to the Banking Board.
• Identify case studies, good practices and challenges faced to feed into the systematic peer learning program.
• Share knowledge and experience to help develop the sustainable banking expertise of team members. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to, Review Team Lead, UNEP FI and, Head of Climate Accountability. On capacity-building matters for the North American and Europe region, the consultant further shall take guidance from the Climate Mitigation & Banking Lead.

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. Experience: Minimum 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. Ideally, previous experience in advisory/consulting roles. Experience in reporting to C-level executives and/or Boards in Financial Institutions is an asset

Languages

Languages: English is 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:

• Thorough knowledge of the climate mitigation agenda for the financial services sector, including emerging trends and best practices on net zero for commercial banks and financial institutions more broadly.
• Deep understanding of climate mitigation concepts for the financial services sector, including physical and transition risks for financial institutions, carbon accounting, climate commitment frameworks, portfolio alignment approaches, international sustainable finance taxonomies, target-setting methodologies, climate scenarios, sectoral reduction trajectories and transition planning.
• In depth knowledge of key sustainable finance regulations applicable to financial institutions in Europe, in particular knowledge of CSRD, CSDDD, CRD, EU Taxonomy. Other key regulatory aspects around banks’ capabilities/competencies on climate and transition is an added value.
• In depth knowledge of voluntary and regulatory sustainability disclosure and reporting frameworks.
• In-depth understanding of the evolving landscape related to financial services and regulations and knowledge of anti-ESG sentiment.
• Familiarity with regional climate mitigation pathways and policy including NDCs, priority sectors, and national legislation, tools, frameworks, and resources available for financial institutions. Familiarity with UNEP FI’s climate mitigation initiatives, tools and frameworks including the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), GFANZ guidelines on Transition Planning for financial institutions and SBTi financial institutions net-zero (FINZ) standard.
• Experience in developing and delivering technical support / training and capacity-building activities, ideally with banks or with other financial institutions.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders including NGOs, international and domestic organizations, and authorities to foster partnerships.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
• Experience in project planning and management.

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.