Finance Specialist (Catalytic Finance) Homebased Retainer, Multiple positions

Background Information – Technical Services Unit (TSU)

The Technical Services Unit (TSU), based in Nairobi, engages in multidisciplinary infrastructure design and design review, assessments, and advisory work for UNOPS projects. The team currently comprises approximately 18 permanent staff and over 60 retainers (consultants) personnel, including built environment professionals, environmental and social specialists, monitoring and evaluation experts, and other niche technical experts. TSU has recently been tasked with securing personnel to support the important work of the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF).

Background Information – The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a global fund dedicated to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. Capital M is SHF’s global initiative to build and strengthen the menstrual health (MH) market, fostering sustainable, market-based solutions that provide access to safe, quality, affordable menstrual products and empower women and girls across low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). By doing this, SHF contributes to a wide range of SDGs related to education, health, gender equality, the environment and economic growth. 

To achieve this, SHF works with national and local governments, the private sector, investors and financiers and other market stakeholders to improve the enabling environment,  strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and facilitate access to finance to bring market-based approaches to scale. For a market segment that falls within women’s health and -hygiene, improving access to finance is critical. Enterprises in this space are structurally underfunded, posing a significant barrier to scale. SHF’s presence is critical to bridge the financing and investment gap, working with partners to showcase the market potential, derisk financing and investment in MH enterprises and connect public and private funders, financiers and investors to a growing pipeline of investable opportunities. 

Our approach supports an Africa-led ecosystem for access to finance and investment, where we collaborate with existing public and private funders, financiers and investors, connecting them to enterprises with novel technologies and business models. We focus on enterprises with the potential to scale product categories’ availability at national and regional level, supporting efforts to maximize efficiency and minimise costs for low-income users by leveraging economies of scale. This ultimately contributes to structurally improving market access and significantly reducing environmental impacts. To achieve this, we believe there is an important role for south-to-south knowledge transfer and investment to accelerate market development. 

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a project of UNOPS. 

Role of the Finance Specialist (Catalytic Finance)

Reporting to the TSU Manager and briefed by the SHF Finance Advisor, and working closely with the Menstrual Health (MH) Markets Specialist and the MH Country Markets Specialist, as well as SHF Technical/Country colleagues as needed, the role will support SHF’s goal of advancing country and regional level pipeline opportunities for catalytic financing in the menstrual health (MH) market by identifying and analysing high-impact enterprises and strategic partners to unlock additional investment. 

The role of the Finance Specialist (Catalytic Finance) will be to assist the SHF technical team with scoping of potential pipeline opportunities/targets (in particular enterprises in a first step) and partners for catalytic financing in SHF’s priority countries (with an initial focus on Eastern and Southern Africa) by drawing on relevant experience in the private sector, impact investing and/or development finance space. 

The Finance Specialist (Catalytic Finance) will help map out key private sector players, potential SHF/Capital Markets partners, investors and other relevant organisations in the market. The role also includes meeting with enterprises and potential partners to explore opportunities, understand challenges and assess financing needs - supporting strategy and efforts to unlock more investment through catalytic finance. 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in development finance, corporate finance, economics, business administration, international development or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor’s degree in combination with additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

• Minimum of 5 years work experience in the private sector/development finance/corporate finance related area is required. 
• Experience in programme financing (related to development finance/impact investing in LMIC) is required. 
• Experience in working in menstrual health (MH) related to markets and value chain concepts from the perspective of the industry, enterprises, investors and/or development finance actors is desirable.
• Knowledge of regional (East Africa) sector specific enterprise environment and financial actors is desirable.

• Proficiency in English is required 
• Proficiency in French is desirable
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement, IICA2 (ICS-10)
Contract duration: One year renewable, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• This is a homebased position restricted to candidates who are residents of, or legally authorised to work in East African countries. 

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

• It may be the responsibility of the selected candidate to make arrangements, to a standard deemed acceptable by UNOPS, for a secure internet connection, laptop and or equipment necessary for work(as defined by UNOPS).