Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan emphasizes the critical links between environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and broader efforts to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP’s Nature, Climate Change, and Energy (NCE) Team promotes and scales up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

The NCE Team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on environment, climate change, and energy. This multi-billion dollar portfolio encompasses: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Renewable and Modern Energy; Extractive Industries; Chemicals and Waste Management; Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships on natural capital, environment and climate, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which  includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF Trust Fund), the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF), the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds, UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

One of six signature solutions under UNDP’s current Strategic Plan is to “Close the energy gap”. Access to clean and affordable energy is an essential enabler for the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

In the Decade for Action UNDP seeks to scale-up its current energy offer to work with partners on three areas:

• Close the gap on energy access so that marginalized people and communities gain access to sustainable, clean, energy and the dignity and opportunities it brings.
• Drive innovation in energy value chains to speed up investments in energy access in off-grid and crisis-affected contexts.
• Accelerate the energy transition through system-changes that support a green recovery and bring together the best ideas from the worlds of government, business, and finance.

The Climate Investment Platform (CIP)

The Climate Investment Platform (CIP) is a global initiative and a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), in collaboration with the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The CIP blends the capabilities and resources of the four partner organizations to address – and unlock – investment needs in developing countries, supporting their pursuit of low-carbon energy ambitions and targets. The partners support countries in a complementary manner with elements such as target setting, establishment of an enabling legal and regulatory frameworks, vast network for matchmaking and international visibility, and development of risk mitigation measures to encourage capital flows.

UNDP is seeking the services of an Investment and Fund Mobilization Specialist for the Climate Investment Platform to support the CIP in designing, structuring and operationalize investment strategies and vehicles that target concrete climate, environmental and sustainable development outcomes through a triple bottom line approach.

More specifically, the expertise must include the ability to demonstrate how the investment modalities, instruments, structures, and sectoral/thematic focus areas will make measurable contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In this context, beyond quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and increased resiliency, the CIP investment strategy must demonstrate that its investment approach enables sustainable development and inclusive growth. The investment strategies and proposed structures should allow to crowd in additional resources at scale, especially from the private sector.

The CIP Investment and Fund Mobilization Specialist will liaise with UNDP staff and other partners of the CIP.

Duties and Responsibilities

The scope of work includes the key tasks described below. The geographic scope is global with an initial focus on SIDS.

1.Investment Strategy Design: Design a detailed investment strategy for a pilot vehicle or vehicles, covering the following key criteria, among others: geographical coverage; target sectors and segments; investment modalities (i.e. debt, equity, quasi-equity, blended finance, other); investment types, sizes, risk profiles, tenors; investment vehicle(s) profile and tenor; structure (i.e. tranches, etc.), de-risking mechanisms (i.e. complementary mechanisms such as guarantee, currency hedging, etc.); and deployment options (i.e. fund with an asset manager(s), local financial institutions, commercial banks, other).

2.Fund Mobilization Strategy: Develop a fund mobilization strategy aligned with the investment strategy, covering the different element of the vehicle (s) (i.e. different level of seniority/subordination; de-risking instruments, etc); type of resources (i.e. concessional and commercial funding); and type of investors (i.e. philanthropic, foundations, impact investors, DFIs, LFIs, institutional investors, etc.)

3.Stakeholder Consultations: Throughout the assignment, but critically, in the early phases, undertake consultations with government counterparts, local stakeholders, finance providers, bilateral and multilateral development partners and other constituents as necessary to ensure that the pilot vehicle(s) address local financing needs and address market failures.  Consultations will also include numerous interactions with the CIP partners.

4.Pipeline development: Identification of bankable transaction opportunities aligned with the proposed investment strategy in target countries and development of an initial pipeline of concrete transactions. The pipeline should identify tangible investment opportunities, including information on the potential recipients of the funding.

5.Investor engagement strategy and advocacy: Support UNDP and CIP partners with discussions with potential investors/funders, including development of a CIP Investment Strategy presentation and fact sheets for 7-10 pipeline investments, teaser and brochure.

6.Convene and Co-Manage Expert Working Group: In collaboration with the CIP Global Lead in UNDP, establish and convene a small consultative group of internal stakeholders and external experts, with regional, thematic and financing expertise.

7.Present Strategy: Preparation of key written documents (see below) and presentation to internal and external stakeholders as required.

These tasks are expected to be completed through a combination of (1) home-based preparatory work and desk review, (2) remote work (teleconference, webinars, etc.) with UNDP staff and CIP partners.

Information on Working Arrangements

• The consultant will be home-based; 

• The consultant will report to and be directly supervised by the UNDP CIP global Lead who is based in New York; 

• The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;

• The Consultants will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;

• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones; and

• Payments will be made upon submission of completed deliverables and certification of payment form upon acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on outputs delivered. 

Competencies

Corporate 

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards; 
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; 
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism. 

Technical 

• Ability to strengthen and maintain the capabilities of individuals, societies, organizations and governments to set and achieve development objectives overtime (Capacity Development); 
• Knowledge of development planning processes and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations (Development Planning); 
• Ability to productively share UNDP Knowledge and activities (Advocacy); 
• Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply strategic and/or practical situations (Sustainable Development). 

Functional 

Communications 

• Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner. 

Professionalism 

• Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously; 
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills; 
• Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner. 

Teamwork  

• Works well in a team; 
• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks; 
• Focuses on results for the client;  
• Welcomes constructive feedback

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Qualifications Criteria (Pass/Fail):

• Master's degree in Finance, business and administration or another relevant field;
• Minimum of 15 years’ experience working in Finance and Financial Advisory Services;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (Can be demonstrated if the candidate has earlier worked in an English working environment, and/or has any formal English language training/certification).

Evaluation Criteria (Scoring Criteria):

• At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in structuring investment vehicles with sustainable development objectives, including climate impacts; (Max 10 Points);
• Proven successful resources and investment mobilization for at least 3 financial vehicles (funds, credit lines, etc.) combining different type of investors (i.e. DFIs, impact investors, commercial investors, etc.) (Max 15 Points);
• At least 5 years of proven experience in developing innovative climate finance mechanisms; (Max 10 Points);
• Experience working in developing country contexts;(Max 5 points);
• Experience working with DFIs, multilateral organizations, United Nations and/or the UNDP system an advantage.(Max 5 points);

• Knowledge of another UN language is desirable (max 5 points).

Documents to be submitted:

• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) and/or CV including Education/Qualification, Professional Certification, Employment Records /Experience to be downloaded from the link;P11.

• Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the eTendering system when submitting the application;
• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment;
• For more information on how to prepare and submit proposals through eTendering link-eTendering information portal for bidders

A.Financial proposal:

• The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment); 
• Financial Proposal must be submitted as a separate file encrypted with a password. None of the financial proposal data is disclosed in other documents of the submission. UNDP shall request password for opening the Financial Proposal only from the Proposers who are deemed technically compliant;
• DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR PRICE IN THE LINE ITEMS IN THE ETENDERING SITE. YOU MUST PUT PRICE AS “1” AND PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL PROPOSAL AS PASSWORD PROTECTED DOCUMENT.

1.Selection Criteria:

The award of contract will be made to one individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as being:

1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
2. Achieving the highest combined score (financial and technical).

• The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max. 50 points] and interview [max. 20 points]) will be based on a maximum 70 points;
• Only the top 4 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 35 points (70%) from the review of education, experience and language will be considered for the interview;
• Candidates obtaining 14 points or higher in the interview will be deemed technically compliant and considered for financial evaluation;

Post Link: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=83372