Nature and Social Junior Consultant

The consultant will support the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Nature team in project delivery and policy engagement activities, including the Revenues for Nature (R4N) project and participation in major global policy events. The role involves research, drafting, coordination, and ensuring integration of social and human rights considerations in nature-related finance projects.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of the Revenues for Nature (R4N) project, including research, drafting and review inputs to knowledge products, and coordination of consultations and partner engagement.
• Backstop the Nature team’s post-event engagement following major global policy events, including compiling and maintaining a record of all relevant engagements, synthesizing key outcomes and decisions, coordinating follow-up actions with partners and organizers, and assessing implications and opportunities for the financial sector.
• Ensure that all communications outputs reflect UNEP and UN core values, including human rights-based approach, the principle of leaving no one behind and gender equality and women’s empowerment, and contribute to internal awareness on these values.
• Support the implementation of UNEP FI’s 2026–2029 Social Action Plan by including all relevant measures from the plan in their work.
• Research, drafting and coordination input delivered to support R4N project activities, including at least one knowledge product and the delivery of one stakeholder engagement activity, such as a consultation process or partner roundtable.
• Briefing, coordination and follow-up materials prepared for the Nature team’s participation in at least one large global policy event, including a short note of outcomes relevant to the financial sector.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in environmental management, sustainable development, geography, finance, economics, public policy, international relations, or a related discipline is required.
• A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of a master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 4 years of relevant experience.
• At least two (2) years of experience in the environmental non-profit sector, the financial services sector, public policy, commercial consulting, or applied academic research on sustainable finance is required.
• Relevant experience in nature finance, nature markets, or the social and human rights dimensions of nature-related finance is desirable.
• Experience with biodiversity or nature credit markets, supporting international policy processes, or working with Indigenous Peoples and local communities is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Spanish, Portuguese or other United Nations languages is an asset.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work across different topics.
• Ability to cope with juggling multiple tasks across diverse projects in an organised and timely manner; attention to detail.
• Knowledge of nature finance and nature markets is desirable.
• Familiarity with social safeguards, human rights due diligence or social action planning is desirable.
• Experience of writing reports and briefing notes.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relations in a multicultural and geographically dispersed team.
• A hands-on, pragmatic approach is desirable.
• An interest in nature finance and the social dimension of sustainable finance is desirable.

Skills

• Environmental Management
• Sustainable Development
• Public Policy
• International Relations
• Sustainable Finance
• Nature Finance
• Nature Markets
• Social Safeguards
• Human Rights Due Diligence
• Social Action Planning
• Biodiversity Credit Markets
• Policy Engagement
• Report Writing
• Briefing Notes
• Project Coordination
• Research
• Multi-cultural Team Collaboration
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

Languages

English, Spanish, Portuguese