Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Agency: UNCDF
Grade: P4
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Duration: One year, with possibility of extension
Application Deadline: 11 December 2025
Schedule: Full time
Education: Master’s degree with 7 years’ experience or Bachelor’s degree with 9 years’ experience
Languages: English required; French, Spanish, or Arabic desirable
About UNCDF
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) was established under General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) as an autonomous UN organization dedicated to supporting the economic development of least developed countries. UNCDF mobilizes and catalyzes capital flows for investments that advance the Sustainable Development Goals. It operates as a flagship catalytic blended finance platform, uniquely positioned in the UN system to deploy grants, loans, and guarantees to crowd in public and private financing.
UNCDF focuses on three priority areas:
- SME Finance
- Sub-National Finance
- Digital Finance
Its work supports local financial systems, strengthens investment environments, promotes climate-aligned financing, and enables Member States to scale impactful investments. Regional hubs are located in Dakar, Nairobi, and Bangkok, with additional presence in the Pacific and Caribbean regions.
Position Purpose
Under the 2026–2029 Strategic Framework, UNCDF is scaling its work in subnational finance by developing comprehensive financial derisking models that address fiscal reform, climate finance, capital market access, and investment pipeline development. A central component of this strategy is advancing partnerships with National Development Banks (NDBs) to unlock domestic capital for SDG-aligned and climate-resilient investments.
Many NDBs, particularly in LDCs, face challenges related to institutional capacity, accreditation, and risk management. The Catalyzing Local Finance Specialist will support these institutions to strengthen climate finance access, leverage blended finance tools, and advance investment readiness. The Specialist will provide technical advisory support, strengthen NDB partnerships, build investment pipelines, and contribute to UNCDF’s broader agenda on subnational climate finance.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Strategic Positioning and Partnership Development
- Map National Development Banks across priority countries and assess their capacity to support climate and subnational financing.
- Develop a typology of partnership models, including co-financing, guarantee facilities, blended structures, and technical assistance packages.
- Identify opportunities for joint programming with multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, and vertical climate funds.
- Contribute to a strategic framework outlining UNCDF’s value proposition and engagement strategy with NDBs.
2. Climate Finance and Direct Access Enablement
- Provide technical advisory support to NDBs on meeting fiduciary, environmental, and social safeguard standards for direct access accreditation.
- Design climate finance instruments such as green credit lines and performance-based grants tailored to NDB capacities.
- Structure blended finance solutions leveraging UNCDF’s capital deployment instruments to derisk NDB portfolios.
3. Pipeline Development and Investment Readiness
- Identify and structure pipelines for climate-aligned investments in infrastructure, energy, water, digital systems, and resilient services.
- Support municipalities and NDBs in developing feasibility studies, financial models, and investment documentation.
- Provide guidance on vertical and thematic climate funding proposals, including submissions to the GCF or Adaptation Fund.
- Identify mechanisms to integrate grant funding with concessional or commercial capital.
4. Subnational Finance Integration and Knowledge Management
- Align NDB engagement with UNCDF’s subnational finance strategy, including blended finance mechanisms, pooled financing, and municipal creditworthiness.
- Support integration of local finance instruments such as LoCAL and PBCRGs into NDB financing windows.
- Develop guidance notes, toolkits, and learning resources for country teams and partners.
- Facilitate peer learning among NDBs and contribute to UNCDF thought leadership.
Competencies
- Strategic thinking, systems thinking, and portfolio management
- Innovation, foresight, and adaptability
- Ability to build strategic partnerships and engage high-level stakeholders
- Strong analytical, advisory, and problem-solving capabilities
- Commitment to diversity and inclusion
Required Qualifications
- Education:
- Master’s degree in Economics, Public Finance, Development Finance, or related fields; or
- Bachelor’s degree with two additional years of qualifying experience.
- Experience:
- Minimum 7–9 years in sustainable finance, climate finance, or blended finance.
- Experience supporting National Development Banks in pipeline and capacity development.
- Private sector or financial sector experience in sustainability and blended finance.
- Experience in enterprise development, innovation, digital finance, or financial inclusion is desirable.
- Experience in project or portfolio management and partnership development is an asset.
- Languages:
- Fluency in English; proficiency in French, Spanish, or Arabic preferred.
Equal Opportunity and Safeguards
UNCDF is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and a respectful workplace. All candidates undergo reference and background checks. UNCDF does not charge fees at any stage of recruitment.
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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the seeking organization. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
