Banking Governance and Membership Lead – UNOPS jobs in Switzerland

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a partnership between UNEP and the Global Financial sector to mobilize private sector finance for sustainable development.

UNEP FI works with more than 460 banks, insurers, and investors and over 160 supporting institutions- to help create a financial sector that serves people and the planet while delivering positive impacts. UNEP FI aims to inspire, inform, and enable financial institutions to improve people’s quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

The initiative supports implementation of programmes at a regional level across Africa & the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean and North America.

UNEP FI convenes financial institutions to advance knowledge and practice in areas including, climate, nature, pollution & circular economy, the SDGs & impact and social issues. Also this initiative convenes three finance sector ‘net-zero” alliances, and is working with key stakeholder to help member align portfolios with science-based greenhouse gas emissions pathways through interim targets:

1. Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (‘AOA’): Launched in 2019, with more than 70 institutional asset owners
2. Net Zero Banking Alliance (‘NZBA’): Launched in 2021 with over 115 banks, with the majority of NZBA members are PRB signatories that are setting ambitious climate targets
3. Net-Zero insurance Alliance (‘NZIA’) Launched in 2021, convening 30 leading insurers representing about 12% of world premium, working together to establish the transition to net-zero insurance.

In this context, the UNOPS objective is to provide full operational support to UNEP for the project entitled “UNEP Finance Initiative”

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Banking, the incumbent will be responsible for the below:

1.  Managing the Governance and Membership team which is responsible for managing and maintaining the integrity of the membership database, communicating with the banking membership and external communications under the guidance of the UNEP FI Communications team, supporting the banking governance bodies and their work, and delivering capacity building

2. Planning and delivering an annual work plan for the team, and overseeing its implementation, which will include delivery of support services to the membership including onboarding processes for new members, support workshops, and regional capacity building; a communications strategy, and data management strategy.

3. Coordinate with the Banking Team Leads to ensure seamless delivery of services to the banking membership across all Banking sub-teams.

4. Work closely with the Regional Coordination team to plan, agree and roll out appropriate capacity building activities for the membership in the regions and agreed countries.

5. Coordinate with the UNEP FI Head of Communications on the Banking communications strategy and its roll out, and ensure the Banking team is adequately supported with communications for important launches, publications and announcements.

6. Ensure that the data management process is fit for purpose and delivers necessary information timeously.

7. Overseeing and working with colleagues on the planning and roll out of training modules under the Principles for Responsible Banking Academy.

The incumbent will be responsible for the Governance and Membership team within UNEP FI’s tasked with managing the relationships with UNEP FI’s banking membership, informing and supporting banking members, and managing and working together with the Banking governance bodies and external stakeholders. The role involves managing a team, determining the strategic direction and focus of the team and its work, coordinating with other teams within UNEP FI, primarily the Regional Coordination, Communications, and Training teams, and overseeing the team budget.

The incumbent will also be responsible for managing the overall standardized support services offered to banking members, to guide and support their implementation journey of the Principles for Responsible Banking, and ensuring the integrity and quality of the membership database, dashboards and related analytics.

Education : 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in one of the following:  Finance, banking and governance, management, environment, sustainable development, communications, marketing, international relations, social studies or a related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with an additional two (2) years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible working experience in Finance, banking governance, project or programme management, administration or related areas is required.
• Personnel supervisory experience is required.
• Experience working with the  private finance sector, including with banks, institutional  investors, and others is desirable.
• Skills in developing work  programs for a variety of private and public stakeholders in the banking sector is desirable.

Languages :

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.