SEI HQ is recruiting for an experienced Sustainable Finance Expert to support with substantive advice, technical expertise and knowledge for the EPS team in finance and investment related to sustainable and just transitions in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries. You will provide technical support to national governments with cross-cutting transitional cross-sectoral policy work.
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Type of contract: Permanent with six-month probation period in accordance with collective agreement
Deadline: 12 January 2023
Start date: ASAP
Join our international non-profit research organization and help bridge environment and development science to policy and practice. SEI is a world-leading research institute in its field. We are a dynamic and expanding workplace that employs around 110 people from 28 different nationalities in an activity-based HQ office in central Stockholm (Garnisonen). We have an additional 200 employees in seven centres around the world.
The Environmental Policy and Strategy (EPS) team specializes in complex stakeholder dynamics management, focusing on transitional countries at the local, regional and national levels. The team supports governments in demand-driven sustainable, environmental and climate transitions in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. EPS team activities include developing and implementing comprehensive environmental strategy and action plans, designing and implementing support for national sustainability transition efforts and capacity building and support for EU approximation processes in different candidate or potential candidate countries.
The role
SEI HQ is looking for an experienced Sustainable Finance Expert to support with substantive advice, technical expertise and knowledge for the EPS team in the areas of finance and investment related to sustainable and just transitions in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries. You will contribute to building the team’s portfolio of work, providing technical support to national governments in Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Western Balkan (WB) countries with cross-cutting transitional cross-sectoral policy work.
Initially, the successful candidate will contribute to two projects: the Green Agenda for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine project and the five-year Sustainable Transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH SuTra) programme. The Green Agenda project aims to accelerate the green transition of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine through the development of national roadmaps (using a EU Green Deal lens). The BiH Sutra programme focuses on sustainable transitions at the municipal level.
The Sustainable Finance Expert will provide cutting-edge expertise and advice on how to enable finance for the green transition process in these countries. This entails a thorough understanding of financial instruments and innovation, how to mobilize public and private finance and what necessary frameworks should be developed to direct finance to green transitions in these countries. You will analyze existing relevant financing tools/schemes in the EU and EaP countries as well as WB countries. You will identify or propose possible opportunities for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to develop financing mechanisms for transition. The candidate will draw from extensive knowledge of the global sustainable and climate finance agenda, current climate investments standards and frameworks, innovations and best practices in the sector and an understanding of the national, regional and global contexts and drivers.
In the future, the Sustainable Finance Expert will be expected to network, fundraise and bring new project and partnership opportunities to SEI.
Key duties and responsibilities
General
- Build and lead EPS team’s sustainable finance portfolio
- Provide overall support to successful implementation of EPS projects and lead projects
- Together with EPS team members, support implementation of EPS Strategy and Action Plans and maintain highly collegial atmosphere
- Collaborate and support EPS team members working on Western Balkans-related projects and initiative
- Undertake research drawing on latest statistics and case studies, analyze data and country trends related to sustainable finance in EaP and WB countries
- Identify new partnerships and fundraising opportunities.
Green Agenda in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine project
- Lead project-based, transitional finance team covering Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
- Provide comprehensive analysis of existing financing and investment schemes in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine related to sustainable and just transition, including and not limited to domestic (country budgets, local financial institutions) and international finance (donor organizations, multilateral institutions, investment banks)
- Identify and assess existing gaps and challenges related to mobilizing finances for transition in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
- Analyze how economic instruments such as taxes, charges and subsidies, as well as public and private investments, can drive transformative change in line with sustainability ambitions in consideration of multiple trends and scenarios
- Provide thorough analysis of innovative instruments existing in the EU and elsewhere to attract and mobilize finance for green transition in above countries
- Suggest ways/possible solutions to develop different tools, frameworks and financial products for Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to direct finance to green transition
- Support production and diffusion of knowledge-based tools, such as policy positions/practice notes/concept and other research papers, to help influence/advance policy dialogue related to green transition
- Support the development of methodologies to provide “how-to” guidance on mobilizing finance for sustainable and just transition in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Sustainable Transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH SuTra) programme
- Lead analysis with main aim to understand financial landscape in BiH, identify opportunities and barriers for investments, including mobilization of private finance in BiH for environmental protection and climate change
- Support identification of financial mechanisms and tools for financing of just transition at local level in BiH, including suggesting new and innovative solutions
- Prepare and implement capacity-building programs for environmental stakeholders and local governments in BiH for mobilization of public and private finances for environment, climate change and just transition
- Support preparation of project fiches (operationalization of priorities and measures from environmental and local transition action plans) for further financing by supporting estimation of projects and identification of funding opportunities.
Required qualifications, competencies and experience
- Master’s degree in economics/development economics, international development, development finance or other closely related areas
- More than seven years of experience in the climate and sustainable finance sector
- A minimum of five years of experience in outreach for major initiatives or institutions involving multi-stakeholder engagement, intergovernmental negotiations and experience with the financial sector through the private or public sector
- Demonstrated experience in international thought leadership, development of global and sector guidance and best practice for climate and sustainable finance
- Experience with intergovernmental financial instruments and knowledge of climate finance required
- Demonstrated knowledge of global trends in climate and sustainable finance, including and not limited to UNFCCC climate finance, sustainable finance, green taxonomies, innovative and blended finance, green (and social) bonds, and impact investment
- Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering innovative fund mechanisms, including blended finance and PPP models
- Strong knowledge of financing programs/frameworks – InvestEU (including Just Transition Mechanism), Just Transition Fund, public sector loan facilities
- Thorough knowledge of and/or professional experience in EU and international environmental or climate policy frameworks, policy cycles and key decision-making processes
- Knowledge of and/or participation in EU Sustainable Finance Agenda
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and proven experience in producing high-quality documents
- Ability to distill key messages from complex source data/reports
- Ability to work effectively and meet deadlines.
Desirable
- Experience working with EU integration/accession processes related projects/programs
- Knowledge of one or more local languages of Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine)
- Previous experience working in EaP countries (Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and/or Western Balkans.
Our offer
At SEI HQ, we offer a stimulating position in an international environment. You will be part of a leading multinational, multidisciplinary and multilingual team of experts in an organization where the well-being and development of our employees is a high priority. We value diversity and creativity at the core of what we do. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Our ambition is to provide a safe, professional and creative workspace for all.
Employment at SEI HQ includes:
- Collective agreement, including occupational pension and many other collectively agreed benefits
- Annual healthcare contribution and additional benefits connected to promoting employee well-being such as yearly health checkups
- Opportunities for professional growth and development
- Flexible working hours, 37.5-hour work week and a generous number of vacation days
- Being part of a world-leading organizational that works to bridge science to policy and practice in the fields of the environmental and development.
Additional information
This is a full-time permanent position with placement at SEI HQ in Stockholm, Sweden. We apply a standard six-month probation period. The start date is as soon as possible or by arrangement.
You do not need to be a Swedish or EU citizen nor have a work or residence permit to apply for a job at SEI HQ.
SEI has a hybrid work environment, which allows employees to share their time between the SEI office and working remotely from their homes in Sweden. Please note that it is not possible to work outside of Sweden.
How to apply
Please submit your application as soon as possible. We are continuously reviewing applications, so we strongly encourage early applicants but no later than 12 January 2023, 23:59 Stockholm local time. We only accept applications in English that are submitted through our recruitment system. Please apply online using the button below and include:
- Cover letter highlighting relevant qualifications and experience and why you are motivated for this position
- Curriculum vitae.
Questions?
Inquiries concerning the content of the position can be directed to Bernardas Padegimas, Team Lead – Environmental Policy and Strategy (bernardas.padegimas@sei.org).
Inquiries concerning the recruitment process can be directed to My Persson, Recruitment and Competence Specialist (my.persson@sei.org).
About SEI
Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is an international non-profit research and policy organization that tackles environment and development challenges. We connect science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future for all. Across our eight centres in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, we engage with policy processes, development action and business practice throughout the world.
