Senior Climate Finance International Consultant for Central Asia

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, safety!

The overall purpose of the assignment is to support five UNICEF Country Offices in Central Asia by identifying climate finance opportunities, including the development of project concept ideas, which will serve as the foundation for drafting concept notes. The consultant will develop submission-ready climate finance proposals/concept notes across thematic areas aligned with UNICEF’s mandate, including but not limited to education, health, and social protection. Additionally, the assignment will provide tailored, on-demand strategic and technical guidance to five Country Offices in Central Asia, considering each country’s unique context, to enhance their climate finance initiatives.

Scope of Work:

UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) showed that nearly 15 million children in Central Asia are vulnerable to climate change and 10 million children are classified as extremely vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation. This threatens every aspect of their health and well-being – from pregnancy to adolescence.

The negative effects of climate change in Central Asia are alarming – the rise in air temperature in Central Asia is twice the global average, and a third of the glaciers have melted. Nearly every child – 93 per cent of all children in the region – is exposed to excessive levels of air pollutants detrimental to their health and development.

Climate change significantly affects the delivery of social services that children rely on in Central Asia, a region particularly vulnerable to its impacts. The region’s geographical and climatic diversity, ranging from mountainous areas to arid deserts, exacerbates the challenges posed by climate change. UNICEF aims to protect the lives, health and well-being of children and the resilience of their communities by supporting their long-term development and the adaptation of essential social services – including social protection, health, WASH and education – to a changing climate and a degrading environment.

Globally only 2.4% of multilateral climate funds over the past 17 years has supported child-responsive projects. Considering the scale and severity of the problem, comprehensive child-centered action is urgently needed to protect children in Central Asia. Promoting child sensitive climate policies informed by child disaggregated data, plans and strategies and investments in health, education and social protection represent key priorities for UNICEF.

Key areas of focus for the mitigation investments include energy sector transformation, energy efficiency measures to reduce emissions in residential, public, and private buildings, and reducing vehicle demand and transitioning to electrical vehicles to decrease emissions from transport sector.

Public buildings, particularly those in the education and health sectors, are often highly energy inefficient in Central Asia. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), public buildings in many parts of the region are characterized by outdated and poorly maintained infrastructure, leading to significant energy loss and suboptimal indoor environments. Many schools and healthcare facilities in Central Asia suffer from poor thermal comfort and inadequate ventilation. During winter, temperatures inside buildings can be extremely low, leading to an over-reliance on inefficient heating systems. This not only increases energy consumption but also fails to provide a comfortable environment for students and patients.

In this context, UNICEF Uzbekistan is seeking a highly motivated individual consultant to develop a climate change rationale for children in Central Asia, create submission-ready climate finance proposals/concept notes targeting priority donors, including but not limited to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), World Bank and others, and provide strategic leadership to Country Offices (COs) in Central Asia in advancing climate finance initiatives.

The consultant will drive these efforts across thematic areas aligned with UNICEF’s mandate, including but not limited to education, health, and social protection. The key objectives and tasks of this consultancy include:

Lead the Development and Submission of a Bankable Climate Finance Project Pipeline

• Lead the creation of a project pipeline by developing and facilitating in submitting at least 5 bankable proposals/concept notes, in consultation with ECARO and Central Asia COs, ensuring alignment with investment criteria of priority climate finance donors such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and others (e.g., Adaptation Fund).
• Review existing energy audits of educational and/or health facilities to define measurable outcome indicators for adaptation and mitigation, integrating these into the 5 bankable proposals/concept notes to maximize their fundability.
• Identify specific climate finance opportunities (e.g., GCF funding windows, GEF grants) and facilitate the submission of the 5 proposals/concept notes to selected donors, ensuring they reflect country priorities and UNICEF’s child-focused mandate across thematic areas (e.g., health, education, social protection, and beyond).
• If existing UNICEF climate finance proposals/concept notes are available, assess and refine up to at least 5 of them (1 per each country) for submission to relevant donors, prioritizing those with the highest funding potential based on design strength, feasibility, and alignment with national and donor priorities, achieving at least 3 additional submission-ready proposals/concept notes.
• Analyze gaps in the concept note development process or CO capacity, based on findings from the review, development, and prioritization efforts, delivering a concise gap summary with actionable recommendations to enhance future climate finance initiatives across all five CA countries.
• Lead the analysis of gaps in the concept note development process and the COs’ capacity, based on insights from the review, development, and prioritization of concept notes, delivering a concise gap summary with actionable recommendations to strengthen future climate finance initiatives across all five Central Asian countries.
• Deliver at least 3 capacity-building initiatives (e.g., a workshop, a toolkit, and a webinar) for the COs, based on identified gaps, to strengthen their ability to craft and pitch bankable climate finance proposals independently by the consultancy’s end.

Provide technical and strategic oversight and support to the COs based on requests from the COs.

• Conduct webinars on climate finance to sensitize and inform the COs on climate finance opportunities and the climate rationale on mitigation and adaptation related to UNICEF priority sectors.
• Support the COs on demand based on their needs and opportunities.
• Assist the COs in preparing the compliance for possible climate finance project proposals and climate rationale.
• Assist the COs in identifying possible partners for co-financing given the opportunity and scope of the work.

Work Assignments Overview – Deliverables/Outputs – Delivery deadline

1. Conduct a desk review of climate finance priorities, projects and programmes in Central Asia – 30 May 2025 (15 w/d)

• Review major national, multilateral and IFI’s investments in climate adaptation and mitigation to identify which types of projects and/or programmes have been approved relevant to UNICEF’s key sectors
• Identify gaps and opportunities for climate finance where UNICEF’s comparative advantage and mandate can make the greatest impact

Deliverable 1.1: Actionable Climate Finance Opportunity Analysis, including country-specific funding priorities and gaps and recommendations, to inform concept note development

2. Develop a comprehensive cross-sectoral climate change rationale for climate change and children in Central Asia – 1 Jul 2025 (20 w/d)

• In consultation with the five COs, develop country specific climate change rationales based on climate change priorities of the Ministries of Environments and other sector Ministries’ priorities. The rationale should include mitigation, adaptation and across thematic priority sectors for UNICEF (health, education, social protection and other)

Deliverable 2.1.: Five (5) Consolidated Climate Change Rationales, integrating inputs from five COs, to be used in proposals/concept notes

3. Develop proposals/concept notes on Climate Finance for Country Offices in Central Asia – 30 Aug 2025 (35 w/d)

• In consultation with COs and ECARO, identify project ideas in the region for climate financing and co-financing based on the needs and opportunities and country priorities. These project ideas should include mitigation, adaptation and across thematic projects for UNICEF’s priority sectors (health, education, social protection)
• Develop project proposals/concept notes for the identified project ideas.

Deliverable 3.1.: At least 5 project ideas identified for climate financing and/or co-financing

Deliverable 3.2.: At least 5 submission-ready proposals/concept notes developed

4. Identification and Development of Bankable Climate Finance Projects – 31 Dec 2025 (40 w/d)

• Review existing infrastructure audits of educational and/or health facilities and define measurable outcome indicators for adaptation and mitigation.
• In consultation with ECARO and the COs, identify three (3) bankable programmes and develop projects, ensuring that key investment criteria have been met.

Deliverable 4.1: A report summarizing the findings from reviewed infrastructure audits of educational and/or health facilities, with measurable outcome indicators for adaptation and mitigation.

Deliverable 4.2.: Three (3) bankable project concept notes focused on infrastructure adaptation and mitigation developed in line with investment criteria.

5. Provide technical and strategic oversight and support to COs based on requests from COs – 30 May 2025-31 Dec 2025 (50 w/d)

• Conduct webinars on climate finance to sensitize and inform the COs on the climate finance opportunities and the climate rationale on mitigation and adaptation related to UNICEF priority sectors
• Support COs on demand based on their needs and opportunities
• Assist COs in preparing the compliance for possible climate finance project proposals and climate rationale
• Assist COs in identifying possible partners for co-financing given the opportunity and scope of the work.

Deliverable 5.1: At least 5 webinars on climate finance for five COs conducted

Deliverable 5.2: Report on technical and strategic support delivered and COs confirmation of received support

Travel: The consultant will take roundtrip flights to Tashkent. If necessary, travel to neighboring countries will be arranged from Tashkent following UNICEF’s cost-effective travel policies.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree in Climate Finance, Environmental Sciences, Climate Change, International Development, Economics, Public Policy, Finance for Development, Social Sciences, or other related disciplines.
• Minimum eight (8) years’ work experience in the areas of climate finance and/or climate change.
• Demonstrated past experience in design of climate finance proposals, climate finance investments cases.
• Experience in capacity building, government relationship building, training and/or facilitation an asset.
• Previous experience working in the Central Asia region is an asset;
• Knowledge of the United Nations system or other international organizations is an asset;
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights is an asset.

Skills and attributes desired:

• Proven experience of working with IFIs
• Proven experience in proposal development
• Understanding of climate finance for children
• Excellent communication, facilitation and presentation skills
• High level of analytical ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data, including using relevant software packages;
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality, concise, analytical and insightful reports and presentations in English;
• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas;
• Strategic thinking and critical analysis;
• Commitment and drive, with a clear focus on results;
• Ability to manage competing priorities under pressure, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines;
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Russian is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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