Senior "Policy Consultant for the Chilean Taxonomy Implementation (Project Lead)

Result of ServiceThe Senior Policy Consultant for the Chilean Taxonomy Implementation (Project Lead) is required to lead this technical guidance and to work in tandem with subject matter local expert (Sustainable Finance Regulation Expert for Chilean Taxonomy), and key stakeholders to fulfill the sustainable finance taxonomy project for Chile, which includes the project objectives: Overall Outcome: The Chilean banking sector is prepared for the implementation of the Chilean Sustainable Finance Taxonomy through targeted capacity building, pilot testing, and generation of practical implementation guidance that supports regulators and financial institutions ahead of full adoption. Outcome 1: The foundational structures, tools, and initial evidence for piloting the Chilean Taxonomy in the banking sector are established and implemented. Output 1.1: Pilot Framework, Governance Structure Established • Deliverables: o One document outlining the high-level piloting process, including selection criteria for participating entities and describing the established working group, detailing roles and responsibilities within it. Output 1.2: Inception Report and Workplan Elaborated • Deliverables: o A comprehensive inception report in a presentation format, detailing the pilot’s scope, the tailored methodology for the banking sector, and a robust execution plan. It will include a detailed work plan, a description of required inputs, key milestones, and a clear outline of the working group’s structure, roles, and responsibilities within the pilot phase. Output 1.3: Capacity Building Program Designed and Delivered • Deliverables: o A detailed outline of the program’s structure and content, comprehensive materials developed, a record of participants any additional resources utilized during the programme Output 1.4: Test, pilot, and assess the Chile’s Taxonomy in the banks’ portfolios and processes • Deliverables: o Up to six presentations with the assessment of how each bank in Chile incorporates green loan classification into operational management (baseline situation analysis). In summary, the consultant shall deliver the following products: Product No. 1: “Foundations for the Piloting of the Chilean Sustainable Finance Taxonomy”. A consolidated report compiling: • The outline of the high-level piloting process, including selection criteria for participating entities and describing the established working group, detailing roles and responsibilities within it. • The comprehensive report in a presentation format, detailing the pilot’s scope, the tailored methodology for the banking sector, and a robust execution plan. It will include a detailed execution and coordination plan, a description of required inputs, key milestones, and a clear outline of the working group’s structure, roles, and responsibilities within the pilot phase. • The detailed outline of the program’s structure and content, comprehensive materials developed, a record of participants any additional resources utilized during the programme Product No. 2: “Baseline Diagnostic and Initial Assessment of the Chilean Taxonomy Piloting in the Banking Sector”. A consolidated report compiling: • Up to six presentations with the assessment of how each bank in Chile incorporates green loan classification into operational management (baseline situation analysis). The technical consultant to be hired must be a highly specialized expert who combines a solid background in the implementation of the European Union Taxonomy in the banking sector with a deep understanding of sustainable finance. The role is crucial for leading Outcome I of the project, which is centered on the pilot program, with the technical support on the ground of the national expert (Sustainable Finance Regulation Expert for Chilean Taxonomy) Specific tasks and responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for the LAC region, the consultant shall perform the following activities: Activity 1. Project set-up and governance Objective: To define the high-level process for the piloting phase of the Chile’s Taxonomy. Tasks: • Identify the main audience for the pilot exercise (potential bank participants). • Develop and document robust selection criteria for participating banks. The pilot should include a mix of financial institutions, representing different sizes, business models, public and private, having a heterogeneous portfolio in the economic sectors included in the Chile’s Taxonomy, representative market share, type of portfolio/financial products, among others. • Define the process for selecting participating entities based on the established criteria. • Engage the Baking Association of Chile to gain support for market readiness piloting. Seek its input on the selection criteria and the pilot process. • Identify and pre-select the financial entities that will participate in the piloting exercise. • Conduct introductory meetings with related stakeholders. • Establish the working group to conduct the pilot process. • Define the focal points, including representatives from selected financial institutions, CMF, and the banking association. • Define roles and responsibilities of each member within the working group. • Sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with all participating financial institutions. Activity 2. Inception Report and Workplan Elaboration Objective: To ensure thorough preparation and strategic planning for the pilot phase of the Chile’s Taxonomy in the banking sector, in close collaboration with the established working group. Tasks: • Conduct an internal kick-off meeting with the UNEP FI team to align project objectives and strategy. • Hold introductory meetings with relevant national stakeholders to discuss the expected application of Chile’s Taxonomy to determine the pilot's scope, address potential challenges, and gather initial input from national stakeholders. • Develop a comprehensive inception report. • Present the Inception Report to the established working group for the banking sector pilot for formal review and validation (serving as the official kick-off meeting for the working group). • Address any initial questions or concerns raised during the review and validation process. Activity 3: Capacity building on the implementation of Chile’s Taxonomy Objective: To enhance the technical capacity of participating banks during the pilot phase of Chile’s Taxonomy. This program will foster knowledge sharing and peer learning among the selected financial institutions. Tasks: • Develop and deliver a comprehensive capacity building programme tailored for selected pilot participants. • Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange sessions among participants. • Address any specific questions and concerns raised by participants during the programme. Activity 4: Test, pilot, and assess the Chile’s Taxonomy in the banks’ portfolios and processes Objectives: Conduct pilots for implementing the Chilean Taxonomy in the credit portfolio up to six banking entities. Tasks: o Phase 1. Initial assessment and data collection: the initial phase of the pilot involved conducting surveys and interviews to assess each bank’s sustainability management practices, environmental and social risk management frameworks, and governance structures for sustainability issues. Additionally, work with banks to identify a representative sample of green loans will be carried out for in-depth analysis. The composition and performance of each bank’s green loan portfolio, their alignment with the banks´ overall strategy and sustainability objectives, and their weight against the total portfolio will be assessed (quantitative and qualitative data). o Phase 2. Gap analysis: the processes defined within each banking entity for the management of green credits are analyzed (origination, labelling, monitoring and reporting, and closure), evaluating from an operational and technical perspective, the alignment of the credit with what is defined in the Taxonomy. This analysis is carried out based on information provided by the banks through surveys and/or process walkthroughs of the green credit granting process (qualitative and quantitative data). o Phase 3. Taxonomy application and testing: green credit products are categorized against the Taxonomy to identify alignment and gaps. o Create a detailed framework for assessing the alignment of individual loans with the taxonomy criteria. o Conduct 2 in-depth case studies per bank of selected green loans to understand the application of the Taxonomy in practice. o Identify challenges, gaps, and best practices for improvement. o Assess the effectiveness of the Taxonomy in guiding decision-making and improving the environmental performance of lending. o Develop a standardized reporting framework for financial institutions to report on their taxonomy-aligned activities. Consider aligning the reporting framework with existing sustainability reporting standards (e.g., TCFD/ISSB). o Together with the UNEP FI team, organize and coordinate periodic meetings with the pilot working group to present the progress, receive input, and share experiences during the piloting process. o Follow up at least one credit product per institution from the beginning to end to ensure that the technical conditions are aligned with the Taxonomy’s requirements, and ongoing monitoring is necessary to ensure compliance with these criteria throughout the project lifecycle. This follow-up will be subject to banks' availability and internal processes. Work LocationHOME-BASED Expected duration5 MONTHS Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, Panama works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 30 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. Global policy and regulatory measures on sustainable finance have increased substantially over the recent years. Public policy critically affects the ability of finance institutions to generate sustainable positive and reduce negative impacts through financing decisions. It affects the sustainability and stability of financial markets, as well as social, environmental and economic systems. Sustainable finance policies have become central to enabling and accelerating a successful transition. Chile officially launched its Taxonomy of Environmentally Sustainable Economic Activities (T-MAS) in May 2025. This classification system, developed by the Ministry of Finance, aims to define and standardize which economic activities are considered sustainable and based on what criteria. The objective of the T-MAS is to guide financing flows, provide certainty to the market, and facilitate the identification of sustainable projects, thereby promoting a transition to a low-carbon economy and greater transparency in green finance. After the launch of the Chile’s Taxonomy and according to the fifth structural element of the Structure of the Chilean Taxonomy , the Ministry of Finance of Chile is committed to supporting the Taxonomy's implementation with measures that will both legitimize the tool and guide and enable its use by entities, aiming to serve as a reference for its eventual incorporation into the national legal framework. The Implementation Framework must ensure the future development of the Taxonomy is not rigid, recognizing that the development process of this tool is dynamic, and certain design elements may be subject to future updates, modifications, and adjustments. Considering the context above, UNEP, in collaboration with the European Union through the EUROCLIMA Programme, is seeking a consultant for a 5-month position to provide expertise to the Ministry of Finance of Chile, the Commission for Financial Market of Chile, and the Superintendence of Pensions of Chile in the Chilean Taxonomy’s implementation. We are looking for Chile´s Sustainable Finance Banking Expert Regulation for the implementation of the Chile’s Taxonomy. Under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for the LAC region; and working in close collaboration with his/her team (Sustainable Finance Regulation Expert for Chilean Taxonomy), and relevant national stakeholders, the Senior Policy Consultant for the Chilean Taxonomy Implementation (Project Lead) is primarily responsible for implementing this technical advisory work in Chile. The goal is to enhance market readiness and build capacity within the banking sector before the full implementation of the Chile’s Taxonomy (whether voluntary or mandatory) and to ensure the effective integration of the Chile’s Taxonomy into existing regulatory and supervisory frameworks in the banking sector. This role is crucial for ensuring that the Chile Taxonomy is fully implemented and effectively contribute to the project's objectives. The consultant will work from home. Qualifications/special skillsEducation: • Bachelor’s Degree in the following areas: Environmental Management, Engineering, sciences, law, economics, business administration, international relations or finance studies is required. • Master’s Degree in the following areas: Environmental Management, Engineering, sciences, law, economics, business administration, international relations or finance studies is required. Professional experience: • Six (6) years of professional experience and expertise in sustainable finance, with special focus on the European Union sustainable finance policy frameworks, is required. • Three (3) years of working experience in the analysis and formulation of financial strategies and/or macroeconomic policies, is desirable. • Demonstrated hands-on experience in implementing the EU Taxonomy or similar initiatives within financial institutions’ portfolios and processes or similar actions in other business areas is desirable. • Experience in engaging with and providing guidance to financial regulators and supervisory bodies or other relevant regulators on the practicalities of the EU Taxonomy implementation or similar initiatives, is desirable • Strong familiarity with sustainable finance regulatory frameworks and an understanding of how taxonomies can be linked to national disclosure or labeling regimes is desirable. • Knowledge of sustainability disclosure regimes is an asset. • Exceptional analytical and reporting skills, with the ability to conduct in-depth assessments of banking processes and portfolios or real economy business models against sustainability criteria or climate performance models . The candidate must be skilled in performing gap analyses, identifying best practices, and formulating concrete policy recommendations is desirable. • Proven ability to lead complex projects, from conception to delivery, including defining project governance, managing diverse stakeholders, and overseeing project teams, is desirable. • Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical information to a variety of audiences, from senior bankers to regulators, is desirable. • A track record of designing and delivering tailored capacity-building programs, including workshops, peer-to-peer learning, and knowledge exchange sessions for financial sector professionals, is desirable. • Experience working with Latin American and Caribbean countries, is desirable. • Experience in analysing net-zero and climate-resilient economy topics from a national/regional/global perspective, with the ability to offer practical policy advice, is desirable. • Ability to deliver at speed and to adapt to client / country needs is desirable. Languages: • Fluent in English is required • Fluent in Spanish is desirable. Special skills/Knowledge: • Proficiency in using Microsoft Package (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) collaborative platforms (i.e., Teams, Google Drive) and virtual meeting platforms (i.e. Webex, Zoom, etc.) is desirable. • Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills; • Ability to present complex issues in simple and clear manner; • Ability to communicate trends and impacts to high-level and mid-senior level management; • Ability to consult, build, and maintain solid working relationships in and outside of immediate department; • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards; • Ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality results on time. Competencies: • Professionalism: Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. He/she shows pride in work and in achievements; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. • Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors’ language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • Teamwork: Is able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team to achieve organizational goals and to take leadership when appropriate; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. • Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. LanguagesNot available. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.