Result of Service
As a member of the FFDS team operating in close coordination with the RCO Samoa MCO and the PIIF Secretariat, the Consultant will provide efficient, timely, responsive, client-oriented and high-quality programme management services in the management and coordination of the UN-PIIF Joint SDG Fund project. The ultimate results of services are expected to include the following:
Output 1: Inception report and consolidated annual/quarterly implementation workplans developed and agreed with UN partners and PIIF, reflecting sequenced activities aligned with ProDoc deliverables and milestones.
Output 2: Baseline capacity assessment of the 21 PIIF member funds and the PIIF Secretariat completed, with maturity ratings across SDG assessment, risk and compliance, and ESG compliance domains, a gap analysis against international norms, and prioritised recommendations informing the screening framework and capacity-building programme.
Output 3: Project-level monitoring operationalized, with results-based tracking of progress against the ProDoc results framework, and periodic progress reports consolidated and quality-checked for submission to UN partners and the Joint SDG Fund.
Output 4: Budget execution monitoring mechanism established and maintained, with an updated risk register and mitigation follow-up log, and administrative/contractual reporting requirements tracked in line with the Joint SDG Fund implementation modalities.
Output 5: Coordination mechanisms with the PIIF Secretariat functioning effectively, including regular project meetings and technical consultations to ensure well-targeted and non-duplicative technical assistance and capacity building.
Output 6: Final/annual project completion report prepared, capturing overall implementation performance, lessons learned, and handover notes for continuity of coordination functions. Performance indicators for evaluation of outputs
The baseline capacity assessment is methodologically sound, completed on schedule, and provides a usable baseline and actionable recommendations accepted by ESCAP, the RCO Samoa MCO and the PIIF Secretariat.
Coordination with the PIIF Secretariat is effective, ensuring technical assistance and capacity building are well-targeted and delivered without duplication.
Coordination with ESCAP, ITU and RCO Samoa MCO is effective and clear, ensuring all UN entities are aware and informed, inputs from PUNOs are considered and incorporated, and correct approvals have been obtained for actions.
Implementation plans are consolidated in a timely manner and appropriately reflect the priorities and timelines of UN partners.
Progress reports are accurate, timely, and meet the quality standards required by UN partners and the Joint SDG Fund.
Budget execution monitoring and risk management are conducted proactively, with issues identified and corrective actions proposed in a timely manner.
Deliverables are submitted on time and require minimal revision prior to acceptance by ESCAP and RCO Samoa MCO.
Expected duration
15 November 2026 to 15 November 2027
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. The Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division (MPFD) supports member States in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through evidence-based policy research, technical assistance and capacity-building.
Within MPFD, the Financing for Development Section (FFDS) supports member States in strengthening sustainable finance ecosystems, enhancing financial sector resilience, and mobilizing financing aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This consultancy is established to provide sustainable finance expertise and project-level coordination for the three-year UN-PIIF (Pacific Islands Investment Forum) partnership under the project “Harnessing Institutional Investment Funds for SDG Acceleration in the Pacific,” financed by the Joint SDG Fund and jointly implemented by UN partners (including ESCAP and ITU as the UN’s implementing partners) and PIIF, within the implementation architecture set out in the Project Document (ProDoc). The project begins in late 2026 and will continue for 3 years.
This initial consultancy can be extended subject to good performance. The Consultant, also known as the Senior Project Manager of the UN-PIIF Joint SDG Fund project, will conduct a baseline capacity assessment of PIIF member funds and the PIIF Secretariat, and will provide project-level coordination in planning, monitoring, risk management, and stakeholder engagement among UN partners and PIIF, ensuring coherent implementation of the activities set out in the ProDoc. The Consultant will function as a Joint SDG Fund focal point in close working relationship with the PIIF Secretariat.
Institutional Arrangements / Supervision
1. The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Chief of the Financing for Development Section, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, ESCAP, and the direct supervision of the Regional Advisor on Green Finance, Financing for Development Section, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, ESCAP, as the First Reporting Officer (FRO).
2. For substantive and technical matters related to the UN-PIIF Joint SDG Fund project, the Consultant will coordinate closely with the UN Resident Coordinator for the Samoa Multi-Country Office and Co-Chair of the Joint Programme Steering Committee, at the Resident Coordinator Office Samoa Multi-Country Office (RCO Samoa MCO), who will provide substantive co-supervision. The Consultant will be based on a day-to-day basis at the Resident Coordinator Office Samoa Multi-Country Office (RCO Samoa MCO), and will liaise closely with the PIIF Secretariat as required to carry out coordination functions.
3. The Consultant’s duty station will accordingly be the Resident Coordinator Office Samoa Multi-Country Office (RCO Samoa MCO). RCO Samoa MCO will provide substantive guidance on project implementation and stakeholder coordination in Samoa and with PIIF on a day-to-day basis, while ESCAP, through the First Reporting Officer, will retain supervisory roles related to technical guidance on sustainable finance issues, administrative oversight, contract management, and performance evaluation of the Consultant throughout the assignment.
4. The Consultant is expected to:
(a) Maintain regular communication with both ESCAP and RCO Samoa MCO through bi-weekly check-ins;
(b) Submit all draft deliverables simultaneously to both ESCAP and RCO Samoa MCO for consolidated technical review and comments;
(c) Address feedback from both entities prior to submitting final versions;
(d) Maintain close working-level collaboration with the PIIF Secretariat to ensure the baseline assessment, technical assistance and capacity building under the ProDoc are delivered in a coherent and non-duplicative manner.
5. Acceptance of Deliverables and Payment: Final approval of milestones and authorization of payments will be administered by the First Reporting Officer (ESCAP) upon receipt of written concurrence from RCO Samoa MCO confirming satisfactory quality of the outputs. The consultant will undertake the following tasks: A. Project planning and delivery coordination:
Establish the Joint Programme (JP) delivery architecture across the three ProDoc outputs: define the governance cadence, a RACI/responsibility matrix distinguishing PIIF-led activities from UN-led activities and clarifying decision rights, and escalation paths between PUNOs, PIIF and the RCO.
Prepare an inception report and a consolidated, sequenced action plan covering all activities in the final, to-be-agreed workplan, mapping the three years of envisioned work, with agreed results, deliverables, responsibilities, and final operational budgets.
Maintain an integrated implementation tracker across all three outputs (covering milestones, dependencies, deliverable status, owners, deadlines).
Undertake stakeholder mapping across UN partners, PIIF Secretariat and member funds, host government, and development partners.
Facilitate and coordinate UN inter-agency joint planning sessions, and ensure that activities are properly staffed, resourced and supported.
Ensure alignment of PIIF’s workplans with ProDoc deliverables, milestones, and timelines. B. Results-based monitoring, reporting, and performance:
Lead project-level tracking of progress against outputs and outcomes using agreed ProDoc results frameworks.
Establish tracking against the Joint SDG Fund global indicators (Annex 1.2, Engine Rooms 3 and 4), including the market-ready pipeline, the ≥30% pipeline-to-financing conversion, and the 1:22 leverage ratio.
Prepare, consolidate, and quality-check periodic progress reports to meet the requirements of UN partners, the Joint SDG Fund, and PIIF.
Identify performance gaps and propose corrective actions (such as reprogramming inputs, adjusting timelines, clarifying responsibilities).
Capture results, lessons learned and handover materials for continuity of coordination beyond the assignment if needed. C. Joint SDG Fund management and compliance coordination:
Coordinate budget execution monitoring and ensure expenditures remain consistent with approved plans and implementing modalities.
Track contractual/administrative reporting requirements connected to Joint SDG Fund project implementation (as applicable to the ProDoc architecture).
Lead or coordinate risk and issues management by maintaining an updated risk register and mitigation follow-up.
Track compliance with Joint SDG Fund brand and donor-visibility guidelines across partner outputs. D. Steering Committee, Stakeholder engagement and partnership facilitation:
Provide working-level coordination with the PIIF Secretariat to ensure technical assistance and capacity building are well-targeted and effectively delivered.
Service the JP Steering Committee (co-chaired by the RC Samoa MCO and the PIIF Board Chair), including preparing agendas, workplan and budget submissions for endorsement, minutes, and action registers, for its at-least-annual meetings aligned to the PIIF Board cycle.
Coordinate the establishment of PIIF governance arrangements under Activity 1.1.3 (Governance Board terms of reference, member appointments, meeting servicing).
Follow up on Steering Committee decisions, translate them into assigned tasks, and drive action closure.
Maintain effective communication channels between UN partners, PIIF, and operational focal points on key deliverables and progress.
Lead or coordinate the organization of project meetings and technical consultations with PIIF aligned with the ProDoc workplan.
Support knowledge-sharing and replication activities on an ad-hoc basis, including preparation for global and regional UN events, as decided upon by the Steering Committee. E. Baseline capacity assessment of PIIF members and Secretariat In close collaboration with the PIIF Secretariat, undertake a baseline assessment of the SDG-impact assessment, risk and compliance, and ESG compliance capacities of the 21 PIIF member funds and the Secretariat, benchmarked against international norms, to establish the baseline for the Output 1.1 and 1.2 indicators and to inform the design of the screening framework (Activity 1.2.1) and capacity-building programme. The assessment will include:
Structured interviews with the 21 PIIF institutional investor member funds to establish current SDG-impact screening practices, in-house risk and compliance functions, ESG governance arrangements, and self-identified capacity gaps, with findings captured against a common maturity framework.
Desk research on the sustainable finance policy and regulatory frameworks applicable across PIIF member jurisdictions (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands and other member States), and benchmarking of member and Secretariat practice against international norms such as the PRI, TCFD/ISSB disclosure standards, IFC Performance Standards, and OECD responsible business conduct guidance.
Interviews with multilateral development banks, development finance institutions and climate funds (e.g., ADB, World Bank/IFC, GCF) and bilateral partners (DFAT, MFAT) to identify fiduciary, ESG and due-diligence expectations that PIIF would need to meet to access co-financing and partnerships.
Assessment of the PIIF Secretariat’s own institutional capacity — fiduciary standards, risk management procedures, ESG and SDG-screening competencies, and staffing — against the requirements for a sustainable regional investment platform, informing Activities 1.1.4 and 1.2.1.
A consolidated baseline report with a capacity maturity rating per domain (SDG assessment, risk and compliance, ESG compliance), a gap analysis against international norms, and prioritised recommendations feeding directly into the training curriculum.
Qualifications/special skills
Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field (e.g., finance, economics, public policy or other relevant discipline) is required; a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Completion of degree or non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science is an advantage. A minimum of ten
(10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in sustainable development related project or programme management is required, including experience with multi-stakeholder coordination in the context of development cooperation, and experience in designing and implementing partnership and resource mobilization strategies. Experience with working in financial policymaking, regulatory capacities, or within financial institutions is required.
Knowledge of and experience with sustainable finance is desirable, as is experience with pension funds and institutional investors in the Pacific region including Australia and New Zealand. Experience of leading results-based projects in sustainable development is required, including monitoring frameworks, indicators, and performance reporting; proven ability to manage risks and resolve operational issues is required.
Excellent interpersonal, drafting, facilitation, and coordination skills are required, with a proven ability to work collaboratively across multicultural environments and with both technical and non-technical stakeholders; strong analytical and written communication skills, and proficiency in standard office/project/portfolio tools and structured documentation are advantages. Demonstrated Pacific experience (including familiarity with Pacific regional coordination frameworks and development priorities), detailed working knowledge of the PIIF Secretariat’s operations, and at least two
(2) years of experience in data analytics or a related area are desirable.
Languages
Excellent written and spoken English is required.
Additional Information
Total USD 84k for twelve months upon the satisfactory delivery of final deliverables. The Consultant’s performance will be jointly assessed by ESCAP and RCO Samoa MCO, and final payment authorization is contingent on both parties confirming satisfactory delivery of the outputs described above. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for further consideration.