Job categories: Health, Project Management
Vacancy code: VA/2023/B5007/26502
Level: ICS-12
Department/office: ECR, GVA, Geneva
Duty station: Home based
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-3
Duration: Retainer, up to 100 days a year
Application period: 04-Aug-2023 to 20-Aug-2023
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
Background Information – Job-specific
Background Information – The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)
Operational since July 2021, SHF is a new and innovative Fund dedicated to SDG 6.2, by 2030 achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
The SHF mission is to catalyze vital investment into the sanitation economy and menstrual hygiene marketplaces to contribute to the world’s commitment that everyone will have access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene with the specific needs of women and girls, including menstrual health and hygiene (MHH), accounted for. Our presence is critical because global progress on achieving safe sanitation and hygiene is lagging due to insufficient finance and there is an urgent need to create more opportunities for further public and private investment into the sector.
The SHF is utilizing innovative financial approaches to catalyze the national sanitation economy and menstrual hygiene marketplaces. By doing this the SHF supports countries to increase the number of individuals with inclusive and sustainable access to improved sanitation, hygiene and MHH, by, a) Increasing the volume of investments in the sanitation economy and menstrual hygiene marketplaces and b) Realizing the full value of the national sanitation economy and menstrual hygiene marketplaces; delivering inclusive and sustainable goods, services and jobs.
Definitions:
The sanitation economy – A growing economy of sanitation and hygiene products and services, renewable resource flows, data and information that is transforming cities, communities, and gender-responsive businesses and driving progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It includes the products and services that provide safe toilet and handwashing access for all, whether public or private (“Toilet Economy”). It also is a system that connects the biocycle, using multiple forms of biological waste, recovering nutrients and water, creating value-adding products such as renewable energy, organic fertilizers, proteins and more (“Circular S&H Economy”). In addition, digitized sanitation and hygiene systems increasingly optimize data for operating efficiencies, maintenance, plus consumer use and health information insights (“Smart S&H Economy”).
The menstrual hygiene marketplace – A marketplace for menstrual hygiene materials, and development of related infrastructure, products and services including disposal and Femtech solutions. It is where all menstruators can access reusable and disposable menstrual materials, as per their choice and ability to afford, including the poorest and most vulnerable, and use gender-sensitive facilities and services that allow them to change, clean or dispose of materials safely. It also includes new and innovative technology including smart supply chains to extend reach, and recycling and reuse to reduce the impact on the environment.
Role of the Menstrual Hygiene Marketplace Maturity Measurement Advisor
The SHF wishes to develop criteria, for use by the Fund and its stakeholders, to objectively assess the maturity level of the menstrual hygiene marketplace in different countries and settings with the purpose of targeting investment to improve national markets’ readiness for investment and to accelerate public and private investments. Currently judgements about maturity are based on a combination of data sources that are limited in geographic scope and quality, general market shaping guidance that does not reflect the unique characteristics of the menstrual hygiene marketplace and subjective measures rather than systematically applied criteria that enables comparison within and between countries and regions. Criteria will also assist the process of country prioritization and related decision making. The assignment will:
- Design and recommend a set of criteria to assess market maturity in the menstrual hygiene marketplace in low-income and middle income countries. Relying on examples of more efficient markets to establish a minimum requirements for a functioning market and to derive market classifications that highlight improvements for both nascent and more developed markets. Factors to consider may include, but are not limited to: unique menstrual hygiene marketplace criteria (i.e. product standards, market penetration by product category); landscape of market actors; consumer data (i.e. purchasing power); ease of doing business; maturity and stability of the financial services industry; level of development of retail markets; regulatory environment and the maturity of regulatory institutions; or Import & export regulations.
- Enable SHF and their partners (e.g. governments, financing institutions or investors) to understand and compare market maturity in different settings and therefore assess risk, evaluate growth potential, analyze the competitiveness of the landscape of market actors, develop appropriate investment strategies, plan exit strategies, and navigate the regulatory landscape. It will also provide valuable insights to make informed investment decisions aligned with objectives and risk tolerance; and in doing so
- Ensure that any work undertaken by other stakeholders, is taken in to account and alignment sought.
Functional Responsibilities
The Advisor will:
- Fully discuss expectations and agree with SHF on the methodology, data sources and timeframe to arrive at a recommended set of criteria, associated framework and application guidance, for different audiences.
- Interview relevant experts and professionals in MHH and, importantly, in parallel markets (i.e. contraceptives, fast moving consumer goods, slow moving consumer goods), to source information and insights that will assist the process of arriving at criteria to assess market maturity in the menstrual hygiene marketplace in low and middle income countries; and where other stakeholders are doing complementary work, agree with SHF how to proceed with alignment, avoidance of any duplication of effort and ensure complementarity. Include the decision reached with SHF in the set of recommendations.
- Consider a range of factors that lead to investment decision making (for example, policy openness, the stage of development, market saturation and the potential for different types of return), including but not limited to:
- Risk assessment – mature markets generally have established rules, regulations, and infrastructure, making them more stable and predictable, whilst in contrast, emerging or nascent markets may be more volatile and subject to higher risks (e.g. the stability and maturity of the financial services sector or political and governance stability)
- Growth potential – allowing for stakeholders to gauge the growth potential of a market and determine the predictability of returns.
- Competitive landscape – allowing for insights into the competitive landscape along the entire value chain to understand the competitive dynamics, barriers to entry, and market saturation to make informed investment decisions.
- Investment strategy – informing and influencing investment strategies and enabling the SHF and potential investors to align their investment strategies with the characteristics and needs of the market.
- Timing and exit strategies – providing a basis for consideration of entry and exit based on factors such as targeting niche market segments, market success pathways, innovation, partners and potential
- Regulatory and enabling environment (including market access) – to assist governments to prioritize regulatory reforms, assist SHF to target technical assistance, to assist financing institutions and investors to navigate regulatory bodies and frameworks, less predictable regulatory landscapes and deal with legal and compliance challenges.
- Portfolio diversification – to assist SHF, financing institutions and investors to spread their risk across actors in the value chain, market segments, different geographies and conditions
- Medium and long-term planning – to inform forecasting and better predict market dynamics
Deliverables
- Detailed assignment methodology paper, citing which data sources are to be used, which experts are to be consulted and early identification of gaps and challenges.
- Work plan and estimated timeframe, to enable SHF to predict its own inputs and ensure staff (and Board & Impact Investment Committee) availability for discussion, review and comments. The work plan should allow for SHF intellectual and contract management engagement, progress check-ins, peer review and key stakeholder consultation (to be conducted remotely)
- A final report that includes:
- a recommended set of well defined criteria, expressed where possible as indicators to assess the market maturity of the menstrual hygiene marketplace with all citations, references and links to regular updated global sources on each criteria for which data are available.
- A classification of market maturity levels/ladder, key characteristics of each, as well as minimum requirements and core criteria needed for a pathway towards higher maturity levels.
- A separate list of all data sources and information sources, including stakeholders/experts consulted
- A briefing note on the purpose for and application of criteria for the different audiences including SHF, market actors, governments, financing institutions and investors.
- A note on alignment and complementarity with any agencies doing similar work
- A list of well articulated key messages about why market maturity as applied to menstrual hygiene marketplace in low and middle income countries is important and useful. The messages will serve as a basis for communication with a) governments and b) investors
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education
- Master’s degree preferably in economics, development economics, market research or a related discipline.
- A bachelor’s degree in economics, development economics, market research or a related discipline with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
Experience
- Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive relevant professional and technical experience menstrual hygiene, sanitation or related areas.
- Relevant professional experience must include five (5) years of experience at the international level, including at a senior technical or management level.
- Experience working in a UN agency in the development or humanitarian context is desirable.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to interpret complex data and derive actionable insights is required.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present findings and recommendations to diverse stakeholders is required
- Knowledge of market maturity models, frameworks, and methodologies is desirable.
- Proficiency in data analysis and modeling tools and techniques and databases is desirable.
Language
- Fluency in English is essential including excellent writing skills.
- Fluency in French is desirable
Contract type, level and duration
Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA), Retainer
Contract level: ICS 12 (IICA 4/LICA 12)
Contract duration: Up to 100 days per year renewable subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx
As per UNOPS policy, in duty stations where the NPO (National Professional Officer) category has been established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), a home-based contract may be issued as a Local ICA Specialist position.
Additional Information
- Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
- UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
- Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
- We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
Terms and Conditions
- For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
- For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.
- All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
- It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.
