Catalytic Finance Specialist (India)

UNOPS; Hinoba-an; On-site; PHP 1,194,000 - 2,122,000; Full time

Job summary

UNOPS is seeking a Catalytic Finance Specialist to support the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) and Capital M initiative. The role focuses on scoping pipeline opportunities, mapping financial institutions, and engaging partners to unlock investment in menstrual health solutions.

The role requires 5+ years in development finance or related fields, experience with women’s health or MH markets is desirable, and strong stakeholder management in India. Fluency in English and Hindi is required.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in development finance, corporate finance, economics, business administration or a related field.
• A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline in combination with additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in the impact investing / venture capital / development finance / corporate finance, fundraising for private sector entities or related areas in India.
• Experience in financing or investment for women’s health, menstrual health (MH), FMCG or related markets is desirable.
• Experience mapping and engaging local financial institutions, DFIs, impact investors, and enterprise accelerators, including drafting technical briefs, investment profiles, or strategic engagement materials.
• Language requirements: English Fluent; Hindi Fluent.

Responsibilities

• Market and pipeline assessment.
• Identify and assess enterprises, financial institutions, investors and strategic partners that could support catalytic financing for market-based menstrual health solutions in India.
• Map local financial institutions and intermediaries that provide local-currency financing for menstrual health enterprises.
• Develop and apply criteria to screen and prioritise direct and indirect pipeline opportunities.
• Prepare technical briefs, presentations and assessment profiles.

Skills

Market Analysis

Project Coordination

Research

Stakeholder Management

Prioritization

Education

Advanced university degree in development finance or related field

Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years relevant experience accepted in lieu

Job description

1 year with the possibility of extension, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds and necessity of services

Job Highlight

The Catalytic Finance Specialist will:Support the scoping of ecosystem enablers, key stakeholders and partners in the financing and investment ecosystem for menstrual health for providing catalytic financing (see overview below) including gaps and needs for enhancement in IndiaIn collaboration with the technical team, support the identification and development of approaches for catalysing pipeline targets with identified partnersThe role will support the scoping of key ecosystem enablers, stakeholders and partners within the menstrual health financing and investment ecosystem in India. It will also support the identification of gaps, needs and approaches to catalyse a pipeline of investment opportunities with selected partners.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

About the Project Office

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a global fund dedicated to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. Capital M is SHF’s global initiative to build and strengthen the menstrual health (MH) market, fostering sustainable, market-based solutions that provide access to safe, quality, affordable menstrual products and empower women and girls across low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). By doing this, SHF contributes to a wide range of SDGs related to education, health, gender equality, the environment and economic growth.

To achieve this, SHF works with national and local governments, the private sector, investors and financiers and other market stakeholders to improve the enabling environment, strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and facilitate access to finance to bring market-based approaches to scale. For a market segment that falls within women’s health and -hygiene, improving access to finance is critical. Enterprises in this space are structurally underfunded, posing a significant barrier to scale. SHF’s presence is critical to bridge the financing and investment gap, working with partners to showcase the market potential, derisk financing and investment in MH enterprises and connect public and private funders, financiers and investors to a growing pipeline of investable opportunities.

Our approach supports an Africa-led ecosystem for access to finance and investment, where we collaborate with existing public and private funders, financiers and investors, connecting them to enterprises with novel technologies and business models. We focus on enterprises with the potential to scale product categories’ availability at national and regional level, supporting efforts to maximize efficiency and minimise costs for low-income users by leveraging economies of scale. This ultimately contributes to structurally improving market access and significantly reducing environmental impacts. To achieve this, we believe there is an important role for south-to-south knowledge transfer and investment to accelerate market development.

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a project of UNOPS.

About the Group

From Geneva, UNOPS facilitates the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with governments, other United Nations (UN) agencies and partners by providing quality servces, integrated solutions and management support through strategic, cost-effective and results-oriented approches. This includes supporting platforms and hosting high-profile, flagship initiatives and funds focusing on health, nutrition, water and sanitation, sustainable cities, environment, energy, climate and trade. UNOPS is a recognized resource for the UN system in Geneva – from fund management and oversight and advisory services, to providing hosting solutions to a range of global initiatives, as well as operational support to partner organizations.

Job Specific Context

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a global fund dedicated to achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health for all, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. Capital M is SHF’s global initiative to build and strengthen the menstrual health (MH) market, fostering sustainable, market-based solutions that provide access to safe, quality, affordable menstrual products and empower women and girls across low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). By doing this, SHF contributes to a wide range of SDGs related to education, health, gender equality, the environment and economic growth.

To achieve this, SHF works with national and local governments, the private sector, investors and financiers and other market stakeholders to improve the enabling environment, strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and facilitate access to finance to bring market-based approaches to scale. For a market segment that falls within women’s health and -hygiene, improving access to finance is critical. Enterprises in this space are structurally underfunded, posing a significant barrier to scale. SHF’s presence is critical to bridge the financing and investment gap, working with partners to showcase the market potential, derisk financing and investment in MH enterprises and connect public and private funders, financiers and investors to a growing pipeline of investable opportunities.

Our approach supports an Africa-led ecosystem for access to finance and investment, where we collaborate with existing public and private funders, financiers and investors, connecting them to enterprises with novel technologies and business models. We focus on enterprises with the potential to scale product categories’ availability at national and regional level, supporting efforts to maximize efficiency and minimise costs for low-income users by leveraging economies of scale. This ultimately contributes to structurally improving market access and significantly reducing environmental impacts. To achieve this, we believe there is an important role for south-to-south knowledge transfer and investment to accelerate market development.

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) is a project of UNOPS.

Role Purpose

Reporting to the MH Markets Specialist, and working closely with the wider team, the role will support SHF’s Capital M initiative and its goal of advancing country pipeline opportunities for catalytic financing in the menstrual health (MH) market by identifying and analysing high-impact enterprises and strategic partners to unlock additional investment.

The role of the Catalytic Finance Specialist will be to assist the SHF technical team with scoping of potential pipeline opportunities/targets and partners for catalytic financing in India by drawing on relevant experience in the private sector, impact investing and/or development finance space.

The Catalytic Finance Specialist will help map out key private sector players, potential SHF/Capital M partners, investors and other relevant organisations in the market. The role also includes meeting with enterprises and potential partners to explore opportunities, understand challenges and assess financing needs - supporting strategy and efforts to unlock more investment through catalytic finance.

The role will support Capital M to identify, assess and advance catalytic financing opportunities for market-based menstrual health solutions.

Functions / Key Results Expected

The Catalytic Finance Specialist will:

Market and pipeline assessment

Identify and assess enterprises, financial institutions, investors and strategic partners that could support catalytic financing for market-based menstrual health solutions in India.

Assess enterprises across the menstrual health value chain, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers and e-commerce platforms.

Leveraging on-going market landscaping work, review their development stage, geographic presence, business model, market position, financial performance, fundraising status, financing needs and investment readiness, subject to data availability.

Identify relevant incubation and acceleration programmes supporting menstrual health enterprises.

Financing ecosystem mapping

Map local financial institutions and intermediaries that provide, or could provide, local-currency financing for menstrual health enterprises.

Identify relevant blended finance funds, impact investors, development finance institutions and other financing partners.

Assess their mandates, investment criteria, financing instruments, sector priorities and alignment with Capital M.

Pipeline analysis and prioritisation

Develop and apply criteria to screen and prioritise direct and indirect pipeline opportunities, including enterprises, financial institutions and investment vehicles.

Assess opportunities based on their potential impact, feasibility, scalability, financing needs and alignment with SHF objectives.

Recommend priority opportunities for technical assistance, catalytic financing, partnership development or further assessment.

Support the development of suitable catalytic financing instruments, structures and partnership models.

Stakeholder engagement and partnerships

Contribute market intelligence and technical content to Capital M’s engagement strategy.

Build and maintain relationships with potential Capital M partners and pipeline opportunities.

Prepare technical briefs, presentations, assessment profiles and other agreed outputs.

Represent SHF at selected meetings, conferences and sector events, as agreed with the technical team.

The detailed work packages and timelines will be agreed during onboarding. Key deliverables include but may not be limited to the following:

Desk Review & Inception Report: A baseline synthesis of existing SHF work and tools including the MH Market Maturity Assessment Tool and the India MH Market Landscaping, setting out the agreed methodology, activities, timelines, and expected outputs.

Financing Ecosystem Map: A detailed mapping report analyzing the financing needs of enterprises across the MH value chain (manufacturers, distributors, retailers, e-commerce platforms), the identification of enterprise support programmes (e.g. incubators / accelerators, along with local-currency financial institutions, blended finance funds, impact investors, and DFIs who are or could potentially finance MH enterprises. and the factors that inhibit financing actors from engaging in the MH market.

Prioritised Pipeline Database & Screening Tool: Using SHFs MH pipeline database, regularly evaluate and update the direct/indirect pipeline opportunities (enterprises, financial institutions, investment vehicles) on impact, feasibility, scalability, fundraising status, investment readiness, and financing needs.

Strategic & Catalytic Financing Recommendations: A comprehensive final report outlining the current challenges and opportunities in the financing ecosystem for the MH Market in India, , delivering recommendations and priority actions to consider for Capital M’s development of the MH Market strategy for India.

Skills

Market Analysis, Project Coordination, Research, Stakeholder Management, Prioritization

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in development finance, corporate finance, economics, business administration or a related field

A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline in combination with additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree

Experience Requirements

Required

Minimum of 5 years work experience in the impact investing / venture capital / development finance/corporate finance, fundraising for private sector entities or related areas in India is required.

Experience in programme financing (related to development finance/impact investing in India) is required

Experience working in financing or investment for women’s health, menstrual health (MH), FMCG or related markets is desirable.

Experience mapping and engaging local financial institutions, DFIs, impact investors, and enterprise accelerators, including drafting technical briefs, investment profiles, or strategic engagement materials.

Language Requirements

Language

Proficiency Level

Requirement

English Fluent Required

Hindi Fluent Required

Additional Information

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here .
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.