Policy Officer

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Type of position: L4S1

Application closing: 31 July, 2023

Type of contract:   Fixed term until 31.12.2024, with possibility of extension

About Finance for Peace

Finance for Peace is a multistakeholder initiative by Interpeace that seeks to systemically change how private and public investment supports peace in developing and fragile contexts. It aims to create networked approaches that can co-develop the market frameworks, standards, political support networks, partnerships and knowledge required to scale up “peace finance” – investments that intentionally seek to improve conditions for peace.

Finance for Peace brings together investors, industry, norm setting entities, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), governments, peacebuilding and development actors, civil society and local communities to further peace-positive investments. By building/enabling the creation of a market for peace enhancing finance, it aims to reduce risks for both investors and communities and achieve outcomes that are bankable and advance peace. By identifying critical frameworks and developing standards and principles, as well as key knowledge and innovative solutions, the initiative will help to create true additionality to investors, as well as more inclusive development.

Working with partners, Finance for Peace seeks to create standards and guidance for peace finance; develop market intelligence and evidence for scaling peace finance, and actively influence policy and partnerships for peace finance.

Finance for Peace is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and builds on feasibility research supported by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) on a new sustainable investment category called peace bonds. Finance for Peace has been incubated by Interpeace.

For more information on the Finance for Peace initiative, please see our website: https://financeforpeace.org/.

Background rationale for the initiative

New solutions to finance peace and development in the world’s fragile and conflict affected places are urgently needed. Currently, most of the world’s extreme poor – some 1.8 billion people, almost a quarter of the world’s population, live in 57 conflict affected countries. Because of growing conflict, instability, and violence none of these countries are on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sustainable development and peace ultimately require conflict sensitive and peace responsive private investment, but much investment cannot find its way to places of great need and opportunity because of risks related to peace, whether real or perceived. It is well known that greater investment is possible, the world’s financial resources of almost 300 trillion dollars dwarf the cost of achieving the SDGs.

Herein lies the problem: the peace actions that could reduce conflict and fragility risks and open these markets to greater investment are underfunded and poorly aligned. This is why we need to fundamentally rethink how peace and development is financed, and how private investment can become more conflict sensitive, reducing risks for both investors and communities.

While blended finance approaches have grown and have successfully catalysed significant private capital in developing countries, existing approaches largely do not focus on peace impact. Further, more work needs to be done to ensure blended approaches minimize not just risks to investors but also to communities in fragile and conflict affected settings.

The Finance for Peace initiative seeks to build on the global policy momentum across the major Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and private investors to scale up investment in the world’s fragile emerging markets, enabling the creation of a market for peace finance.

Position within the Finance for Peace initiative and Interpeace

The Policy Officer will work with the rest of the Finance for Peace team to support the execution and delivery of four key workstreams:

1. Creating standards and guidance for peace finance, including disseminating and iterating the Peace Finance Impact Framework (PFIF) and the Peace Finance Standard (PFS)
2. Developing catalytic market intelligence and evidence for scaling peace finance
3. Actively influencing policy and partnerships for peace finance
4. Support in the development of thematic research on Ukraine Peace Finance, Digital verification of peace impact, and Mapping of sub-national risk premia

These workstreams combine research, administrative work, policy engagement, as well as multistakeholder management. In particular, the successful Policy Officer will have to liaise with a number of external partners of the Finance for Peace initiative, including external consultants, academics, private finance, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), government donors, civil society, the UN, peacebuilders and development actors. In this context, the Finance for Peace Policy Officer will be tasked with ensuring the delivery of key research and policy engagement material as well as supporting colleagues on key event logistics and related substantive material.

Within Interpeace, the Policy Officer will be of critical importance to liaise with the rest of the Policy, Learning and Advisory Unit, as well as with the Interpeace Global Management Team (GMT) and other relevant Interpeace staff to provide regular updates on the progress of the initiative. Within the Finance for Peace team, they will support the Executive Director, the Head of Standards and Market Intelligence, the Head of Partnerships and the Head of Research and Senior Peacebuilding Advisor with research, policy and engagement strategies and contribute to the development of substantive knowledge on key issues related to Peace Finance, included in the four workstreams listed above. They will summarise key content, research and findings for key stakeholders and work closely with other members of the Finance for Peace team (comprising another Policy Officer and a Communications Advisor) to adapt material to different audiences. They will also conduct a variety of administrative tasks, including preparing donor reports, working with finance colleagues on financial reporting and monitoring, and preparing contracts for external consultants.

The Policy Officer will initially report to the Interpeace Head of Research and Senior Peacebuilding Advisor, and will subsequently report to the Executive Director of the Finance for Peace initiative once that position will be filled in the Fall of 2023. The Finance for Peace initiative is a part of the Interpeace Policy, Learning and Advisory unit, but it is envisioned that it will become a foundation independent from Interpeace in the course of 2024.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Interpeace Head of Research and Senior Peacebuilding Advisor and of the Executive Director, the Policy Officer assumes responsibility for the following:

• Supporting the Head of Standards and Market Intelligence and relevant consultants in the development and iteration of standards and guidance for peace finance, including the Peace Finance Impact Framework (PFIF) and the Peace Finance Standard (PFS) for Bond and Equity.
• Providing substantive input into the delivery of a research/market intelligence agenda that is formulated in partnership with key Finance for Peace stakeholders from civil society, academia, DFIs, Peacebuilding and private finance industry.
• Distilling and summarizing key messages from research for diverse policy audiences.
• In concert with relevant Interpeace colleagues, developing policy engagement strategies with key actors to communicate key policy issues emergent from research and partner consultations.
• Coordinating and participating in multistakeholder consultations carried out by the initiative, understanding key perspectives, issues and challenges facing key stakeholders.
• Participating and representing Finance for Peace in various intergovernmental policy fora, bilateral meetings on issues related to Peace Finance, ESG/Impact Investing, development, peacebuilding and financing more broadly.
• Liaising with the rest of the Interpeace Policy, Learning and Advisory Unit, the Interpeace Global Management Team (GMT), and other relevant Interpeace colleagues to exchange information and keep them abreast of recent developments within the initiative.
• Performing a variety of administrative tasks, including preparing donor reports, collaborating with finance colleagues on financial reporting and monitoring and preparing contracts for external consultants.
• Coordinating meeting logistics of key internal and external stakeholders, including the Finance for Peace Steering Committee and the rest of its governance bodies, when they will be formally established.
• Leading project management, monitoring key deliverables and timeframes as required by the initiative’s donor(s).
• Preparing briefing notes, summaries and meeting guidance and notes for follow-up, wider information sharing and for other key stakeholders involved in the initiative. This includes the Finance for Peace Steering Committee, the Interpeace Global Management Team, the Finance for Peace Governing Board, the Standards Committee and the Industry Association.

Role requirements

The successful candidate will have a strong general understanding of issues related to peacebuilding, development, ESG/Impact investing, Blended finance and the landscape of international development finance institutions and private financial institutions. The candidate should have strong desktop research skills, ability to quickly learn new concepts and prepare clear policy communication to different audiences. They will have strong project management and networking skills.

Education

• Undergraduate or master’s level degree in international studies, development economics, finance, social or political science, or other relevant fields.

Experience

• Minimum 4 years of experience working in at least one, or some combination of, private finance, a Development Finance Institution, peacebuilding, development, or government donor environment.
• Previous experience in a research, policy or technical role related to the above sectors.
• Familiarity with technical and political issues associated with sustainable finance, SDG, ESG investing, impact investing, blended finance, peacebuilding, donor policies in development and peacebuilding.

Competencies

• Strong desktop research and attention to detail
• Strong communication skills and ability to craft communication to very different audiences
• Strong project management skills
• Relevant domain knowledge of technical and political issues related to the Finance for Peace Initiative, or ability to quickly learn and adapt knowledge.
• Ability to interact with policymakers, researchers and practitioners and government representatives related to the Initiative.

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Drive for results
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Respect for Diversity

Success factors

• Fluent written and spoken English. Fluency in other languages is a plus.
• Strong general understanding of peacebuilding, development, finance and the landscape of international development finance institutions and private financial institutions.
• Ability to quickly learn and contribute to the ideation of new concepts.
• Creative team player with a commitment to inclusiveness and consensus building.
• Political tact and a high adaptation capacity.
• Entrepreneurial and adaptive mindset, ability to quickly adapt and contribute to a growing, fast paced Initiative.
• Commitment to the values of Interpeace, and to the mission of the initiative.
• Outstanding communication skills to a variety of stakeholders from very different backgrounds.
• Excellent social and inter-cultural skills, emotional intelligence.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their application no later than the 31^th of July via the following link:

Policy Officer, Finance for Peace

Successful applications must include:

• A complete curriculum vitae
• A one-page letter of interest