Sustainable Finance & Financial Inclusion Associate

Host entity: UNWomen CRI

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Project management, programme development, strategy, Finance, accounting

Application deadline: 20/09/2026

Mission and objectives

UN Women is the UN entity responsible for promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. It supports Member States in establishing global norms and standards and works with governments, civil society, the private sector and UN partners to implement policies, programmes and services that ensure women and girls benefit equally from development, humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts.

UN Women advances gender equality across key areas, including women’s economic empowerment and decent work; women’s full and equal participation in governance and decision-making; elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls; women’s leadership in peace, security and resilience; and the integration of gender perspectives into national planning, budgeting and development strategies.

The entity also strengthens gender data, evidence and knowledge generation; provides technical and normative support to Member States; promotes gender-responsive standards and accountability; and coordinates UN system efforts to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind.

Assignment context

UN Women RO for the Americas and the Caribbean is strengthening its contribution to the global Sustainable Finance agenda. Building on evidence from EFI Phase I, the Regional Office is advancing work with financial institutions, regulators, development banks and ecosystem actors to integrate gender-responsive approaches into sustainable finance standards, taxonomies, data systems and policies. Within the Global Sustainable Finance Proposal, RO LAC is leading efforts to harmonize gender indicators, support institutional capacity-building and generate evidence to advance gender-responsive sustainable finance.

Based in San José, the Associate will support this work by contributing to research, information organization, partner coordination, event preparation and knowledge management to strengthen inclusive and gender-responsive financial ecosystems in the region.

Task description

Under the joint supervision of the Programme Management Specialist and the Regional Coordinator of the Inclusive Financial Ecosystem Programme (IFE) at the UN Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support research, desk reviews, and the compilation of information related to sustainable finance, gender-responsive financial inclusion, environmental, social, and governance (ESG ) frameworks, and financial sector policies.
• Assist in preparing briefs, concept notes, presentations, mapping exercises, and knowledge products related to sustainable finance and inclusive financial ecosystems.
• Contribute to organizing gender indicators, data repositories, institutional commitments, and relevant programme documentation.
• Support coordination with financial institutions, regulators, UN Women Country Offices, and development partners, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, taking notes, and following up on action points.
• Assist in the organization of webinars, workshops, regional dialogues, and capacity-building activities in collaboration with the Sustainable Finance Specialist and the Environmental Finance Initiative (EFI ) team.
• Contribute to monitoring and reporting processes by organizing information, updating tracking tools, and preparing inputs for donor reporting.
• Support communication and visibility efforts by drafting content for updates, briefs, or digital materials.
• Perform other programme support tasks as required to advance sustainable and inclusive finance initiatives in the region.

Skills and experience

Experience and/or demonstrated interest in:
• Sustainable finance, financial inclusion, gender equality, ESG, development finance, data analysis or public policy.
• Additional desirable experience includes assisting with research, event preparation, coordination or information management. Interest in gender-responsive financial inclusion and sustainable development is an asset.

Skills:
• Strong analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Motivation to learn and contribute
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural environments

Competencies and values

Accountability
Adaptability and Flexibility
Client Orientation
Commitment and Motivation
Communication
Ethics and Values
Integrity
Knowledge Sharing
Planning and Organizing
Professionalism
Respect for Diversity
Self-Management
Working in Teams

Living conditions

San José is the capital city of Costa Rica and hosts several United Nations agencies, international organizations and diplomatic missions. The city offers access to essential services, including public transportation, healthcare facilities, supermarkets and a range of housing options. The climate in the Central Valley is mild throughout the year, with a defined rainy season. Volunteers are expected to follow all UNDSS security guidance and remain aware of their surroundings. The UN presence in Costa Rica provides a professional, collaborative and multicultural working environment.

Specific UN Volunteer entitlements, including insurance coverage, Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) and Entry / Exit lump sums, among others, are available at https://app.unv.org/calculator.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service are available at https://explore.unv.org/cos

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.