Catalytic Finance Specialist – Anglophone West Africa

ABOUT UNOPS

The United Nations Office for Project Services supports governments, United Nations agencies and other partners with project management, infrastructure, procurement, financial management and operational services.

ABOUT THE SANITATION AND HYGIENE FUND

The Sanitation and Hygiene Fund works to improve access to safe sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health, particularly for women, girls and vulnerable populations.

Capital M is the Fund’s initiative for building and strengthening menstrual-health markets. It supports sustainable and market-based solutions that improve access to safe, affordable and quality menstrual products.

JOB DETAILS

Position: Catalytic Finance Specialist – Anglophone West Africa

Duty Station: Abuja, Nigeria – Home-based

Job Category: Project

Seniority Level: Mid-level

Contract Type: Individual Contractor Agreement – Local Specialist Retainer

Contract Level: LICA-10

Contract Duration: One year, with possible extension subject to performance, funding and operational requirements

Initial Geographic Focus: Nigeria

Additional Countries: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone may be included as the programme expands.

JOB PURPOSE

The Catalytic Finance Specialist will support the Capital M initiative by identifying, assessing and advancing enterprises, investors, financial institutions and partnerships that can increase investment in menstrual-health markets.

The role will initially focus on Nigeria while supporting broader work across Anglophone West Africa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Market and Enterprise Assessment

• Identify enterprises operating across the menstrual-health value chain.
• Assess manufacturers, distributors, retailers and e-commerce platforms.
• Review each enterprise’s development stage and geographical reach.
• Analyse business models, market positions and operational capacity.
• Review available financial information and fundraising history.
• Assess financing needs and investment readiness.
• Identify enterprises with potential to scale menstrual-health products and services.
• Map incubators and accelerator programmes supporting menstrual-health enterprises.
• Identify market barriers affecting the growth of enterprises.
• Assess whether enterprises align with Capital M’s social and environmental objectives.

Financing Ecosystem Mapping

• Map commercial banks and other local financial institutions.
• Identify financial intermediaries capable of providing local-currency financing.
• Identify blended-finance funds and impact investors.
• Map development-finance institutions and other potential financing partners.
• Review the investment mandates and eligibility requirements of potential partners.
• Analyse available financing instruments.
• Assess sector priorities and geographical focus.
• Determine whether potential partners align with Capital M’s objectives.
• Maintain an organised database of investors and financing organisations.

Pipeline Development

• Develop criteria for screening potential pipeline opportunities.
• Assess enterprises, financial institutions and investment vehicles.
• Prioritise opportunities according to potential impact.
• Examine feasibility, scalability and financing requirements.
• Evaluate investment readiness.
• Recommend enterprises requiring technical assistance.
• Recommend opportunities suitable for catalytic financing.
• Identify partnership opportunities requiring additional assessment.
• Support the development of financing instruments and structures.
• Support the design of partnership models.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Meet enterprises to understand their operational and financing challenges.
• Engage investors, financial institutions and development partners.
• Build and maintain relationships with potential Capital M partners.
• Conduct consultations with market stakeholders.
• Prepare enterprise and partner profiles.
• Develop technical briefs and presentations.
• Present findings and recommendations to the technical team.
• Represent the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund at selected meetings and conferences.
• Contribute technical information to Capital M’s engagement strategy.
• Support collaboration between enterprises and financing partners.

Research and Analysis

• Conduct desk reviews of existing menstrual-health market information.
• Review Sanitation and Hygiene Fund documentation.
• Use the Menstrual Health Market Maturity Assessment Tool as a reference.
• Conduct market and value-chain research.
• Identify financing and investment gaps.
• Analyse market trends and policy conditions.
• Prepare summaries of stakeholder consultations.
• Produce practical recommendations for market development.
• Support South-to-South learning and investment opportunities.

KEY DELIVERABLES

• Agreed work plan covering methodology, activities, deadlines and outputs.
• Desk review of existing programme documents and market intelligence.
• Stakeholder and financing ecosystem map.
• Database of identified enterprises and financing opportunities.
• Enterprise profiles showing financing needs and investment readiness.
• Records of stakeholder consultations.
• Recommendations on priority investment-pipeline opportunities.
• Recommendations on partnerships and catalytic-finance approaches.
• Technical contributions to engagement strategies for investors and financial institutions.

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree in Development Finance, Corporate Finance, Economics, Business Administration, International Development or another relevant discipline.
• A bachelor’s degree may be accepted with at least two additional years of relevant experience.

EXPERIENCE

Required

• At least five years of professional experience in the private sector, corporate finance, development finance or a related area.
• Experience with programme financing.
• Experience in development finance or impact investing in low- and middle-income countries.

Desirable

• Experience in menstrual-health markets.
• Understanding of menstrual-health value chains.
• Experience working with enterprises, investors or development-finance organisations.
• Knowledge of enterprises and financial actors in Anglophone West Africa.
• Experience assessing investment opportunities and business models.

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in English is required.
• Basic French is an advantage.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Market analysis.
• Financial and investment analysis.
• Project coordination.
• Research and information synthesis.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Prioritisation and decision-making.
• Strategic thinking.
• Ability to build external partnerships.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Respect for diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to adapt in a changing environment.
• High ethical and professional standards.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted through the official UNOPS recruitment portal.

Applications must be received before midnight Copenhagen time on 19 August 2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. UNOPS does not request payment from applicants at any stage of the recruitment process