Programme Specialist at SDG Impact Finance Initiative; SIFI

Work Arrangement:
Hybrid, Geneva office 3 days/week

By The Sustainability Grid Desk

Location Geneva, Switzerland

Type Full-time

Salary: Not disclosed

Experience Level: Mid-level, 4+ years

Work Permit: Eligibility to work in Switzerland required

Final date to receive applications: 20 September 2026

The SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) is an international platform focused on mobilising private investment towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in low- and middle-income countries.

Launched in December 2021 by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), UBS Optimus Foundation, Credit Suisse Foundation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), SIFI expanded its founding partnership in 2024 with the addition of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Ursimone Wietlisbach Foundation.

Through blended finance solutions, SIFI combines catalytic public and philanthropic capital with private investment. Its work is organised across three windows:
Innovation, Investment and Ecosystem
. The initiative aims to unlock up to CHF 1 billion towards the SDGs by 2030
.

SIFI is entering a new phase of growth and is looking for a Programme Specialist to strengthen its programmatic function.

Working under the supervision of the Senior Programme Manager, the successful candidate will support SIFI's capital deployment activities and portfolio monitoring.

The position is structured around three core areas: approximately 50% portfolio management, 25% Calls for Proposals support and 25% ecosystem-building activities
.

This is an opportunity to join a small and ambitious international team while developing into a key knowledge resource in blended finance and sustainable development. The role will provide direct exposure to donors, board members, senior leadership and SIFI's portfolio organisations.

• Review rolling milestones across SIFI's Innovation Window portfolio and report findings to the Senior Programme Manager.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for implementing partners on portfolio monitoring and for portfolio organisations on reporting and milestone submissions.
• Strengthen consistency and timeliness of reporting while reducing ad hoc queries across the growing portfolio.
• Develop portfolio-level insights, presentations, slide decks and communications for SIFI's funders, governance bodies, team members and external stakeholders.

• Contribute to the development of Call for Proposals documentation, including frameworks, eligibility requirements, assessment criteria and application forms.
• Support the evaluation of screened applications.
• Prepare materials for the Board and support the documentation of Investment Committee processes.
• Work with implementing partners during negotiation and contracting.
• Support the development of innovators' milestone and deliverable schedules.
• Contribute to legal review, KYC and due diligence processes.

• Support the Programmes Manager in stakeholder management for SIFI's PRISM Impact Lab initiative.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Support broader ecosystem-building activities that strengthen SIFI's impact and partnerships.

• At least 4 years of relevant professional experience in development finance, blended finance, impact investing or a related field.
• Experience ideally spanning both grant and investment portfolio management within a DFI, impact asset manager, foundation, advisory firm or similar organisation.
• A Master's degree in economics, development finance, finance, business, international relations or another relevant discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• French language proficiency is an advantage.

• Strong quantitative and financial analysis capabilities.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Understanding of blended finance structures, mobilisation and leverage concepts.
• Strong PowerPoint skills and the ability to turn technical, financial and programmatic information into clear presentations and reports.
• Familiarity with Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) frameworks and tools such as IRIS+, SDG alignment and Theory of Change is an advantage.

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple work streams and competing deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities.
• Clear and confident written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work collaboratively across programmes, fundraising and impact functions.

SIFI is looking for someone who is:

• Organised, proactive and adaptable.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, small-team environment.
• Intellectually curious and eager to develop deep institutional knowledge.
• Interested in becoming a go-to source of blended finance expertise.
• Collaborative and capable of building trusted relationships with portfolio organisations.
• Genuinely motivated by…