Description

Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Present in 166 countries and territories, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports governments in developing strong policies, institutions, and partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) was established to aggregate UNDP’s work and expertise on SDG financing and to offer a comprehensive package of tools and support that enables governments, the private sector, philanthropy and international financial institutions to accelerate financing for the SDGs.

Public and private stakeholders around the world are collaborating with UNDP to help address the challenges of sustainable development financing, and develop robust, holistic approaches to financing in a complex world affected by recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a climate crisis. UNDPs Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) expertise and offerings help governments to deepen the integration between national planning and financing policies, mobilize new resources and promote greater sustainable development impact from a range of public and private financing, including with philanthropy.

UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 identifies development financing as an enabler to scale up development impact and calls on partners to join UNDP in its $1 trillion ‘Moonshot’ target to help mobilise game-changing public and private sector resources towards the SDGs. In order to take sustainable finance to required scale and collectively achieve $1 trillion of public expenditure and private capital in the SDGs, UNDP is working across its Global Policy Network (GPN) and building its expertise and capacities of Country Offices and Regional Bureaus so that they can offer and tailor SFH products and services to clients supported by an internal community of practice and an external group of experts.

Further, as part of its role as SDG Integrator, UNDP is committed to promoting partnerships to develop SDG finance capacities of all stakeholders, including governments as UNDPs key client, the private sector, and especially philanthropy. UNDP recognizes the tremendous knowledge that partners, including foundations offer in a variety of areas ranging from governance, environment to health and financial inclusion and works with them to utilize their expertise to contribute to development outcomes and SDG financing. Offering capacity development on SDG finance to these other stakeholders, especially philanthropy will be crucial to contributing to leveraging and aligning capital with the SDGs to achieve the $1 trillion moonshot.

The Sustainable Finance Capacities and Partnerships Specialist will lead the SFH’s work on capacity development initiatives internally for UNDP and externally for private, public and philanthropic partners. The role will support the ongoing design and operationalization of capacity development initiatives across SFH in support of UNDP; train colleagues and stakeholders in SDG finance tools and approaches; facilitate the development of expertise and sharing of experiences across countries; and provide thought leadership and build deeper collaboration with a variety of partners, with Regional Bureaus and Country Offices

Position Purpose:

The Sustainable Finance Capacities and Partnerships Specialist will work closely with the SFH Director and Chief of Programme on SDG finance to:

Deliver capacity development initiatives with and for the GPN
Lead capacity development initiatives with and for Regional Bureaus and Country Offices
Develop and lead strategic external partnerships, especially with a focus on the philanthropic sector.
Mobilize resources for UNDPs capacity development initiatives.

Duties and Responsibilities
Work with the GPN to deliver capacity development initiatives

Work with SFH and GPN colleagues to design and deliver in person, hybrid and e-module training on SFH 4+1 Offers and SDG finance approaches and instruments.
Work with SFH and GPN colleagues to design and deliver in person, hybrid and e-module training on SDG finance in support of GPN portfolio goals and UNDP signature solutions, for example, SDG finance in crisis contexts and SDG finance in service of the green transition.
Follow trends in both sustainable finance, and policy setting to continually update and refine content of training, tools and guides, and adapt to cutting edge ways of ways of learning

Lead capacity development initiatives with and for Regional Bureaus and Country Offices

Lead SFH’s approach to building the sustainable finance capacities of UNDPs 140 COs and 5 RBs, including through the SDG Finance Academy (by way of strategy, planning, coordination, training, tool and guide development).
Work across teams and offices to design and deliver in person, hybrid and e-module training on SFH 4+1 Offers and SDG finance approaches and instruments.
Adapt in-person, hybrid and e-learning modules to regional and country contexts, taking into account changing policies, sustainable finance trends and developing new examples and case studies.
With RBs, refine and implement regional SDG Financing Academy plans from trainings to date including undertaking a detailed assignment in a region to localize and build out the Academy.
Develop a strategic approach for understanding the capacity development needs of Ministries of Finance and how to effectively partner with them to generate engagements

Develop and lead strategic external partnerships, especially with a focus on the philanthropic sector

Lead, plan and develop strategic partnerships centered on SDG finance capacity development with other UN agencies, the public and private sectors, and philanthropy in coordination across SFH teams and make relevant linkages to GPN, RBs and COs.
Develop capacity of external stakeholders on SDG finance via the SDG Finance Academy
Work across teams and offices to design and deliver in person, hybrid and e-module training on SDG finance approaches and instruments for UN agencies, the public and private sectors, and philanthropy.
Develop and deploy SDG finance tools and guides to share knowledge and build capacity of other UN agencies, the public and private sectors, and philanthropy.
Adapt in-person, hybrid and e-learning modules, tools and guides to regional and country sectoral contexts, stakeholder areas of interest, finance investment trends, public policy, and developing new examples and case studies with and for UN agencies, the public and private sectors, and philanthropy.

Mobilize resources for UNDPs sustainable finance capacity development initiatives

Undertake an analysis of funding opportunities across philanthropic, private and public sectors.
Develop relationships across a range of sectors to lead to funding.
Incorporate external stakeholders into SFH programming i.e. work with INFF team to incorporate philanthropy into country financing strategies and raise associated funds.
Develop a business model for capacity development cost recovery including elements such as grant support, fee for training, in kind resources etc.

Competencies

Core - CoreBehaviouralCompetencies.pdf (undp.org)

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously

LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility

LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

Act with Determination

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management:

UNDP People: Management Competencies can be found on the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Development

Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Direction & Strategy

Strategic Thinking: Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources toanticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments

2030 Agenda: Partnerships

SDG Finance: Philanthropy including SDG funders.org

HR – Learning and development

L&D Planning: Ability to identify organizational learning priorities aligned with the business strategy using key stakeholder involvement to ensure appropriate learning and optimal return-on-investment.

Partnership Management

Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

A Master’s Degree in International Development, Economics/Management, Business Administration, Development Studies or related field is required.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of experience in development work, out of which at least 5 years of experience in partnership development and management, internally within UNDP and externally, particularly working with international organizations and philanthropies is required.
Experience in capacity development is required.
Excellent analytical and writing skills, as demonstrated by previous research/analytical reports/policy notes on relevant topics is required.
Excellent coordination, negotiating and communication skills are required.
Experience in writing briefings, talking points, reports, periodic reporting, reviewing and editing documents is an asset.
Experience in strategy development for capacity building initiatives is an asset.
Experience in analyzing funding opportunities, writing proposals, and mobilizing resources for capacity building initiatives is an asset.
Experience working and living in developing countries is an asset

Language

Fluency in written and oral English is required.
Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage