Closing date: Saturday, 8 April 2023

Job Identification : 9633

Locations : Geneve, Switzerland

Posting Date : 03/31/2023, 08:29 AM

Apply Before : 04/08/2023, 03:59 AM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : IPSA-8

Vacancy Type : International Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Management

Bureau : Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy

Contract Duration : 6 months

Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree

Other Criteria : OR Bachelor’s Degree – 2 year(s) experience

Required Languages : English

Desired Languages : another UN language (French)

Vacancy Timeline

1 Week

Job 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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP Geneva, as part of its representational and partnerships’ role, liaise with local constituencies to explain what UNDP stands for and its service offer, relays key messages from UNDP Finance Sector Hub and advocate for a stronger engagement of the private sector towards the 2030 Agenda to mobilize financial resources to accelerate the realization of the SDGs (SDGs) and promote sustainable finance.

Within this overall objective, UNDP Geneva seeks to: i) advocate for and advance knowledge on the challenges and opportunities of SDG-aligned investments; ii) nurture partnerships with private and financial sector actors in Switzerland and France to advance sustainable finance and UNDP’s programmes; and iii) ) collaborate in the identification of SDG innovations developed by impact ventures in developing countries to help them connect to technical assistance, corporate and financial intermediaries and investorss. In furthering its work, UNDP Geneva engages a diverse group of stakehbolders including impact investors, banks, foundations, financial intermediaries, corporates and academia, as well as representatives of UN and bilateral development agencies in Switzerland and France.

UNDP Geneva contributes to efforts to unlock private capital for the SDGs by identifying enterprises that operate in sectors advancing sustainable development at country level. Ventures are selected through the Growth Stage Impact Ventures (GSIV) programme, which defines impact and commercial and financial criteria to evaluate the enterprises and leverages nominations from third parties (accelerators, impact funds, family offices, international organizations, etc.) that nominate companies from their pipeline. UNDP then promotes and nurture partnerships with relevant stakeholders to strengthen the sustainable finance ecosystem. This position involve engaging UNDP country offices’ teams, regional centres’ finance officers and other relevant experts in the roll out of the GSIV and more broadly, UNDP’s sustainable finance offer.

Duties and Responsibilities

The contractor will support the replication of the Growth Stage Impact Ventures programme (GSIV) across countries in developing country regions. s/he will analyse major trends in the finance industry (e.g. venture capital, foundations, impact investors, banks, institutioinal investors, phylantrophy, etc.) in Switzerland and France to support and nurture partnerships to deliver on UNDP’s sustainable finance offer. Finally, s/he will assist with project management, capture lessons learned and assist with GSIV programme evaluation. More specifically, the contractor will carryout the following activities:

  •  Support the roll out of the GSIV programme in developing countries in agreement and collaboration with UNDP country offices and the SDG Impact team;
  •  Support the development of investor convenings and other ‘activation’ events in support of the GSIV replication at country level.
  •  Assist the organization of UNDP’s participation in the Building Bridges Action Days and preparatory events over the year.
  •  Support the development of the SDG Finance offer specific to the UNDP Geneva Office, under UNDP’s corporate offer.
  •  Assist in the identification and follow up of partnership opportunities with financial sector actors to further UNDP’s sustainable finance offer.
  •  Support project management including managing engagement tracker, knowledge management, evaluation, workflows, budget, and reporting to donors, as appropriate.
  •  Support communication activities directly linked to GSIV and other sustainable finance activities of the UNDP Geneva office.

Institutional Arrangement

The contractor will work under the substantive supervision of the Policy Specialist, Sustainable Finance Hub in Geneva, and in close collaboration with the communications team.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

General

Public relations

Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public.

Communications

Advocacy strategy and implementation

Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

Communications

Writing and editing

Ability to create and/or edit witten content in different UN languages

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.

Partnership management

Emerging partnerships

Ability to engage with emerging partner, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Master’s degree on international development, international relations or related field is required. Bachelor’s Degree with additional two years of experience will be accepted in lieu of Master’s Degree

Min. years of relevant Work experience

One year (or 2 years of experience with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in desk analysis, evaluation, project management is desirable. Experience and knowledge of sustainable finance institutions is desirable.

Required skills and competencies

  •  Ability to collect, document and systematize qualitative and quantitative data;
  •  Understanding of the private sector and financial sector ecosystem;
  •  Good analytical skills;
  •  Excellent communications skills;
  •  Takes pride in work and in achievements;
  •  Shows efficiency in meeting commitments, respecting deadlines and achieving results;
  •  Ability to work in multicultural environments.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Fluency in spoken and written English is required.

Knowledge of another UN language (French) is an asset.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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