UNCDF Jobs - 46234- Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Develo

Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA International

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

27-May-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

D-2

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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.

Background

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 48 least developed countries. Its mission is to create new opportunities for poor households and small businesses by increasing access to financial services and investment capital. UNCDF programmes help to empower women and are designed to catalyze larger capital flows from the private sector, national governments and development partners, for maximum impact toward the MDGs.

Within its broader economic development mandate, UNCDF focuses on public and private financing mechanisms. Effective and efficient finance – in both the public and private sectors – can spur economic growth and make it more sustainable and inclusive. UNCDF’s focus on financing mechanisms has special relevance for least developed countries, where public financial management is often weak, and private financial systems often underdeveloped and inaccessible to poor people.

UNCDF is growing rapidly. Annual income and financial delivery are now roughly $60 million. This trend is expected to continue. Innovative new programmes (e.g. mobile money; climate change finance for local governments; savings-led microfinance) are attracting significant partner interest and others are in the pipeline (e.g. clean energy finance).

UNCDF is an autonomous UN agency, affiliated with UNDP. Highest-level guidance is provided by the UNDP Executive Board, which serves simultaneously as UNCDF’s Executive Board, and by the UNDP Administrator, who serves simultaneously as UNCDF’s Managing Director. Day to day responsibility for UNCDF’s strategic direction and organizational leadership is delegated to the Executive Secretary, who works closely with the UNDP Associate Administrator.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Executive Secretary is expected to:

Strategic leadership:

Develop the strategic frameworks and business plans of UNCDF, ensuring they are consistent with internationally agreed development goals and report regularly to the Board on the effectiveness and impact of UNCDF interventions;
Direct and lead UNCDF in implementing decisions and resolutions adopted by the Executive Board, ECOSOC and the General Assembly as they relate to UNCDF.

Overall management:

Ensure the financial integrity of the organization;
Promote results-based management and constantly demonstrate value for money;
Encourage an organizational culture that supports innovation and risk taking;
Ensure effective internal communications and a positive, healthy work environment for all
With the support of the Deputy Executive Secretary, direct, monitor and manage the work and staff of UNCDF and ensure strategic management of resources;
Ensure that staff from various technical and cultural backgrounds can work effectively together and fully utilize their respective experience;
Ensure the implementation of gender and other workplace policies.

Partnerships, Resource Mobilization and Communications:

Represent UNCDF within the wider UN and in other international fora;
Build and nurture appropriate strategic partnerships and lead resource mobilization;
Promote UNCDF to external audiences, ensuring appropriate positioning and branding.

Knowledge management and advocacy:

Ensure monitoring and evaluation of UNCDF programmes and the effective capture and codification and use of the knowledge generated;
Ensure effective advocacy around UNCDF’s programmatic work and themes, at both the global and country levels.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Strong strategic and analytical skills and the ability to conceptualize and provide leadership based on strategic vision from a development perspective;
Demonstrated capacity to establish and maintain excellent relationship with key partners;
Proven ability to ensure implementation and compliance with agreed policies and practices as well as transparency and accountability in the work of the Organization;
Proven resource mobilization skills, targeting both public and private sources;
Well-developed people management and team building skills;
Pro-active risk taking and effective results-orientation;
Strong inter-personal, communication and presentation skills.

Core Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP; and
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Excellent inter-personal skills with an ability to work and foster multi-cultural teamwork, integrity and strong inter-personal skills and effective multi-cultural team-building skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in a development-related discipline including, business administration and management, public administration, development economics, social sciences or any other related field.

Experience:

At least 15 years substantive experience and expertise in development and familiarity with both field and headquarters environments, including in the LDCs;
Solid experience and proven track record in leading teams or organizations in the field of international development.
Experience and understanding of public finance for local development and financial services for the poor and/or private sector development an asset;
Experience and demonstrated results in designing and managing policies and programmes, in managing teams of experts, as well as in the following areas: establishing strategic, national and international partnerships, communication and advocacy, resource mobilization and negotiation;
Good understanding of the multilateral and bilateral development system, intergovernmental processes, and the roles of civil society and private sector in development;
Knowledge of UNDP and the UN system is an advantage.

Language:

Fluency in English and one other UNDP working language (French / Spanish).