Background
The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) articulate the United Nations’ universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The UN estimates that achieving the SDGs requires overcoming a critical financing gap of US$ 5-7 trillion per year. It recognizes that the private sector has a fundamental role to play if the world is to achieve the Goals and ensure economic growth and poverty reduction that does not come at the expense of environmental damage, climate change as well as social and income inequalities. Private sector participation will be required at a larger scale than presently deployed through the global impact investment community. The 2030 Agenda and SDGs need to become a global framework for private actors to capture the benefits and trade-offs of sustainable development. This means encouraging greater SDG- aligned investments from institutional investors and corporations, using the 2030 Agenda as a proactive roadmap for capital deployment, rather than exclusively as a framework for the retroactive and often public finance-focused assessment of impact.
To galvanise private sector investment and mobilise global private capital towards SDG aligned investments, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has created SDG Impact as a flagship initiative to empower investors with clarity, insights and tools to achieve the SDGs. SDG Impact has developed an impact intelligence tool - the SDG Investor Maps. The SDG Investor Map is a flagship tool of SDG Impact at the disposition of Country Offices. An SDG Investor Map is a piece of market intelligence managed/coordinated by UNDP Country Offices to help private investors (funds, financiers, corporations) identify investment opportunities and business models that advance the SDGs. The Maps provide the insight and tools needed by the private sector to increase their investments towards the SDGs. They can make a significant contribution to filling the financing gap by mobilizing private capital for the SDGs.
SDG Investor Maps are created using an established methodology which combines secondary data research (on existing development needs, policy priorities, and market opportunities) with interviews/discussions with public and private sector stakeholders to verify findings and contribute new insights. The data are analyzed to distill Investment Opportunity Areas and data-backed business models. The findings of the Investor Maps are synthesized in an Excel template and uploaded into a dynamic online platform https://sdginvestorplatform.undp.org where investors can search for the market intelligence on investment opportunities by a variety of functionalities, including sectors, regions, SDGs as well as return profiles, market size and timeframes of investments that most interest them.
The SDG investor mapping process will establish a more holistic, public and private, approach to financing national sustainable development in Cambodia by operationalizing an integrated national financing framework. The lessons and results of the pilot in Cambodia will also contribute to the continued refinement of the SDG Investor Mapping process globally, alongside the lessons from other pilot countries.
UNDP Cambodia is looking for a consultant to conduct the SDG investor mapping process with relevant stakeholders. The consultant will work closely with the SDG Investor Map project lead in the Regional Office and Cambodia office and SDG investor mapping – public sector consultant.
Duties and Responsibilities
The assignment will be carried out in line with the UNDP’s SDG Investor Map methodology along the following main components of the mapping exercise:
Define the national priority starting point, i.e. distil and compare national development needs and national policy priorities to identify sectors where there is demonstrable political/ financial commitment to stimulate development and investment. At this stage cross-cutting themes such as gender and marginalization will also be applied to understand development needs and policy priorities for specific groups and communities. Useful documentation to inform this includes, among others, National Sustainable Development Plan, Cambodia SDGs and Voluntary National Review (VNR) for development-related priorities, and Government programs and investment promotion plans for policy priorities; country strategies of international financial and bilateral development agencies;
Identify priority subsectors to focus on, i.e. prioritize subsectors where there is development need and policy/investment momentum. The documentation analyzed here is more sector-specific, including sector-specific strategies and action programs; sector specific programs of the Government at national and regional level, assessment of country progress on SDGs, and sector reports from investment promotion agencies;
Identify priority sub-regions to focus on, i.e. identify sub-regions where there is both high development need within each subsector, and strong political/financial momentum to spur potential subsector growth. Emerging sectors, subsectors and sub-regions are validated through focused consultations with cooperation agencies, national development banks, stakeholders in key ministries, and investment promotion agencies;
Derive more specific investment opportunity areas: i.e. gather intelligence through primary and secondary research (primarily with local and global investors) to identify scalable business models with the potential to address critical development needs identified in stages 1-4. Each ‘IOA’ anchors around a proven commercial approach with strong potential for achieving at-market- or above-market returns, and a clear link to the development challenge addressed in relevant subsectors and sub-regions.
*The methodology to develop the SDG Investor Map will be provided by UNDP
Overall responsibilities:
Onboarding and training:
Complete the orientation and technical training to understand the SDG Investor Map methodology.
Develop a detailed work plan for the completion of the work along the lines of the methodology described, to fit into the final deliverable Excel template and for upload onto the SDG Investor Platform.
Research and map development:
Identify, assess and analyse the key data sources needed to complete the Mapping;
Undertake desk research (e.g. document review) and analysis across multiple steps of the Country Office Handbook methodology (sector analysis; subsector analysis; subregion analysis; investment opportunity area analysis) with specific focus on private sector participation in and contribution to the achievement of Cambodia Sustainable Goals;
Using the methodology as a guideline, use the prescribed distillation process to identify private sector national development needs, policy priorities and private sector investment interest. This should potentially lead to identification of sectors, sub-sectors, regions and investment opportunities;
Undertake in-depth trend analysis of private sector investment flows leveraging publicly available information and credible investment reports such as World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business, investor pulse reports produced by management consulting firms and other identified resources. Work with the Public sector consultant on the project to align such findings with the policy and development needs landscape for Cambodia;
For each investment opportunity area identified, map critical data points that explains the opportunity’s landscape and provides market intelligence such as policy, regulatory, financial parameters contributing to an enabling environment for investors. Similarly, map factors pertaining to the risk profile, impact profile and economic profile for the identified opportunity area.
Lead the collation of insights from multiple research sources into a master document, ensuring that data collected is of comparable breadth and depth (testing for the mutual exclusiveness of datapoints);
Stakeholder mapping and engagement:
Map the key stakeholders from the private sector, investment promotion entities and other relevant stakeholders who should be consulted for the development of the SDG Investor Map for Cambodia. Align with the public sector consultant to create a comprehensive stakeholder list that includes policy and civil society organizatons.
Create a long (30-50) and shortlist (20-25) of prospective public and private sector interviewees.
Schedule interviews and record relevant qualitative insights for further collation and analysis.
Lead structured interviews using customized thematic questionnaires with local, regional and global investors to deepen learnings from desk research and source additional insights on the ‘investability’ of long-listed opportunity areas;
Conduct stakeholder consultations with governmental agencies, international and foreign country development agencies, the private sector etc.—to verify findings and make a recording the results of the interviews;
Contribute to the identification of policy areas that need further dialogue with key government partners and provide outlines for policy briefs (at least 2 briefs)
Final product and deliverables:
Compilation of the research and insights with data sources in an excel template, to be provided by the UNDP office; and a narrative report to document process and findings used of each step of the methodology.
Response to quality assurance and inputs provided by peer reviewers from the UNDP and key stakeholders to create a high quality, standardized product.
Upload the finalized database onto the global SDG Investor Platform.
Create and maintain a process deck [powerpoint] to document the process used for each step of the methodology to arrive at the desired output.
Communication:
Contribute to the crafting of update decks for UNDP stakeholders as necessary.
Report to the UNDP Project Team regularly and as needed on work progress; and
Perform other related duties as assigned
Facilitation:
Assist with facilitation related activities to plan investor, government and private sector convenings to launch the SDG Investor Map for Cambodia – these might include the development of materials to be used and facilitation of the meeting, etc.
Competencies
Functional competencies:
ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Strong local networks: within the financial and corporate industries (banks, non-bank financial institutions, impact funds, HNWI, relevant philanthropies, development finance institutions), with relevant businesses, investment promotion agencies etc.
Ability to undertake mixed methods research, particularly stakeholder interviews and the navigation of statistical databases
Experience in the analysis and review of technical and legal documents such as policy documents and/or legal contracts; international agreements and conventions; economic and business-related reports and performance indicators; and
Experience in liaising with public and private sector stakeholders and organizing and facilitating public and private sector stakeholder dialogue activities (workshops, round-table, discussions, etc.)
Expertise in gathering and comprehensively analyzing country-level data as basis for identifying investment opportunities and developing data analytics on market sizing and defining key country hotspots
Excellent advocacy skills relating to finance, business climate.
Ability to navigate sensitive political environments
- Strong communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products
Corporate competencies:
Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
- Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Master’s degree in economics, development, finance, accounting, business administration, data science or related field.
Experience:
At least 7 years of professional experience in finance in emerging or low-income markets, sustainable or impact finance, impact investment, private sector engagement, business development in developing countries, investment research, statistics, analysis
Strong knowledge of market context, of national development needs, and economic/ political priorities for Cambodia.
Deep knowledge of the local investment landscape, and close familiarity with needs of global investors
Knowledge of SDGs and familiarity with impact investment and management and experience with the Cambodian government and investor context would be an advantage.
Language Requirement:
Fluence in both written and spoken English; working knowledge of Khmer would be an added advantage
Interested offeror must read the Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice, which can be viewed at https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=82117 more detail information about term of references, instructions to offeror, and to download the documents to be submitted in the offer through online.
UNDP reserves right to reject any applications that is incomplete.
Please be informed that we don’t accept application submitted via email.
Interested Offerors are required to submit application via UNDP jobsite system as the application screening and evaluation will be done through UNDP jobsite system. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file. Your online applications submission will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.
Interested individual offeror must submit the following documents/information into one single file to demonstrate their qualifications:
1. Proposal: Letter of intertest explaining why they are the most suitable for the work
2. Financial proposal (Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP)
3. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references
Any request for clarification/additional information on this procurement notice shall be communicated in writing to UNDP office or send to email pheara.lek@undp.org and cc procurement.kh@undp.org . While the Procurement Unit would endeavor to provide information expeditiously, only requests receiving at least 5 working days prior to the submission deadline will be entertained. Any delay in providing such information will not be considered as a reason for extending the submission deadline. The UNDP's response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted in Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice page as provided above. Therefore, all prospective Offerors are advised to visit the page regularly to make obtain update.