Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers innovative “last mile” finance models that catalyze larger capital flows from the private sector, national governments and development partners, especially at the domestic level.  UNCDF is a particular advocate for making finance work for the LDCs, to reduce poverty, support local economic development, and ensure no one is left behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

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 $80 million. This trend is expected to continue. Innovation and SDG-oriented finance initiatives (e.g. inclusive digital economies; climate change finance for local governments; last mile investment platform) are attracting significant partner interest and providing significant opportunities for scaled partnership between public and private financial actors.

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

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 and Selection Criteria

Description of Competency at Level Required

Core

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Level 7: Promotes stakeholder-centered design and appropriate risk-taking approaches for office / programme / division

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow

Level 7: Positions the organization as a center of expertise and influence Inspires others to reach new heights

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 7: Empowers team managers to act independently and takes people management decisions

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 7: Reconciles contrasting positions and ambiguous circumstances by communicating a clear path for resolution and progress

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Level 7: Sets strategic goals and builds the means to achieve optimal service delivery and organizational excellence

Technical/Functional

Strategic Planning

Ability to make decisions that align with strategy, vision, and mission

Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Operational Efficiency

Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency

Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Quality Assurance

Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled

Level 7:Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Partnerships

Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships

Level 7:Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Internal Reporting and Accountability

Ability to create internal reporting and accountability processes and standards

Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Resource Mobilization

Ability to identify and establish initiatives and relationships to generate resources

Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Organizational Development

Knowledge of organizational development concepts, issues and principles and the ability to apply them to strategic and/or practical situations

Level 7: Navigate & Guide: Charts a course for a systems approach to continuous learning, adaptation, and excellence, creating institutional imperatives to realize progress within across the relevant profession

Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

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

Experience:

• 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, private finance and capital markets, and financial and digital services for the poor and/or private sector development an asset.
• Applicants should have at least 15 years substantive experience and expertise in development and familiarity with both field and headquarters environments, including in the LDCs.
• The successful candidate is expected to have 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 Requirements:

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