UNCDF Jobs - 107361- Senior Partnerships & Advocacy Expert

Senior Partnerships & Advocacy Expert - IPSA 14

Advertised on behalf of

UNCDF

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

IPSA (Short-Term)

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

24-Jun-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

IPSA-14

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

31 December 2022 (40 days)

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

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to inclusive finance and investment capital. Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Based at UNCDF, the Better Than Cash Alliance’s mission is to catalyze a global movement from cash to digital payments to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Specific benefits include efficiency, transparency, women’s economic participation and financial inclusion, helping build economies that are digital and inclusive.

The Alliance has nearly 80 members, including national governments from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, companies and international organizations which have committed to digitizing payments.

The Secretariat works with the Alliance members on their journey to digitize payments by:

Providing advisory services based on member priorities.
Sharing action-oriented research and fostering peer learning.
Conducting advocacy at national, regional and global level.

Billions of dollars in cash payments and transfers are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, remittances. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability and security, as well as inefficiency. Individuals who receive cash payments are often part of the 1.7 billion excluded from the formal financial sector, the majority of whom are women. This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk.

Shifting these payments from cash to digital has the potential to improve the lives of low-income people, particularly women, while giving governments, the development community and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost efficient, and often-safer means of disbursing payments.

The Better Than Cash Alliance Team’s Core Values are the following:

Achieving together
Striving for excellence
Service oriented
Results oriented

Institutional Arrangement

The position will work under the supervision and direction of the Deputy Managing Director and the Head of Global Communications of the Better Than Cash Alliance, working closely with the 10th Anniversary team and Alliance Secretariat colleagues.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

1) Engagement with member international organizations in preparation fot the Alliance 10th Anniversary, with a focus on the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments

Identify and connect with all relevant focal points at Better Than Cash Alliance member international organizations.
Explain to member international organizations the importance and applicability of the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments to their context.
Draft quotes and short stories for sharing on social media or other platforms to meet publication deadlines about how member international organizations are taking action on the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments.
Under the direction of the relevant regional/content / communications lead, as needed, facilitate other member engagement on the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments for the 10th Anniversary.

2) Strategic advice and implementation guidance with representation, as part of the team for a high-level event during UN General Assembly, September 2022

Provide strategic advice and implementation guidance as part of the team to New York-based Better Than Cash Alliance colleagues for all UN outreach and arrangements, such as venue booking and security protocol, UN mission and government invitation lists, outreach, and turnout, speaker and VIP seating assignments, guest credentialing and passes; outreach, protocol and handling of high level / VIP guests.
Provide strategic advice and implementation guidance as part of the team on other aspects related to event organization, including identifying opportunities for the launch of a new research product focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through digital financial inclusion.
Represent the Better Than Cash Alliance in New York with senior UN and member government officials, as part of the team in the run-up to the Better Than Cash Alliance high-level event during the 2022 UN General Assembly.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 4: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 4: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 4: Create systems and processes that enable learning and development for all

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 4: Proactively initiate/lead organizational change, champion new systems/processes

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 4: Able to make difficult decisions in challenging situations, inspire confidence

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 4: Construct strategic multi-partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 4: Create ethical culture, identify/address barriers to inclusion

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

*Thematic Area*	*Name*	*Definition*
*Business Management*	*Project management*	Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
*Business direction and strategy*	*Entrepreneurial thinking*	Ability to create clarity around Better Than Cash Alliance/UNCDF value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs to be based on Better Than Cash Alliance’s organizational priorities and mandate.
*Business Direction and Strategy*	*Negotiation and influence*	Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain an advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise, and create situations.
*Business Management* *Business Management*	*Communications*	Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
*External relations and advocacy*	*Event planning and execution*	Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplifyindividual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as Better Than Cash Alliance's overall brand and mandate.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements	Master’s degree in international affairs, development, political science, or another relevant field.
Min. years of relevant work experience	More than fifteen (15) years of relevant professional experience working on issues related to digital payments at the international level, including high-level event management
Required skills	Demonstrated excellent results in forging multi-stakeholder partnership development and advocacy. Excellent communications skills, both oral and written, including editing of talking points, briefing materials, and other advocacy materials for senior representatives from governments, companies, and international organizations. Excellent time management skills to ensure effective prioritization of tasks to ensure all milestones are met on time.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section	Expertise in writing for social media is an asset Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate, and its brand. Extensive knowledge of digital payments and digital financial inclusion, including responsible practices captured in the UN Principles for Responsible Digital Payments. Evidence of ensuring effective team cohesion under the pressure of high-level events Computer literacy, including familiarity with spreadsheets and Experience in high-level event management, including liaising with senior officials at UN member state mission, UN Secretariat, and UN agencies and meeting the deadlines of all parties involved Experience organizing successful high-level events at UN headquarters during the UNGA PowerPoint presentations. Experience working with Asana.
Required Language(s)	Excellent writing and oral skills in English are required; Good command of Spanish or French is an asset.
Professional Certificates	NA