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.
Scam warning
The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
