Private Sector and Innovative Financing Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNFPA is looking for a dynamic professional to assist the APRO team in building relationships with the private sector to secure sustainable and innovative financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and to expand the available options for investing in SRHR in Asia and the Pacific Region. This involves assisting in designing new financing mechanisms, partnerships, and strategies to effectively attract, organize, and bring together international development assistance and domestic funding with private investments to maximize development outcomes.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Health Economic Advisor or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Private Sector and Innovative Financing Specialist will:  Be responsible for exploring and developing innovative financing streams with corporations, organizations, and foundations to develop new ways of mobilizing financing for SRHR, such as impact investments and public/private partnerships.  Support country offices with implementing and scaling the UNFPA Strategic Investment Facility (SIF)’s regional projects. SIF is a mechanism that catalyzes modest amounts of regular resources, bringing projects to scale by leveraging far greater sums of domestic government resources, IFIs, aligned external financing, in-country donor contributions, and investments from the private sector.  Lead UNFPA’s work with the private sector for the provision of SRHR services in the workplace and the utilization of the new UNFPA’s ROI Tool, ROI-T: Invest in Her. This includes piloting the existing ROI Tool in selected countries, obtaining actionable inputs and evidence for Tool improvement, and building ‘Business Cases’ for workplace access activities implementation in new businesses/factories. The work will be conducted in the UNFPA Asia-Pacific regional office as part of the team led by the Health Economic Adviser and the SRHR Data Specialist. The UN Volunteer will report to the UNFPA APRO Regional Health Economic Adviser and collaborate with the APRO SRH Data Specialist and the Regional Resource Mobilization Adviser Activities identified under the scope of work should be completed by 31 March 2024, aside from those activities and projects whose nature goes beyond the dates of this contract. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:  Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);  Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;  Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.  Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;  Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;  Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

 Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNFPA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNFPA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;  Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNFPA in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;  Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;  Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.  Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;  Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;  Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNFPA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

progressively responsible positions in building resource mobilization partnerships in the private sector, including in business development, sales or marketing departments. Applicants with similar experience in companies’ philanthropic ventures will be considered.  Demonstrable experience in designing complex public-private projects in the private sector.  Experience in relevant sectors in non-traditional markets, notably in Asia and the Pacific region.  Established track record in innovative financing and social impact investments. Experience working with Islamic Finance is an advantage.  Previous professional experience in a developing country is preferred. Other Competencies:  Knowledge of the global development financing system, capital investments, results-based financing and official development assistance is required for this position.  Strong knowledge of the business model of capital markets, private equity, the digital banking and fintech sectors, e-commerce companies, and telecommunications companies is an advantage.  Solid knowledge of relevant technological solutions and systems, including the use of web based solutions.  Innovation and strategic thinking background or experience in an innovative environment are preferred.  Strong presentation, writing and negotiation skills, including the ability to design and elaborate partnership proposals required. Ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines and work well with others in a fast-paced environment, organize and prioritize own work with limited supervision required.  Ability to work in small teams and to work remotely  Proven ability to build collaborative, impactful relationships with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.

Bangkok allows very good living conditions, with wide ranges of accommodation, banking facilities, medical facilities and telecommunications/internet services readily available. All staple foods can be found in the market. Many imported goods are available in Bangkok and other places throughout Thailand. Bangkok has many good restaurants with good health standards and most guesthouses provide food. In Thailand the most used means of transportation are taxi or local bus (and, in Bangkok, the elevated train service). Mobile phone is the most dependable tool to be in-touch with colleagues and friends. Internet service is readily available and affordable at most apartment complexes. ATMs are everywhere in Thailand and Western cards can usually be used to withdraw Thai Baht. For those with children, schooling options in Bangkok are to be well evaluated and determined before taking your children to the duty station. School fees and area vary greatly and depend on your preferences. Admission fee for schools in Thailand ranges from $3,000 - $9,000, and tuition fees from $5,500 - $25,533 (per annum). Depending on educational quality and the area, you may need to explore more to find out what schools could offer that serves the needs of your children. No specific allocation is available for schooling and Volunteers will need to bear the entire costs.