Programme 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.

The UNDP Strategic Plan (2022-2025) recognizes the complex and changing development landscape, the impact of COVD19, as well as the needs of its partners for more efficiency is fostering impact. It describes how UNDP will respond and support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), related agreements and recover from the pandemic. Against this backdrop, the UNDP is changing to become a more agile, flexible, adaptive organization, that can better respond to uncertainties and promote resilience in partnership with governments, civil societies, and the private sector. The UNDP Regional Programme Document for Africa, in alignment with the UNDP Strategic Plan objectives, articulates the organization’s core interventions along six impact areas. These are: Natural Resource Governance; Youth Employment and Empowerment; Structural Economic Transformation; Sustainable Energy; Climate Change; and Peace and Security. The Regional Programme pinpoints that fulfilling Africa’s developmental aspirations requires an integrated perspective in which the UNDP promotes and supports the implementation of private sector engagements and development programs, in particular through its Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH).

The ASFH promotes policies and implements interventions that enable the development of a greener and more inclusive private sector through its flagship initiatives. These include the Africa Inclusive Markets Excellence Centre (AIMEC) and the Ecosystem Development Approach; the Project on Supporting the growth and formalization of informal enterprises and an leveraging digital technology to support their access to financial services; the hub’s work on green business and investment and related upcoming Carbon Market Development program and the ongoing greening regional food value chains project; as well as the ongoing development of SME financing framework. The ASFH team collaborates closely with the broader UNDP family, in particular Country Offices, the Global Policy Network (GPN), the Regional Hubs in Africa and other Regional Service Center units to build portfolio-based interventions towards the achievement of the SDGs.

The ASFH is looking for a Programme Specialist to strengthen its private sector development and engagement capacity. This post is critical for strengthening the hub’s support to African countries in channeling private financial flows towards the SDGs, including through the promotion of impact-oriented business models and support to the African private sector in its efforts to recover from the impact of COVID 19. The hub is also developing innovative partnerships strategies to unlock the potential of digital economy, consolidate ecosystem-based development solutions and promote stakeholder-led, sustainable market-based solutions. The Programme Specialist will support the development of innovative tools and their subsequent roll-out in the areas of MSME financing, of green business and investment, of resilient and sustainable value chains development under the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The Programme Specialist will also contribute to the ongoing implementation of the project on supporting the growth and formalization of informal enterprises.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Private Sector and SDG Finance Special Advisor or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer will:

•Carry out research and prepare briefs in areas including (but not limited to) private sector development and engagement, private finance mobilization for the SDGs, MSMEs financial inclusion, including through digitalization and Fintech, green business and investment, resilient value chain development under the AfCFTA; •Support the project on Supporting the growth and formalization of informal enterprises in the Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific; •Support the development and rollout of the SME financing framework; •Support the development and rollout of digital solutions for informal enterprises registration and access to government and financial services; •Support efforts to mobilize resources and partnerships to implement the green business and investment for the Africa climate promise project; •Support the conceptualization and organization of various related outreach activities including webinars, workshops, public-private dialogues etc. •Provide technical backstopping and guidance to Country Offices and external consultants on relevant subject matters; •Carry out review of Concept Notes, Project Documents and other documents in the broad areas of economic development, private sector development and engagement, financing for the SDGs and others; •Support the production and updating of strategic, financial and administrative documents for the unit’s; •Performs other duties as required.

•Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNDP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNDP 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 UNDP 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; •Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; •Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNDP mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

private sector development, private sector engagement, development finance is required. •Experience in finance models and programs for MSMEs is an advantage;
•Experience in the areas of digitalization for development, in particular digital finance or Fintech development is an advantage; •Experience in the areas of incubation, acceleration and the promotion of private sector innovations for development is an advantage; •Experience in green business development promotion and green finance is an advantage; •Exposure to integrated approaches to development, including business ecosystem-based approaches is an advantage;
•Experience in the private sector is an advantage; •Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; •Excellent analytical skills, strong ability to present complex information to non-specialists; •Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners; •Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; •Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; •Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; •Sound security awareness

Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province in South Africa. It is one of the country’s two capital cities serving as the executive (administrative) and de facto national capital. It offers excellent living conditions with various types of world-class available facilities. Housing is readily available, and rents can be negotiated. Infrastructure, internet connectivity, roads, utilities, telecommunications are of a high standard. Airbnb and Uber are in common use. The other city is Cape Town, the legislative capital. Pretoria is classified as an A duty station, and South Africa is in security phase 1. Like in other big cities with significant crime rates, caution must be exercised always.