SDG Finance & Innovative Finance Advisor

Background

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
 

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.

Anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in line with the priorities outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan, the Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) supports the Arab States region to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development, and building resilience to crises and shocks. Within this work, the Regional Bureau for Arab States responds to needs across development settings including Least Developed Countries, Middle Income Countries, Net Contributor Countries and countries affected by crisis, with a view to support the building of resilience, fight climate change, leverage the promise of innovation, and prioritize the advance of women, youth and vulnerable groups as part of its commitment to the principles of universality, equality and leaving no one behind in an increasing complex regional context.

The Regional Hub for Arab States in Amman focuses on thought leadership, crisis response and country office support. With a focus on effective, timely and responsive support in line with UNDP’s programme priorities and tailored to the emerging and changing needs and priorities in the region the offer of support includes strategic policy advice, programme development and implementation, capacity development, policy research and analysis, knowledge services, and operations. 

The Amman Regional Hub implements regional initiatives under the Regional Programme for Arab States 2022-2025 which touches upon the following areas of work: governance and anti-corruption, regional cooperation for the reduction of poverty and inequality, knowledge economy, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, climate security, youth engagement and empowerment, gender equality, resilience building, among others. 

In this context UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) is seeking to recruit an SDG Finance & Innovative Finance Advisor as a strategic position to help coordinate UNDP’s work in the Arab States on financing the SDGs, including through south-south cooperation. The portfolio includes work to support SDG financing strategies, with a focus on the Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFF), budget reform, debt and fiscal instruments, leveraging international public finance, as well as monitoring and reporting on the impact of SDG Finance, and providing indirect integrated support to other key areas such as unlocking private capital and aligning business strategies. 

Position Purpose

Under the guidance of the Director of Sustainable Finance Hub direct supervision of the Team Leader, SDG, Inclusive Growth and Finance, the SDG Finance & Innovative Finance Advisor will work within the SDG, Inclusive Growth, and Finance (SDG-IGF) Team and will focus on the following areas: 

• Coordinate SDG Financing policy and programme support to country offices. 
• Coordinate SDG Financing policy and programme support at the regional level. 
• Coordinate regional partnerships and resource mobilization for SDG financing. 
• Knowledge management. 

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities 

Coordinate SDG Financing policy and programme support to RBAS country offices

• Support country offices in their engagement on SDG Financing, with Governments, the UN country team, IFIs and development partners broadly. 
• Provide policy advisory support to UNDP country offices and their clients including government and the private sector in scaling up financing for the SDGs at country level. 
• Support programme and portfolio development at the country level to enable country offices to test and apply innovative financing approaches and to deliver quality support to governments in financing the SDGs. 
• Provide advisory support and leverage internal and external expertise for finance frameworks for development, as well as and private finance alignment to benefit the SDGs. 
• Support UNDP COs in accessing support from other UN resources including, but not limited to the UN Joint SDG Fund. 

Lead SDG Financing policy and programme support at the regional level

• Support the Regional Bureau Senior Management and the Team Leader, SDG, Inclusive Growth and Finance in collaborative efforts related to SDG financing with regional UN system partners. 
• Coordinate the work of the Amman Regional Hub related to SDG Finance and innovative financing approaches within the framework of the Regional Programme – across multi-disciplinary teams. 
• Develop regional and/or sub-regional financing and scaling strategies, tools, methodologies in partnership with UN system partners and IFIs. 
• Ensure coherence and alignment of financing strategies in regional and country-level programming and integration with policy and programme services. 
• Support the SDG, Inclusive Growth and Finance Team Leader and the Sustainable Finance Hub in UN collaboration at HQ providing country and regional inputs to the Interagency Task Force on Financing the SDGs and the SG’s strategy on financing the SDGs. 

Coordinate regional partnerships and resource mobilization for SDG Financing

• Build, nurture, and maintain a network of knowledge and implementation partners on SDG financing and innovative financing in the Arab States. 
• Coordinate with the SDG-IGF Team and the Sustainable Finance Hub to ensure UNDP RBAS COs have access to thought leaders and experts to support innovative approaches to financing the SDGs. 
• Raise resources for UNDP RBAS COs from regional and global sources of support including from traditional as well as new and emerging donor governments, foundations and the private sector as well working with the Sustainable Finance Hub to access global support.

Knowledge Management

• Coordinate a community of practice on SDG finance across country offices of the region and connected to other regions with and through the UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub. 
• Coordinate team contributions and support to corporate KM activities and related communication on SDG finance and innovative financing approaches, whether at the regional or global level to help influence/advance policy dialogue in the area of SDG finance in collaboration with policy teams at the Amman Regional Hub and the Sustainable Finance Hub. 
• Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned for SDG and Innovative Finance and ensure that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with corporate standards and tools. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The SDG Finance & Innovative Finance Advisor will be responsible for supervision, performance management and development of UNDP Tax for SDGs and TIWB Specialist (IPSA, 10), Inclusive Finance Specialist (IPSA, 10) and a Digital & Inclusive Finance Specialist (IPSA, 10).

Competencies

Core:
Achieve Results:

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.

Think Innovatively:

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.

Learn Continuously:

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.

Adapt with Agility:

• Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands. 

Act with Determination:

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.

Engage and Partner:

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

People Management:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical:
Business Direction and Strategy: Strategic Thinking         

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks, and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management: Results-based Management      

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management: Partnerships Management         

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Management: Communication               

• 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.

Business Management: Portfolio Management 

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity.
• Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Business Development: Integration within the UN           

• Ability to identify, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situation.

2023 Agenda: Partnerships: SDG Finance              

• Impact investment incl. SDG Finance 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance or a related area, or related field is required, OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

 Experience:

• Minimum of ten (10) years with master’s degree or twelve (12) years with bachelor’s degree of relevant experience at the national or international level of professional experience in Finance for Development and a proven track record in innovative financing and scaling approaches and in partnering with public and private financial institutions. 
• Previous experience with multilateral or international organizations is an asset.
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP is required. 
• Proven track record in policy and advisory support in the areas of development financing, with a focus on financing innovations and financial scaling; is required. 
• Experience in management and leadership roles; extensive experience of programming; partnership development and resource mobilization; is required. 
• Excellent coordination, negotiating and communication skills and ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners (public, private, academic, civil society, business community leaders) is required.
• Experience working for development financing institutions is an asset.
• Experience working in the region is an advantage.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Knowledge of Arabic and French is an asset.

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