Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
In 2021, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (RBA) launched the planning phase of the timbuktoo Initiative, a bold venture aimed at engaging African youth as entrepreneurs and innovators. The initiative's core mission is to mobilize $1 billion, of which $350 million will serve as catalytic capital and over $650 million as commercial capital, to revitalize over 100 million livelihoods and generate 10 million new dignified jobs. The official launch of timbuktoo took place in January 2024, featuring the Catalytic Pan-African Innovation Fund under the broader timbuktoo Africa Innovation Fund umbrella. This fund was designed to bolster African startups across various thematic sectors, commencing with a strong backing of $50 million from world leaders and partners announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the continent through a blend of commercial and catalytic funding.
In January 2024, UNDP launched the timbuktoo Initiative which includes a Catalytic Pan-African Innovation Fund designed to support African startups. Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Fund has already received a commitment of $3 million from the Government of Rwanda. The ambitious plan aims to mobilize and invest the targeted $1 billion to foster the growth and development of entrepreneurial ventures across the African continent. This focused approach, combined with a “blended capital” model that incorporates both commercial and catalytic funds, aims to reduce risks associated with private investment and foster a comprehensive startup ecosystem. The main target for the Execution Phase is to establish the institutional arrangements for the Fund, and crowd in additional investments on the catalytic side as well as kick off effective operationalization of the Initiative.
The timbuktoo initiative will establish 11 thematic vertical Hubs in Accra, Cairo, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dakar, Kigali, Lagos, and Nairobi – to serve as critical intervention nodes with full innovation ecosystem support. Each hub will be sector-specific and engage with startups across Africa rather than only those based in the host country. These hubs will catalyze innovation for sustainable development transforming ideas into viable businesses critical for powering Africa’s transformation including through the African Continental Free Trade Area. The timbuktoo initiative also features University Innovation Pods (UniPods) - bridging the gap between academic research and entrepreneurial application. The 26 UniPods already established within public universities, including in Benin, Guinea, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Liberia, will be linked to the above – mentioned hubs and act as a pipeline for the tech and tech-enabled innovation ventures that will receive ecosystem support and early-stage risk capital investment under the Hubs. The timbuktoo initiative is multi-pronged, focused on supporting and growing innovative, scalable, and impactful entrepreneurship by African young people, while relying on a springboard of partners who together contribute meaningfully to building an African youth innovation and startup ecosystem. The timbuktoo approach will be anchored in seeking, nurturing, and building African solutions forwarded by Africa’s youth that directly address one or more of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Duties and Responsibilities
1.) Ensure programe support across key corporate/thematic bodies of the timbuktoo programme
Act as liaison between UNDP, the Africa Regional Service Centre, and the timbuktoo Africa Innovation Foundation and provide regular programme support to the timbuktoo programme.
Facilitate regular coordination mechanisms such as meetings, joint reviews, and workshops to strengthen collaboration and ensure consistent programme delivery.
Develop and maintain a tracking matrix to monitor thematic hub performance against corporate standards and ensure timely follow-up and reporting.
2.) Provision of operations support to the timbuktoo foundation
Assist in the preparation of briefing notes, concept papers, and country-level assessments to inform hub strategies and operational decisions.
Organize and coordinate strategic and operational meetings, missions, and events involving UNDP and Foundation stakeholders; prepare agendas, background materials, and ensure timely dissemination of preparatory documents.
Take accurate, well-structured meeting minutes, circulate summaries with actionable follow-ups, and maintain decision logs and coordination calendars.
Support the implementation of programmes during both pre-launch and post-launch phases of thematic hubs by reviewing background materials and evaluating innovation trends to guide decision-making in host countries.
Track deliverables, deadlines, and documentation requirements for internal and external reporting, maintaining organized records of correspondence and programme activities.
3.) Facilitate knowledge management and community of practice networking
Enable thematic Hub office facilitation of exchanges and experiences sharing were valuable.
Coordinate the preparation of quarterly and annual progress reports in collaboration with the Foundation and UNDP country offices.
Support the collation of hub data, contributions from different teams, and alignment of inputs with UNDP's corporate indicators and reporting standards.
Provide editorial support to produce reports, briefings, and visual materials showcasing results, challenges, and innovations.
4.)Ensure stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and visibility
Support the development of communication materials such as newsletters, presentations, and talking points for events, missions, and partner engagements.
Facilitate the coordination of joint events, conferences, and study tours by managing invitations, event logistics, and stakeholder follow-ups.
Maintain a central repository of engagement tools, MoUs, meeting records, and partnership documentation.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The analyst will report to the Global Lead, timbuktoo and work closely with Unipods and hubs section heads.
Competencies
Core Competencies
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
Business Management - Knowledge Generation : Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
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.
Business Direction and Strategy System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system
Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, International Development, Project Management, Social Sciences, or related field is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree)in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of an advanced university degree
Experience:
- Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of work experience programme coordination and operations is required.
- Demonstrate experience in high-level strategic thinking and business analytical
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages
- Considerable experience liasing with multiple development actors including the UN.
- Prior experience in the UN system, in particular UNDP would be an asset.
- Prior work experience in Africa is an asset.
- Demonstrated experience in cross-functional teams and integrating diverse perspectives in liaison and program support is desired
- Experience in creating knowledge management tools, writing technical documents, and supporting inter-agency collaboration through the development of resources is desired.
Language:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
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