PFIP Country Coordinator

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels:

• Financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives.
• And by showing how localized investments — through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to several different SDGs.

Since 2008, UNCDF has been supporting digital finance with significant success, with digital finance currently the largest part of its inclusive finance portfolio. This includes digital innovations linked to off-grid energy, agriculture, employment, health and transport. UNCDF is also host to the Secretariat of the Better than Cash Alliance, a partnership of governments, companies, and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth.

With many professionals with strong digital finance experience across the globe and with several hundreds of projects on digital finance on-going, UNCDF is one of the leading development agencies in digital finance with a mission and expertise to reach low-income customers in some of the world’s most difficult markets.

Based on this experience UNCDF started in 2017 to expand the scope of its programmatic agenda to go beyond digital finance using its newly launched strategy “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”. Through this strategy it intends to move its focus from digital finance (DF) to digital economies which constitutes a logical integration of UNCDF experience in financial inclusion and digital, developed over many years. The legacy of UNCDF intervention pro-grammes was built through a range of country/regional programmes and global thematic initiatives, which has established a very strong reputation for UNCDF vis-à-vis donors and peers.

The Country Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating UNCDF’s work in Tonga. Last year UNCDF has started to tailor its new strategy to the Pacific context with two complementary programme initiatives that are part of a bigger portfolio approach to implement UNCDF’s strategy “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” in the Pacific region. These two programmes are:

• The Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP); and
• The Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP),

both of which the implementation will start in 2020.

The country programme coordinator will be responsible for activities, outputs, and outcomes under both PDEP and PICAP progammes in the country. This involves working closely with UNCDF partners, from the government, such as the central bank and ministries, the private sector, including but not limited to commercial banks, mobile network operators, fintechs, insurance companies, remittance service providers etc, as well as development partners, such as other UN Agencies, donor organizations and NGO’s. 

Under the supervision of the UNCDF´s Programme Manager the Country Coordinator will be the key person on the ground to structure the UNCDF engagement in the country and will undertake the following tasks:

• Coordinate the implementation of UNCDF’s programme activities in the country which includes the management of project implementation according to annual work plan, quality assurance and ensuring achievement of outputs;
• Support the development of a pipeline of innovative projects and initiatives using UNCDF’s Technical Assistance facilities and blended finance instruments (e.g. grants, loans and guarantees);
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships, capitalize on business opportunities and take lead in resource mobilization for the strategy in the country and region;
• Support relevant ministries and other entities from the Governments, such as the Ministry of Meteorology, Environment, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications, the Ministry of Labour, Commerce & Industries and the Central Banks to  improve the countries policy and regulations to introduce Climate Disaster Risk Financing (CDRF) strategy to better manage economic losses after a disaster;
• Support in partner relationship management with financial service providers like commercial banks, insurance service providers, fintechs, mobile money operators, remittance service providers etc. through financial and technical support from UNCDF;
• Represent UNCDF in all country level workshops, conferences and other events where UNCDF is invited;
• Facilitate country visits of regional technical specialists and other colleagues by liaising with partners in organizing meetings;
• Support timely reporting from partners that have received support as may be required;
• Contribute to knowledge management and communication by writing blog posts, focus notes etc. 

Impact of Results

• Robust relationships with Government departments, financial services stakeholders’ donors and other development partners;
• A portfolio and pipeline of high quality and innovative projects and other initiatives to support the development of Tonga’s digital economy, as well as on climate disaster risk financing;
• Increased visibility and recognition by UNCDF’s stakeholders in the country for its expertise and capacity to deliver development outcomes for an inclusive digital economy, as well as on improved financial preparedness for climate change and disaster risks;
• The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IP’s);

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UN mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity 
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Self-development, initiative-taking
• Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control
• Managing conflict
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
• Informed and transparent decision making

Functional Competencies:

• In-depth knowledge of development issues in the Pacific region
• Thorough knowledge of digital financial services, financial inclusion and financial regulations.
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more of the programmes’ thematic areas.
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
• Possesses strong project management skills.
• Speaks clearly and convincingly, demonstrating strong presentation skills in meetings.
• Listens actively, acknowledging and responding constructively to other points of view.
• Ability to remain calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Excellent networking capabilities.
• Writes clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences.

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Management, International Relations or related areas.

Experience:

Minimum 3 years of working in commercial banks, other financial institutions, regulatory institutions, capital markets, development finance institutions etc.

• Solid experience in financial services and/or digital economy sector (e.g. Digital Finance, FinTech, InsurTech, eCommerce, Telco, etc); 
• Experience working in developing countries is considered an advantage.
• Experience working with development partners, such as UN organizations or other multilateral organizations (e.g. WorldBank, IFC, ADB) is considered an advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English. 

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.