Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

UNCDF is the United Nations' flagship catalytic financing entity for the world’s 46 LDCs. With its unique capital mandate and focus on the LDCs, UNCDF works to invest and catalyze capital to support these countries in achieving ​the sustainable growth and inclusiveness envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Ac...

Responsibilities or duties

Strategic Leadership

• Sets the strategic direction for the sourcing, design, development, and provision of implementation support associated with UNCDF’s portfolio of projects and programmes financed through grants, loans, and guarantees in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Leads the effective sourcing, design and management of a focused, coherent, cost-effective and high impact UNCDF portfolio of programmes and projects financed by grants, loans, and guarantees.
• Overall responsible for ensuring consistency in application of thematic objectives of UNCDF for each of the thematic leads and for each of the regional leads.
• Sets the strategic direction of UNCDF’s Thematic and Regional Leads on the execution of operations in the various country investment programmes.
• Leads the development of innovative approaches to achieve development targets, including through design and development of different financing mechanisms particularly with a focus on third party capital mobilization including the private sector.
• Proactively monitors achievement of management targets and implementation of the different investments.
• Ensures regular review of the progress of the different investments to ensure everything remains on track, and guides/advises on adjustments/interventions as needed (from an impact, financial, and risk perspective)
• Works with each of the Thematic and Regional Leads to understand and advise on each of their business plans, including implementation and execution process, key milestones, outreach/business development programs within the previously identified targets and timetables.
• Ensures good and regular communications between each of the Thematic and Regional Leads enabling effective coordination.
• Implements the plan to drive strong coordination and communication between the Thematic Leads and the Regional Leads in line with the UNCDF’s overall objectives.
• Leads discussions with respect to the overall resource mobilization efforts, including building and deepening partnerships, engaging diverse stakeholders, fostering strategic partnerships with governments, private sector, NGOs, donor community, international financial institutions and other UN entities.
• Reports regularly to the Executive Secretary on the effectiveness and impact of the Thematic and Regional Leads working together to ensure business development and development impact in line with technical rigour and in line with UNCDF’s investment strategy to support the realization of UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.

Lead Overall Management

• Leads the overall management of a team of Thematic and Region-based Investment Leads and technical and policy officers who undertake UNCDF’s “front office” function of sourcing, design, development, and provision of implementation support associated with UNCDF’s portfolio of projects and programmes financed through grants, loans, and guarantees in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement and Strategic Framework.
• Ensures an efficient and collegiate management of the senior team in UNCDF’s Investment and Implementation Division in line with the objectives of UNCDF’s Strategic Framework and associated four-year business plan.
• Accountable for the effective provision of first level oversight of a portfolio of programmes and projects under the management of UNCDF’s Investment and Implementation Division.
• Ensures the investment integrity of the organization and full compliance with UNCDF’s investment rules and regulations and UNDP’s rules and regulations as outlined in the POPP.
• Ensures UNCDF’s investment and programming approach fully complies with internal programme and operational policies and procedures as approved by the UNCDF Executive Secretary.
• Leads on the coordination and delivery of the integrated workplan with UNCDF’s two other Divisions - Investment Finance Oversight Division and Investment Operations Divisions - and UNCDF’s Executive Office.
• Management of overall risk of investments, ensuring continued monitoring and quality of regular reporting obligations.
• Ensures results-based management and constantly demonstrate value for money in all UNCDF programming.
• Manages Investment and Implementation Division staff and personnel and encourages an organizational culture that supports innovation and effective risk management.
• Ensures the implementation of gender and other workplace policies.
• Ensures effective internal communications and a positive, healthy work environment.

Lead Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Develops strategic partnerships to advance corporate strategic objectives as well as transactions-level needs in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Leads on UNCDF’s Resource Mobilization efforts in line with objectives and targets of UNCDF’s Strategic Framework, and working collaboratively with the UNCDF Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer and other senior managers in the UNCDF Executive Office.
• Represents UNCDF within the wider UN and in other international fora.
• Represents UNCDF in the broader market helping to highlight UNCDF’s capabilities with a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector, Global and Regional Multilateral Development Banks, Development Finance Institutions, Philanthropy and Foundations as well as International Non-Governmental Organizations.
• Promotes UNCDF to external audiences, ensuring appropriate positioning and business development.

Lead Knowledge Management and Advocacy

• Ensures monitoring and evaluation of UNCDF programmes and the effective capture and codification and use of the knowledge generated in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Ensures effective advocacy around UNCDF’s programmatic work and themes, at both the global and country levels.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision, development and performance management of the team will be required.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• Business Direction and Strategy: System Thinking
  Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Business Direction & Strategy: Effective Decision Making
  Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
• Business Management: Portfolio Management
  Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-a

Experience needed

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

• Sets the strategic direction for the sourcing, design, development, and provision of implementation support associated with UNCDF’s portfolio of projects and programmes financed through grants, loans, and guarantees in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Leads the effective sourcing, design and management of a focused, coherent, cost-effective and high impact UNCDF portfolio of programmes and projects financed by grants, loans, and guarantees.
• Overall responsible for ensuring consistency in application of thematic objectives of UNCDF for each of the thematic leads and for each of the regional leads.
• Sets the strategic direction of UNCDF’s Thematic and Regional Leads on the execution of operations in the various country investment programmes.
• Leads the development of innovative approaches to achieve development targets, including through design and development of different financing mechanisms particularly with a focus on third party capital mobilization including the private sector.
• Proactively monitors achievement of management targets and implementation of the different investments.
• Ensures regular review of the progress of the different investments to ensure everything remains on track, and guides/advises on adjustments/interventions as needed (from an impact, financial, and risk perspective)
• Works with each of the Thematic and Regional Leads to understand and advise on each of their business plans, including implementation and execution process, key milestones, outreach/business development programs within the previously identified targets and timetables.
• Ensures good and regular communications between each of the Thematic and Regional Leads enabling effective coordination.
• Implements the plan to drive strong coordination and communication between the Thematic Leads and the Regional Leads in line with the UNCDF’s overall objectives.
• Leads discussions with respect to the overall resource mobilization efforts, including building and deepening partnerships, engaging diverse stakeholders, fostering strategic partnerships with governments, private sector, NGOs, donor community, international financial institutions and other UN entities.
• Reports regularly to the Executive Secretary on the effectiveness and impact of the Thematic and Regional Leads working together to ensure business development and development impact in line with technical rigour and in line with UNCDF’s investment strategy to support the realization of UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Leads the overall management of a team of Thematic and Region-based Investment Leads and technical and policy officers who undertake UNCDF’s “front office” function of sourcing, design, development, and provision of implementation support associated with UNCDF’s portfolio of projects and programmes financed through grants, loans, and guarantees in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement and Strategic Framework.
• Ensures an efficient and collegiate management of the senior team in UNCDF’s Investment and Implementation Division in line with the objectives of UNCDF’s Strategic Framework and associated four-year business plan.
• Accountable for the effective provision of first level oversight of a portfolio of programmes and projects under the management of UNCDF’s Investment and Implementation Division.
• Ensures the investment integrity of the organization and full compliance with UNCDF’s investment rules and regulations and UNDP’s rules and regulations as outlined in the POPP.
• Ensures UNCDF’s investment and programming approach fully complies with internal programme and operational policies and procedures as approved by the UNCDF Executive Secretary.
• Leads on the coordination and delivery of the integrated workplan with UNCDF’s two other Divisions - Investment Finance Oversight Division and Investment Operations Divisions - and UNCDF’s Executive Office.
• Management of overall risk of investments, ensuring continued monitoring and quality of regular reporting obligations.
• Ensures results-based management and constantly demonstrate value for money in all UNCDF programming.
• Manages Investment and Implementation Division staff and personnel and encourages an organizational culture that supports innovation and effective risk management.
• Ensures the implementation of gender and other workplace policies.
• Ensures effective internal communications and a positive, healthy work environment.
• Develops strategic partnerships to advance corporate strategic objectives as well as transactions-level needs in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Leads on UNCDF’s Resource Mobilization efforts in line with objectives and targets of UNCDF’s Strategic Framework, and working collaboratively with the UNCDF Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer and other senior managers in the UNCDF Executive Office.
• Represents UNCDF within the wider UN and in other international fora.
• Represents UNCDF in the broader market helping to highlight UNCDF’s capabilities with a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector, Global and Regional Multilateral Development Banks, Development Finance Institutions, Philanthropy and Foundations as well as International Non-Governmental Organizations.
• Promotes UNCDF to external audiences, ensuring appropriate positioning and business development.
• Ensures monitoring and evaluation of UNCDF programmes and the effective capture and codification and use of the knowledge generated in line with UNCDF’s vision and mission statement.
• Ensures effective advocacy around UNCDF’s programmatic work and themes, at both the global and country levels.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
• Supervision, development and performance management of the team will be required.

• System Thinking
• Effective Decision Making
• Portfolio Management

• BA/BSc/HND
• MBA/MSc/MA