Background
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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.
UNDP works to end poverty, protect the planet, galvanize partners behind SDGs and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. To achieve the ambitious goals set out by the agenda 2030 and the Africa Union Agenda 2063, countries will need to mobilize public and private financing flows towards the implementation of the SDG aligned national development priorities. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) introduced the Integrated National Financing Frameworks ( INFFs ) to help countries better align their financing policies with their development plan and to overcome impediments to financing their national priorities.
In view of supporting governments in the region to plan sequenced strategies for mobilizing and aligning public and private resources to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the AAAA, the Paris agreement and the BAPA+40, UNDP has established the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH), based in Pretoria, South Africa. The Hub brings its added value through the unique integrated approach to SDG financing (1), the focus on linking planning and financing (2), the UNDP’s role as SDG integrator (3) and UNDP’s country presence (4).
In this context, ASFH is looking for an SDG Finance Analyst to support the pillar of the ASFH which is aiming at establishing INFFs, aligning planning and financing processes and bringing public and private actors behind the SDGs in Africa. It will also support the South-South and Triangular Cooperation agenda of UNDP, promoting the development leadership of African based solutions within the continent and globally.
This post is critical for strengthening UNDP’s engagement to support the countries in the roll-out of the INFFs, the SDG Budgeting and in drafting the SDG Financing strategies. The assignment also serves to strengthen linkages with other UN ongoing processes, as well as creating the enabling environment to support other UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub flagships initiatives.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Analyst’s work will mainly involve but is not limited to the following aspects:
1. Technical Assistance to African COs on Integrated National Financing Frameworks
- Provide country support to COs related to the implementation of the INFF agenda at country level, with a particular focus on the roll out of the Development Finance Assessments (DFA);
- Provide quality assurance support in the revision for the development of INFF, in line with the UN DESA methodology for INFFs, including through the SDG Financing Strategies;
- Facilitate the south-south exchanges between countries on the INFF agenda.
2. Technical support on expanding the Regional and country SDG Financing Portfolio
- Assist COs in the national revenue mobilization agenda of the countries, including through the tax reform processes, by linking the work under the Tax for SDGs Programme and the Africa Domestic Revenue Mobilization Project;
- Support the roll-out of the Diaspora Investment/Remittances Regional Project at country level, in close collaboration with regional partners (IOM and AUC);
- Any other duty related to the ongoing Africa Solidarity Mechanism and the broader INFF Agenda as may be required.
3. Policy Analysis and support to global and regional policy dialogue on SDG Financing in Africa
- Carry out research and analysis on the transformative development cooperation landscape in the region, including through the quality assessment support to undertake the Development Finance Assessments in the African countries and the development of Financing strategies, in line with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the SDGs;
- Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned on INFF development and mainstreaming of South-South/Triangular Cooperation into national development programmes and strategies;
- Provide strategic policy analysis support in the assessment of key regional and sub-regional trends and challenges in the different areas of the team’s flagships, including through the INFF, DRM and projects.
4. Partnership Development on INFF and SDG Finance
- Provide substantive input in the regional and global processes (IMF level, AUC level, ECOSOC HLPF, UNGA, etc) on the INFF and SDG Finance agenda;
- Support the team in its engagement with IFIs, DFIs, Islamic finance partners, business leaders and other private actors at this level, building consensus about the agenda for improved governance of financing and ways forward at the global level;
- Support the team in working with regional bureaus and the GPN technical teams, fostering cross team collaboration across practices (between SDG Finance and Inclusive Growth, Governance, Gender, NCE, Digital, etc.).
5. Knowledge management and communication
- Support the development of communications pieces – blogs, articles, social media core messages – related to the INFF agenda at country and regional level;
- Support the development of briefings documents, drafting of HL speeches to disseminate key facts, findings and information of the team’s portfolio;
- Coordinate team contributions and support to KM activities, whether at the regional level to help influence/advance policy dialogue on the INFF and South-South and Triangular Cooperation;
- Represent the SDG Financing Hub at events and meetings.
Institutional Arrangement
The SDG Finance Analyst will work under the supervision of the SDG Finance and South-South Cooperation Regional Advisor, within the UNDP’s Africa Sustainable Finance Hub.
Competencies:
Core Competencies:
Achieve Results: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.
Think Innovatively: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
Learn Continuously: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
Adapt with Agility: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.
Act with Determination: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.
Engage and Partner: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.
Technical/functionla Competencies:
Business Development: Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
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.
Business Management: Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs.
Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy.
Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
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.
Business Management: Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results.
General (across the functions): Event planning and execution: Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP’s overall brand and mandate.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s degree in the field of economics, finance, applied social sciences, project management or other relevant fields.
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of two years in a developing country and/or bilateral/multilateral development agency working on strategic SDG planning and public or private finance, with specific integrated national financing frameworks experience in Africa as an advantage;
- Sound understanding of key analytical and policy issues pertaining to sustainable finance in Africa (financing for development agenda), with a particular focus on the INFF agenda in Africa as an advantage;
- Knowledge of current trends in Finance (public and private), including on issues on Taxation, Remittances, Investment, Digital Finance and South-South Cooperation in Africa is desirable;
- Demonstrated qualitative and quantitative research skills and experience in drafting analytical documents and producing reports, with proficiency handling FFD related data, including use of analysis and statistical tools is desirable;
- Excellent writing skills and ability to synthesize and summarize material demonstrated by experience in preparing concise briefings, talking points, concept notes and other communications and outreach materials;
- Excellent inter-personal and organizational skills;
- Previous work experience with UNDP / UN in similar functions is an advantage;
- Specific working experience providing support to African Governments on the Integrated National Financing Frameworks Agenda.
Language:
- Proficiency in English and French language.
Disclaimer
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.
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