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

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.

As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the UN, UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, United Nations Organizations, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector.  By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.  UNCDF’s work is focused on three priority areas, including:

•                    SME Finance
•                    Sub-National Finance
•                    Digital Finance

UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board comprised of UN Member States.

Across developing economies, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) ate the backbone of jobs and incomes. They represent over 90 percent of all businesses, yet they remain chronically underserved by formal finance. In Least Developing Countries, the evidence is particularly sobering. While 69 percent of adults borrow each year, only 5 percent do so from a bank, microfinance institution, or similar formal provider.  This figure has not shifted significantly over the past decade.

In an effort to address this challenge, UNCDF in Uganda spearheads FinWise; a project focused on expanding access to affordable and appropriate credit for MSMEs. FinWise aims to strengthen local financial systems through addressing policy, supply, demand, and capital constraints – with concessional finance deployed only where it unlocks sustainable private sector investment. This TOR is for an Investment Officer to support the sourcing, evaluation, and deployment of transactions within the FinWise project. The Investment Officer will be managing the Sustainable Tourism Value Chain Initiative’s on-balance sheet transactions with selected Financial Service Providers, with the aim of expanding access to finance for women, youth, and persons living with disabilities.

Project Description  
Uganda’s tourism sector is one of the country’s most promising drivers of inclusive growth, job creation, and environmental conservation. From wildlife and national parks to cultural heritage and community tourism experiences, the sector supports livelihoods for thousands of Ugandans, particularly women, youth, and rural communities.

The Government of Uganda has identified tourism as a key pillar of its 10-fold economic growth strategy, with ambitions to increase its contribution to national income and employment. At the same time, tourism contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by promoting conservation, supporting cultural heritage, and strengthening local economies.

Despite this potential, Uganda’s tourism ecosystem faces persistent structural constraints, including over-reliance on a narrow range of wildlife-based products and underdevelopment of high-potential segments such as adventure, cultural, agro- and community-based tourism.
Poor infrastructure in emerging destinations further limits accessibility and private investment. Skills gaps among workers and entrepreneurs, weak integration of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and community initiatives into tourism value chains, and low uptake of quality and sustainability standards undermine competitiveness. MSMEs also struggle with limited access to finance, fragmented policy implementation, inadequate digital and business capacities, and inconsistent quality assurance—factors that collectively hinder their growth and the sector’s ability to diversify and achieve sustainable development.

To address these challenges, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the European Union, are implementing the ‘Sustainable tourism value chain initiative’ in Uganda. Specifically, the intervention seeks to:

A)    Enhance the enabling policy and regulatory environment for MSME growth and sustainable tourism by working with partners (development partners and government institutions) to address policy gaps, streamline business procedures, and strengthen credit information and movable collateral systems.
B)    Improve investment readiness and competitiveness of MSMEs in the sustainable tourism value chain by strengthening business development services (BDS), promoting adoption of digital solutions, and facilitating linkages among actors within the value chain.
c)    Increase access to finance for MSMEs in the tourism value chain by supporting financial service providers (FSPs) to design, test, and scale gender-responsive financial products and services tailored to the needs of micro and small enterprises.

The project will also enhance the capacity of nature based tourism firms and local communities to invest in sustainable tourism products, services, and climate-resilient technologies.

Duties and Responsibilities

Investment Specialist will be managed and supervised directly by the FinWise Uganda Project Coordinator, with a dotted reporting line to the Regional Investment Specialist in charge of Uganda. The position will also work closely with the Regional FinWise Technical Specialist.

The Investment Specialist will lead the implementation of the investment process for the Sustainable Tourism Value Chain Initiative portfolio in Uganda. This includes sourcing and screening prospective investment opportunities, conducting rigorous financial analysis and due diligence, structuring transactions, preparing high-quality investment memoranda and related documentation, and presenting well-founded recommendations to the Investment Committee.

The incumbent will also undertake additional investment-related responsibilities within their functional area, as required or assigned by the Project manager as the investment focal point, to support the effective and efficient functioning of the Office and the broader Organization.
More specifically, under the direct supervision of the FinWise Project Technical Specialist, the Investment Office  r will:

1.    Lead the implementation of the investment process

•    Manage the project transaction pipeline, ensuring coordination across all project functions related to transaction sourcing, disbursement, and monitoring. 
•    Lead end-to-end origination and appraisal of project transactions including pre-investment assessment, due diligence, risk analysis, and preparation of relevant documentation for the Pre-Investment Committee (PIC) and the Investment and Impact Disbursement Committee (IDIC).
•    Conduct due diligence and validate MSMEs capacity development needs to identify areas of support in relation to MSME investor readiness. 
•    Lead portfolio monitoring and reporting, including pipeline tracking, disbursement performance, impact metrics, and emerging issues, flagging early warning signs of non-performance where relevant.

2.    Manage Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

•    Build and maintain strategic relationships with financial institutions, fund management entities, fintechs, and other ecosystem partners to strengthen pipeline development and catalyse private sector investment that aligns with the FinWise development agenda.

3.    Facilitate Knowledge Management

•    Contribute to knowledge generation and market intelligence on MSME financing trends, gaps, and opportunities emerging from learnings in the project and the financial ecosystem.


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

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact  
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems  
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences 
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands  
Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results 
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration 
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Thematic Area Name Definition
Business Direction and Strategy Systems 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 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 
Finance Development Finance Expertise Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.
Digital  Digital inclusion  Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society  

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • An advanced university degree (a master’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Finance/Accounting, Economics Business Administration, Development Finance, or a related field is required. Or
  • A first level university degree (a bachelor’s degree) the above fields in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 
  • A professional certification such as CFA, ACCA, or CPA is an added advantage.

Experience:

  • Minimum of  5 years (with master’s degree) or 7  years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in  investment analysis, private equity, development finance, or impact investment is required.
  • Demonstrated experience structuring and executing financial transactions, including financial modelling and credit risk assessment is required.
  • Proven experience managing a portfolio and mitigating risks; including milestone tracking and restructuring is required. 
  • Experience in writing investment and transaction memos that are presented to the investment decisioning committee is required. 
  • Experience in stakeholder management and negotiation, particularly with financial institutions, fund managers, fintechs, and other stakeholders in the MSME financing space is required.
  • Proven track record managing an investment portfolio, including monitoring performance, compliance, and risk mitigation is desired
  • Experience and strong understanding of the MSME financing ecosystem especially tourism businesses and local communities in Uganda or across the East and Southern Africa region is desired.
  • Direct experience working with DFIs, impact investors, or private sector-facing donor-funded programmes is desired. 
  • Proven track-record managing a multi-million-dollar portfolio with demonstrated delivery against disbursement and impact targets is desired. 
  • Experience in deploying financial instruments through financial institutions, MFIs, SACCOS, fintechs, and local development banks is desired.
  • Experience working with donor funded programmes in Uganda is desired. 

Required Language(s):

  • Fluency in English is required. 
  • Working knowledge of any local language in Uganda will be desired. 

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

#LI-DNI

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.