Private Sector Officer

This position is located in the United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO) and reports to the Chief of the Strategic Finance Section in the Policy and Programming Branch. The Sustainable Development Officer (Private Sector Officer) works closely with the Partnerships Section in the Branch.

Within delegated authority, and working closely with the Programme Officer (Innovative Finance Officer), the Sustainable Development Officer (Private Sector Officer) will be responsible for the following:

•Analyzes and tracks trends relating to private sector engagement in sustainable development and contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
•Provides technical support to the engagement of the DCO Director and UNSDG Chair with private sector actors for sustainable development, as appropriate.
•Advises the Chief of Section , the Chief of Branch and the DCO Director on private sector engagement in sustainable development.
•Forges and maintains partnerships with private sector actors and UN platforms for private sector engagement in sustainable development that contributes to the work of the RC system in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including on innovative finance.
•Primary liaison with the Global Compact and other agency specific private sector networks.
•Closely liaises with DCO Regional Desks to ensure effective support to RCs and UNCTs on private sector matters that contributes to knowledge sharing and country level efforts on private sector partnerships.
•Facilitates the work of relevant UNSDG working mechanisms and the RC system on private sector engagement for sustainable development
•Monitors and analyzes private sector funding mechanisms and their viability to support new and emerging development opportunities; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and sustainable development issues to be addressed and initiates corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; ensures follow-up actions.
•Performs consulting assignments, in collaboration with UN agencies, the donor community, Member States; plans and facilitates workshops and other interactive sessions on private sector finance issues; assists in developing action plans that clients will use to manage change.
•Researches and analyzes finance for development and private sector finance issues and presents information gathered from diverse sources.
•Develops draft policy recommendations on finance for development and private sector finance issues, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies,
•Organizes and prepares written outputs on finance for development and other sustainable development issues, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
•Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., including proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, and preparation of documents and presentations on sustainable development issues.
•Provides substantive support on sustainable development issues to intergovernmental bodies such as the Strategic Support Group on Partnerships and Strategic Finance, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) for Strategic Finance and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Economic and Social Council, and the General Assembly.
•Participates in or take the lead in specific inter-agency or expert task forces or working groups either internally or with outside parties.
•Initiates and coordinates outreach activities; conducts training workshops, seminars, etc.; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
•Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.
•Coordinates activities related to budget funding, in particular regarding innovative finance issues and prepares related documents.
•Prepares speeches and other inputs for presentations by senior staff on sustainable development and innovative finance issues.
•Designs, manages and monitors the implementation of capacity building on strategic finance issues.

•Professionalism: Understands the 2030 Agenda and linkages to private sector for its implementation and for innovative financing. Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic resources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

•Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

•Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, natural resources management, engineering, law, social sciences or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in private sector engagement for development is required.
A minimum of two years of experience in innovative finance instruments and related programming is required.
A minimum of two years of experience in the field of development finance required.
Experience working within UN Development System or a comparable international organization at the country level is desirable.
Experience working at the headquarters of a development cooperation organization is desirable.
Field experience in development cooperation is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

Evaluation of candidates may include other forms of assessments followed by a competency-based interview. All evaluation and assessment related communication will be sent exclusively to your primary email address provided in Inspira. Please ensure that your primary email address is up-to-date and correct. No assessment communications will be sent to your secondary email address.

This position is available for an initial period of one year. Extension of appointment is subject to the availability of funds.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by hhim or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.