Head, Inclusive Growth

New York City

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: New York City
Grade: Senior Executive level - D-1, Director - Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
- Poverty Reduction
- Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction
- SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
- Managerial positions
- Disability Rights
Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

Reporting to the BPPS Deputy Director, and in close collaboration with the Head of the SDG Integrator, the Head of the Inclusive Growth leads the Inclusive Growth Team in HQ and coordinates work on inclusive sustainable growth, poverty reduction and inequality, through a team based partly in New York and partly in the Regional Hubs. S/he works with teams across UNDP’s Regional Hubs, Country Offices and Global Policy Network, and relevant partners. S/he manages the development of tools and methods to support countries achieve priorities for inclusive growth, poverty eradication and addressing inequalities in the most effective means possible through national and local plans. S/he is the main substantive anchor for guiding the implementation of the Signature Solution on Poverty. The Head of the Inclusive Growth will bring world-class authoritative leadership, advice and technical expertise, leading advocacy and speaking authoritatively on behalf of the team and the organization, establishing guidelines and directing the work of staff within the unit.

Summary of Key Functions:

•Policy Formulation and Development

•Policy Advice and Programme Support Delivery

•Overall Management and Resource Mobilization

•Partnerships, Representation and Advocacy

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Policy Formulation and Development:

•Leads the inclusive growth team and its collaboration with other teams on the integration of UNDP’s work into a coherent policy and programming framework for effective SDG implementation at the country level.

•Leads and coordinate production of relevant analysis and guidance, in close collaboration with the SDG integrator team, on emerging issues of global significance related to SDG achievement, poverty and inequality, social protection, future of work.

•Provides strategic leadership in the design of policy initiatives on key inclusive growth policy areas, including on poverty and inequality, social protection, food security, extractive industries and data analysis for global standards setting, in collaboration with policy teams in the Regional Hubs bringing in perspectives and knowledge from Country Offices and the regions;

•Coordinates and commissions new research on inclusive growth, the reduction of inequalities, poverty eradication and future of work, through working with the Global Policy Centers; and

•Guides the quality assurance of policy services and foster policy innovation in the inclusive sustainable growth, poverty eradication and inequality areas to enhance programme delivery.

2. Policy Advice/ Programme Support Delivery:

•Provides authoritative leadership, supervision and guidance to teams in Regional Hubs in their provision of inclusive growth/poverty alleviation/inequality policy advisory services to country offices, taking an integrated approach that considers all aspects of inclusive growth helping them to ensure relevance of the services provided to country and regional context;

•Oversees the identification and use of data and rigorous evidence for national/sub-national policy formulation and monitoring, consistent with global standards and norms;

•Leads the team in using integrated multi-disciplinary approaches to meet policy and programming needs in line with corporate guidance and standards; and

•Fosters close interaction and collaboration with relevant teams in the CB to ensure a rapid and well-coordinated response to crisis and conflict situations and provide related contributions to UNDP SURGE for country offices when required.

3. Overall Management and Resource Mobilization:

•Sets strategic goals and direction for the team, including roles and responsibilities, accountability and reporting;

•Leads and manages staff in the team in the formulation and implementation of the substantive work plan of the team and oversee staff accountability—including for coordinating work with other teams in the across BPPS and the CB;

•Ensures that the technical capacity of the policy advisors and specialists managed is optimally aligned with business needs and that team members are encouraged to seek new client opportunities and amplify the value and reputation of BPPS in the thematic area;

•Encourage the team to critically assess itself against emerging trends and thinking in the profession;

•Ensure that Performance Assessments are carried out according to UNDP procedures;

•Fosters and maintain an enabling environment for harmonious working relationships and team-building, by promoting consistent and constructive communication, open information sharing, and coordination among all staff;

•Ensure that the work of the team is conducted in accordance with relevant business processes and that high-quality outputs are delivered on time; and

•Leads resource mobilization in the inclusive growth/poverty eradication area to support the delivery of UNDP Strategic Plan results.

4. Partnerships, Representation and Advocacy:

•Forges and leads the development and strengthening of strategic partnerships with UN agencies, IFCs, the private sector, and academia to advance UNDP’s integrated approaches for inclusive growth, the reduction of inequalities, poverty eradication and sustainable human development, and to monitor and report on progress in implementation;

•Leads in the identification of relevant thematic partnerships with UN agencies, IFCs, the private sector, and academia in relevant areas, including on SDG achievement, poverty and inequality, social protection and cross-border flows (e.g. trade and migration);

•Represents UNDP and engages in UN interagency coordination, including high level sustainable development fora, as well as in other fora with the aim to advance UNDP’s strategic agenda in this thematic area;

•Provides leadership to advocate policy and positioning of this thematic area in various fora, including academia and civil society.

5. Knowledge Management:

•Oversees, influences and promote the advance of policy dialogue in the thematic areas through cross-regional exchange of knowledge and collaboration, and synthesis of knowledge emerging from the development and implementation of programmes across all thematic areas;

•Leads and provides substantive expert advice in the Community of Practice for Poverty;

•Guides and coordinates cross-regional exchange of knowledge by collaborating with policy teams in Regional Hubs to research, develop and share knowledge-based tools and guidance to help influence/advance policy dialogue on priorities for inclusive growth, the reduction of inequalities, poverty eradication and sustainable human development and present such material at various fora;

•Oversees the knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned on inclusive growth, ensuring that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools.

Competencies

Core

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work
Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow
People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction
Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
Delivery: Ability to get things done

Technical/Functional

Primary

Development planning: Knowledge of development planning processes at the national and local level and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Knowledge of Sustainable Development Goals and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Sustainable development: Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations, covering the economic, social and environmental dimensions
Poverty and human development: Knowledge of poverty, human development and inclusive and sustainable growth issues and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Representation:Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues)
Resource Mobilization:Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources
Partnerships: Ability to engage with other agencies and forge productive working relationships

Secondary

Trends and emerging areas analytics: Ability to scan the horizon and identify approaches and initiatives to bring into policy and programme design
Collaboration: Ability to work together to achieve a unified understanding and/or results.
Green Economy and Green Growth: Knowledge of Green Economy concept and green growth issues, including green commodities, supply chains and poverty-environment nexus, and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
Advocacy: Ability to advocate a point of view and influence others
Knowledge Management: Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (PhD or equivalent) in economics.

Experience:

15 years of professional work experience leading teams, providing policy advice and advancing the development and implementation of inclusive growth/poverty alleviation approaches in different development contexts.
Proven track record and leadership experience in the UN System/multilateral organizations related to inclusive growth, poverty eradication.
Strong analytical skills in economic dimension of sustainable development.
Experience working in developing country settings is required.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English, both written and oral. Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: