Duration: 365 days; service is limited to UN Secretariat. The position is expected to be extended, subject to funding availability 

Background

The UN Secretary-General’s bold new global reform, launched on 1 January 2019 in response to General Assembly resolution 71/243, repositions the UN Development System to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for dignity, prosperity and peace on a healthy planet.

Central to this process, and as further mandated by General Assembly resolution 72/279, a new generation of UN Resident Coordinator Offices across the world are being strengthened under the leadership of an empowered UN Resident Coordinator, the highest-ranking representative of the UN Development System at country level.

In order to effectively coordinate the collective work of UN Country Teams in support of national aspirations, Resident Coordinator Office enhanced core capacities will include expertise in coordination and strategic planning, economics, data and results management, partnerships and development finance and robust communications.

In this regard, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Turkmenistan is seeking qualified and experienced candidates for several new National Professional positions within the team.

Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships:  The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Turkmenistan and reports to the Strategic Planning and RCO Team Leader.

Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the Partnerships and Development Finance Officer will be responsible of the following duties:

Summary of Functions:

1. Provides substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of UN Country Team (UNCT) partnerships;
2. Participates in joint resource mobilization for the UN Partnership Framework for Development (UNPFD);
3. Provides substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
4. Supports knowledge management and capacity development.

Description of Functions:

1. Assists with the provision of substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of UNCT partnerships:

• Provides advice on the development and implementation of the UN Partnership Strategy in alignment with and support of the UNPFD in the country;
• Monitors and assesses the strategy at regular intervals to harness new emerging opportunities, to anticipate changes to the internal direction and external environment, and to make mid-term adjustments;
• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UNCT in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships, and suggests mitigation measures as relevant;
• Provides inputs on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities, in accordance with UN regulations and procedures;
• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally-tailored partnerships and resource mobilization strategies and initiatives;
• Contributes to dialogues with partners to improve development assistance policies and practice;
• Plans and facilitates liaison and coordination with UN entities at country, regional and HQ levels, to help package and define UN business strategies, including differentiated value propositions, to attract partners, both traditional and non-traditional.

2. Participates in joint resource mobilization for the UNPFD:

• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally-tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives, and identify appropriate data and benchmarks to measure progress and success;
• Monitors and analyzes existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships, including those with high net worth;
• Plans and facilitates the design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of joint programmes and programming processes for use in joint resource mobilization;
• Provides substantive support for the production and distribution of marketing materials to raise awareness about opportunities for working with the UN on SDG investment;
• Contributes to building the UN brand via events, media and public relations opportunities targeted to the diverse partners, in close collaboration with the UN Communications Group.

3. Provides substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs:

• Provides substantive support on financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the RC/UNCT, in alignment with the Common Country Analysis (CCA), UNPFD, MAPS (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support) and similar processes;
• Analyzes trends and provides advice on new and innovative financing mechanisms for development and SDG acceleration;
• Provides inputs for briefing papers and discussion points on issues related to financing for development for consideration by RC/UNCT;
• Plans and facilitates engagements with external stakeholders - including the national government, international financial institutions and others - on financing for SDG acceleration;
• Undertakes the design and execution of innovative proposals to strengthen the UNCT engagement and reputation, and to generate greater financial resources in support of the SDGs;
• Assists in the establishment and management of the country-based SDG Fund, in close collaboration with UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, if established.

4. Supports knowledge management and capacity development:

• Plans and facilitates the development, maintenance and sharing of knowledge and intelligence, to ensure RC/UNCT are informed and positioned to effectively generate and harness opportunities to meet its resource mobilization targets;
• Contributes to knowledge networks and communities of practice at national, regional and global levels;
• Undertakes activities to strengthen the capacity of UNCTs to mainstream and promote SDG investment partnerships;
• Provides substantive support for the discovery, evaluation and selection of partnership opportunities at the sourcing and origination stages.

• Professionalism: Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis on sustainable development topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. 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.
• Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• 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.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• 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.
• Commitment to Continuous Learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education:     Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, sustainable development, social sciences, education or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:   A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in providing strategic support to partnerships, project/programme management, resource mobilization or development finance in the context of development cooperation or related area is required.

Language: Fluency in English, Russian and Turkmen is required;

Additional requirements: National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving, and their functions must have a national context, i.e. functions that require national experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems.

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.