Senior Investment Advisor

• Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional investors, financial institutions, companies, development finance organizations, and local and national governments to identify SDG investment opportunity areas, enabling conditions, and investment opportunities.
• Proactively assess opportunities to develop a strong pipeline of activities, engagements and partnerships (including SDG Investor Maps), that responds to regional and country level priorities, as per the SDG Impact methodology;
• Within the framework of the UNDP Integrated National Financing Frameworks and investors demand, develop policy agenda to work with governments to generate an appropriate enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable business models and SDG-aligned investments;
• Lead the formulation and structuring of SDG fund/investment facility strategies design of policy dialogues on SDG business models and enabling investment climate in close coordination with the Africa Finance Sector Hub country-level work and connecting the Accelerator Labs’ country initiatives;
• Contribute to the enhancement of SDG finance and investment capacities, while supporting the practical leveraging and crowd in partnerships to collectively support UNDPs clients at country level – national governments - to address their SDG priorities. 
• Support local, regional and global investors interested in SDG aligned investments in Africa;
• Lead and manage a cadre of investments advisors across the African continent;
• Be an effective and collaborative member of the BPPS, Regional Bureau, Finance Sector Hub Teams and GPN

• Define an investment strategy for Africa, in coordination and in accordance with the UNDPs corporate offer, its key flagship initiatives and pilots and the Finance Sector Hub.
• Recruit and manage a cadre of investments advisors across the region, these can be focus on multi countries, and/or sector specifics. 
• Lead cadre of investor advisors in supporting UNDP country offices in the development of SDG investors country mapping exercises, hosting investor convenings to build local networks between investors and enterprises, laying groundwork for potential matchmaking service/platform.
• Lead the design and delivery of policy dialogues organized in each country that undergoes a mapping exercise to improve environment for SDG enabling investment and inclusive and sustainable businesses models, both foreign and domestic.
• Represent UNDP at relevant conferences and meetings, participating in panel discussions and advocacy campaigns.
• Contribute to the overall BPPS and Finance Hub functioning, including influencing UNDP’s strategy in the SDG and impact management arena through continuous analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in collaboration with BCTA, UNSIF and other initiatives, while also leveraging the Financial Hub to ensure alignment and effective deployment of investment tools, particularly with the 3 upcoming flagship initiatives on public and private SDG finance, and thought leadership, and scale up its impact.

• Oversee the contracting and lead the design of the country mapping methodology and implementation in UNDP countries.
• Oversee the global SDG Investor Maps methodology and its implementation
• Support regions and countries to develop and distribute market impact intelligence on the SDGs through local country offices, connecting the work with the Integrated National Financing Frameworks and the Accelerator Labs.
• Support UNDP country offices in hosting investor convenings to build local networks between investors and enterprises, laying groundwork for potential matchmaking service/platform.
• Design and facilitate policy dialogues in countries where the SDG Investor maps will be developed. 
• Coordinate, investor convenings, and policy dialogues to advance SDG investment maps and others opportunities.
• Work with UNCDF, the Africa Finance Sector Hubs structure and the relevant AfDB Innovation Training relevant staff in defining necessary training for UNDP CO staff on investment origination, innovative finance instruments.
• Spearhead the use of UNDP’s new financial instruments across Africa
• Contribute to the design blended financial instruments, including thematic bonds, development impact bonds, and technical assistance for private equity funds.

• Develop and share knowledge-based tools and guidance, from BPPS, the FSH, UNCDF, Africa development Bank among others to help influence and/or advance understanding of the financing the SDGs;
• Develop and refine systems, in coordination with other UNDP initiatives, for data collection and sharing information among public and private sector partners.
• Collect and analyze data on the private sector to make evidence-based decisions to better contribute to outcome level change and the overall impact of the Africa and Global Finance Sector Hub. 
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate industry market trends from a wide variety of internal and external sources to support decision making and provide business insight.
• Contribute to an exchange of knowledge by collaborating with policy teams across GPN on knowledge-based tools and guidance to help influence/advance policy dialogue around impact measurement and management.
• Support the capacity development of UNDP staff in application of tools and practices around impact management as part of the new UNDP private sector strategy and within the broader FSH strategic areas.
• Actively and regularly engages with the Leadership of BPPS, RBA and the Finance Sector Hub to ensure that everyone’s work is informed by developments in the SDG finance arena.      

• In coordination with BPPS, RBA and the Finance Hub, lead external advocacy, fund raising, resource mobilization with donors.
• Collaborate with and support the internal/external project team members with the achievements of all project objectives. 
• Participate in knowledge management and practice networks.
• Represent BPPS, RBA and the FSH in events and forums 
• Manage, coach and support a cadre of investor advisers across the region.    

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work

• Ability to persuade others to follow

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

• Ability to design and implement strategic short/long term campaigns and carry out customized activations to highlight UNDP's position and support issue based advocacy. 

• Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations

• Ability to substantively engage and foster networks with academia, research institutions and think tanks.

• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of professionals towards common goals.

• Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside (Programmes/Projects) or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.  Sets overall direction for the formation and management of strategic relationships contributing to the overall positioning of UNDP.

• Ability to effectively communicate intensions and requirements to internal and external stakeholders.

• At least 10 years of progressive experience at a development finance institution, impact investing firm or similar entities within a mission-driven investing environment or in the public sectors (national or multilateral, including UN) in the area of sustainable finance and private sector development. 
• Proven track record and high-level technical competency in the area of private sector in development and sustainable finance for the SDGs
• Strong business development and client relationship skills and track record working with investors and the corporate sector and ability to identify potential business partners 
• Excellent negotiating and communication skills and ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners (public, private, academic, civil society, business community leaders 
• Strong ability and proven experience in building strategic partnerships with  private sector, foundations and governments for the initiatives in the area of private sector development and sustainable finance 
• Sensitivity to mobilizing financing via digital approaches & platforms and utilizing emerging technologies & tools in the investment field 
• Strong credibility and understanding of financing, investor relations, banking sector, credit guarantees or other credit support including proven knowledge in marketing and productizing innovative financial instruments desired 
• Experience working on investment banking, private equity, impact investment is an asset.
• Knowledge or experience in green finance, including climate finance, green bonds, relevant project finance, and impact investing preferred 
• Experience working in developing country settings, particularly in Africa.

​Excellent knowledge of English, as well as writing, presentation and communication skills. Fluency in other UN language is an asset, in particular French. 

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