Private Sector Partnership Specialist (NPSA11)

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. Advocating and advancing the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it connects countries in knowledge sharing, development experiences, and resources to help bring prosperity to all people and to protect the environment. UNDP recognizes the role of partnerships to be crucial in achieving the SDGS. Particularly, the private sector is recognized as a key partner to the achievement of the SDGs. 

Likewise, UNDP in Bhutan is looking at strengthening partnerships with the private sector—national, regional, and global—to enhance their role in delivering and implementing the SDGs in the country. The Country Office (CO) started initiating dialogues and conversations on engaging the private sector and expanding the partnership network in delivering the SDGs. Linking private sector partners to a diverse set of UNDP projects as well as co-designing innovative business models with private companies, building private sector impact management capacity, leveraging innovative financing and partnerships solutions to mobilize private capital for the implementation of the SDGs, and providing data driven inputs for policy advocacy to make the market work for the SDGs in Bhutan are some of the initiatives the CO is exploring in terms of private sector engagement. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead systemic and sustained engagement of the private sector in implementation of the SDGs. This will be done by engaging with national, regional, and global private sector actors/partners and establishing partnerships areas but not limited to resource mobilization, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing. Coordinate efforts with the Programme and Operations Units in the Bhutan CO for building linkages with the programme areas and the SDGs. Liaise closely with the Private Sector Specialists based in the Bangkok Regional Hub and engage with other UNDP Country Office experts in the region. 

The key objectives of the assignment are as follows:

Develop a robust pipeline and concrete partners mapping translated into resources for SDG Implementation.

• Co-design tools, methods and modes of engagement with the private sector (adapt the UNDP’s Private Sector Engagement Strategy with the country context)
• Identify and document key bankable projects, and formulate concept note and proposals with the programme team for the potential private sector actors/partners
• Support the development of robust M&E framework for the proposed partnership and engagement initiatives.

Communicate the intent and objectives of the CO Private Sector Engagement Strategy and explore potential partnerships and engagements.

• Create a robust communications and engagement plan for current and prospective private sector partners with the latest activities, achievements, and future plans.
• Regularly communicate with identified national, regional and global private sector institutions, foundations, philanthropist and individuals to explore potential partnerships and engagements.
• Regularly communicate and facilitate information sharing sessions with cluster leads and project managers on the progress of the exploratory work as well as with Bangkok Regional Hub
• Regularly update progress to resource mobilization task team and senior management on the exploratory work

Provide technical guidance, advice and support to cluster leads and project managers to implement the CO Private Sector Engagement Strategy

• Develop partnership model with identified private sector actors/partners including UNDP’s due diligence.  
• Provide inputs and oversee the partner risk assessment standards for due diligence to manage risk related to new partnerships.​  

Develop CO Private Sector Engagement Strategy and Plan

• Undertake background research, assessment and map key potential national, regional and global private sector institutions and individuals not limiting to foundations, high net worth individuals and philanthropists to support the implementation of SDGs in Bhutan
  • Assess their interests/mandates and evaluate whether priorities are shared with UNDP’s strategic results for private sector engagement.
  • Facilitate necessary sessions in person and virtual to collect insights and information related to private sector engagement and partnership initiatives.
  • Develop a map that outlines key potential partners (thematic: national, regional and global)

Develop learning and knowledge products. 

• Facilitate and support partnership team in organizing high level ministerial and private sector dialogue on partnership and financing from private sector.
• Organize learning sessions with relevant national and international institutions and agencies on process of developing and producing a private sector engagement strategy.

Other relevant task required for the county office and/or assigned by the supervisor.    

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 (insert up to 7 competencies: 

Business Direction & Strategy:

• System 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 Development:

• Collective Intelligence Design:  Ability to bringing together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.

Business Management:

• Portfolio Management:  Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizations 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
• Partnerships Management:  Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Communications

• Advocacy strategy and implementation Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change.

Partnership management

• Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.

Digital & Innovation

• Sensemaking: Being curious about "what's going on?" in the world or direct business environment, grasp 'thick data', separate signals from noise, adopt new frames to identify (non-obvious) patterns.
• Ability to facilitate group reflection and induce collective learning to extract meaning from experiences; socialize these insights to inform problem solving, decision making, strategic planning or future work.
• Ability to share and disseminate new perspectives or understandings influencing how key stakeholders socially construct meaning.

• Master of Business, Economics, or related field. 

• Masters with 7 years' experience in Business, Economics, or related field. 
• Minimum five years of experience working with private sector, public-private partnerships, or private sector engagement through development partners.   
• Thorough understanding of Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) principles and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies, and emerging market experience   
• Previous experience and understanding of the UN and its back end/ organizational structure for private sector engagement.   
• Experience with report writing, preparing presentations, and writing proposals.
• Professional experience in engaging with government and media outlets is desirable.

Language Requirement: 

• Proficiency in written and spoken English.

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