Programme Management Support Specialist (P4) UNCDF Bangkok, Thailand

Background

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.
UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders. UNCDF’s work is focused on six priority areas, including:

• Sub-national and local infrastructure financing
• Women owned enterprise financing
• Nature and climate financing
• Energy and decarbonization finance
• Sustainable food systems financing
• Inclusive digital finance

Following a recent restructuring, UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by the Executive Board of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and performs the function of the Executive Board of UNCDF.

Position Purpose

The Programme Management Support Specialist is responsible for providing guidance and support on the quality of the design and implementation of programs and projects across the organization including ensuring consistent results- based management, results measurement, project budgeting, project implementation planning and coordination, and providing guidance on project design, approval, implementation, and monitoring of results and reporting requirements. S/he will work closely with the Investment and Implementation Division (including project managers), the Investment and Finance Oversight Division, and other units within the Operations and Oversight Division.

The Programme Management Support Specialist provides quality assurance guidance to programmes and projects, providing guidance and advice on various aspects of the organization's program, including planning, budgeting, program finance, monitoring and evaluation, audit, result-based management policies, resource mobilization, and donor reporting. S/he will work closely with Program Management and Result-Based Management focal points in the respective projects/programmes to ensure consistent understanding and application of program management practices, impact measurement, and monitoring frameworks including ensuring effective quality assurance processes are in place and are consistently applied throughout the organization.

The Programme Management Support Specialist will be based in Bangkok, Thailand, reporting directly to the Programme Management Support Advisor, and will supervise a Programme Analyst. UNCDF staff may be periodically redeployed, in accordance with capability, consent, and due process, to a different regional hub or HQ as needed.
UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNCDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.  Provide guidance and support to UNCDF staff/personnel engaged in projects and transactions for alignment with UNCDF policies, procedures, and quality assurance standards during the design and implementation of programmes/projects throughout the life cycle.

• Provide guidance on programme/project design, planning, budgeting, implementation arrangements, governance arrangements and monitoring frameworks of programmes, projects and transactions in accordance with UNCDF/UNDP rules and regulations.
• Provide guidance to UNCDF staff on design and implementation of programmes, projects, and transactions in line with UNCDF policies and procedures.
• Support the development of systems to foster improvements in the application of result-based management, internal control systems, and in the maintenance of compliance standards in the UNCDF.
• Provide guidance to the project/programme teams on UNCDF policies and procedures governing the project cycle and to support with the application of corporate standards.
• Provide guidance and support on enhancing result-based management for evidence-based decision-making in planning, programming, and project work plans.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to project/programme teams relating to annual planning, performance monitoring, reviews, and reporting.
• Support the Head of the unit in the preparation of UNCDF’s aggregate reports on activities, outputs, and outcomes, as well as donor reports.
• Perform periodic monitoring of dashboards and exceptions, and identification of remedial actions with respect to project implementation.
• Maintain project management reporting system in the corporate ERP platform and other related tools.
• Contribute to and develop, in coordination with the relevant UNCDF Divisions, Standard Operating Procedures for programme management processes.
• Guide project teams in preparation of programme/project annual work plans and project level Integrated Results and Resources Framework (IRRF).
• Perform the secretariat function for the project PAC mechanism and convene meetings as required.
• Develop tools and processes to foster interdivisional synergies and the generation of lessons learned and good practices to stimulate interdivisional exchange and collaboration.

2. Coordinate the strategic planning, reporting, audit, evaluation, and project risk management processes across the organization

• Advise and support the preparation and dissemination of other results-oriented reports, as well as briefing documents and other publications relating to the UNCDF programme implementation and delivery in developing countries.
• Contribute to the implementation and monitoring of UNCDF activities as per the Integrated Results and Resources Framework (IRRF).
• Support the preparation of the organization Integrated Work Plan (IWP) and key corporate planning exercises, in collaboration with programme and operations, in collaboration and discussion with other team members.
• Work with Senior Management on harmonized corporate results dashboard development and management.
• Responsible for ensuring that the UNCDF RBM database is kept up to date.
• Support assurance/audit plans for projects and assist with coordination of the Assurance Teams at regional and global levels.
• Contribute to the implementation of project audit recommendations.
• Work closely with Corporate Finance Services Unit to address systemic or recurring issues that could impact financial performance and recommend/implement changes to policies, processes, procedures and/or systems as appropriate.
• Review reports as requested, including donor reports.
• Act as the focal point for project closure exercises and ensure all projects are closed on time•    

3.  Enhances quality assuranceand reporting activities

• Extending proactive support to regional teams on developing implementation plan and budgeting for large / complex projects at the regional and/or country level.
• Performing the liaison function between global policy owners to review, re-write, and/or develop corporate policies related to programme and project management, based on lessons learned from implementation of projects.
• In close collaboration with the Risk Management Officer, monitoring risks and mitigation/escalation plans of the project and regional teams using the Integrated Results and Resources Framework platform and escalating to the UNCDF management team, as needed.
• Providing on-the-job demand-based capacity development support to region and country level staff in programme/project management as needed.

Competencies

• 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

People Management 

People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinking    

• Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.    

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 Management: Portfolio Management    

• Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.    

Partnership management: Relationship management    

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.        

Business Management: Communication    

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.    

Ethics: Ethical Implication of Policy Development    

• Consult on the ethical implications within all policy development and standard setting.    

Business Direction and Strategies :Futures and Foresight    

• Ability to look at information from the past and present, identify patterns and trends and use them to inform decision making with a long-term view. Being sensitive and able to scan horizons and pick up weak signals of change, explore their potential implications and assess their impact and urgency.
• Using creativity and imagination to communicate insights in compelling and engaging ways to challenge current mental models; ability to develop scenarios, speculative designs to present future visions or by making it experiential. Being able to facilitate debate and discussion about possible futures; help people to feel comfortable with the discomfort of uncertainty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in in Economics, Finance, Business Administration or related fields is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

• Minimum seven (7) years (with master’s degree) and or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in positions in results, impact measurement and strategic planning with the UN or other large donor funded international organizations.
• Demonstrated experience and broad knowledge of development issues, especially in the areas of local development finance, blended finance, poverty alleviation, women’s economic empowerment and local development is highly desirable.
• Comprehensive understanding/experience of the project management cycle and managing for results is an advantage.
• Previous experience in managing & coordinating high-level events, overseeing contributions of other actors, along with formulating high-quality donor proposals and developing proposals and corresponding budgets, is required.
• Experience in researching donors/client priorities, identifying key stakeholders in organizations and creating engagement plans is desired.
• Proven experience in to managing organizational projects, with tight deadlines is desired.
• Prior experience and knowledge of UNDP/UNCDF field level organization is highly desirable.
• UNDP Managing Successful Programmes certificate (MSP) is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in developed Research, analytical and negotiation skills are required.
• Strong understanding of development space, impact investments and digital technologies with some hands-on experience in one or more of these areas is highly desired.
• Strong working knowledge of international development and donor organizations is highly desirable.
• Previous experience working in emerging markets /LDCs context is highly desirable.
• Strong IT skills, including ability to work regularly with business intelligence visualization tools (Power BI preferred).
• Experience creating presentation decks with extensive usage of Microsoft power point and excel will be of significant advantage.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

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