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The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is pivotal in financing the world’s 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) towards sustainable growth, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs, 2022–2031. It fosters partnerships to amplify development impact, focusing on themes like green economy, digitalization, and gender equality.
UNCDF’s Nature Assets Team (NAT) aids the fulfillment of Global Biodiversity Framework targets by enhancing financing and expertise accessibility for nature asset investment. The Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) Food Security Accelerator aims to bolster food security, nutrition, and resilience in African nations. It channels investments to African financial institutions, leveraging private and institutional funds to address climate and food security challenges. UNCDF’s role involves facilitating investment flows and providing technical support to de-risk ventures, aiming to enhance access to global capital markets.
The AAI Food Security Accelerator's objectives are to: catalyze agricultural innovation investments, de-risk African funds for scalability, invest in adaptation solutions, offer technical and capacity-building assistance, develop standard investment models, and promote knowledge exchange.
UNCDF seeks a Food Security & Investment Specialist to support the AAI Food Security Accelerator, aligning with its broader Nature Assets Team.
Scope of Work
Under the guidance of the NAT Director and supersion of the NAT’s Deputy Director, The overall responsibility of the Food Security & Investment Specialist will provide dedicated technical support for the implementation of the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) Food Security Accelerator as part of UNCDF’s mandate as the accelerator’s Investment Agent. The Specialist is expected to deploy approximately 80% of her/his time towards the below three work objectives:
- Identifying investment opportunities which contribute to positive and scalable FSA’s outcomes;
- Providing pre-investment business advisory support to increase their “bankability”;
- Deploying concessional financial instruments with the intent of unlocking additional commercial finance.
and approximately 20% of her/his time will be dedicated to responding to requests from the Nature Assets Team (NAT), aiding in broader dialogues and policy processes spearheaded by UNCDF. This involves providing context and analysis, engaging in advocacy, offering policy evidence, and contributing to NAT’s efforts, especially in establishing robust enabling environments that attract long-term private finance.
Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of key functions:
- Coordinate the AAI Food Security Accelerator investment plan;
- Advocacy and Knowledge Management;
- Programme Operations Support;
- Coordination with the boarder UNCDF.
More specifically, the Programme Coordinator will ensure the following functions and tasks:
1. Lead and coordinate the AAI Food Security Accelerator investment plan:
- Oversee the development and implementation of the accelerator investment plan.
- Lead the identification and nurturing of a high-quality accelerator pipeline.
- Formulate and execute a donor and investor engagement strategy.
- Source and screen investment opportunities.
- Provide business advisory support to selected prospects.
- Conduct due diligence, financial modeling, risk analysis, and mitigation for structuring various forms of financial assistance.
- Lead or support the internal approval process, coordinating with various internal teams to ensure compliance and alignment.
- Ensure all legal documentation for deals is concluded appropriately, with the support of internal and external counsel.
2. Advocacy and Knowledge Management:
- Monitor accelerator implementation risks and propose mitigatory actions.
- Engage in research and identification of food systems solutions.
- Develop a framework for managing environmental and social risks and impacts.
- Craft and implement an investment thesis for investment funds.
- Offer technical assistance and impact monitoring aligned with the Accelerator in close coordination with SSA.
- Share knowledge and lessons learned from private sector operations and best practices in relevant fields.
3. Lead Programme Operations Support:
- Evaluate the programme budget and refine financial evaluation criteria continuously.
- Coordinate with SSA for the efficient and timely execution of activities.
- Aid in compiling consolidated semi-annual reports that include impact assessments and lessons learned.
4. Ensure effective coordination with the boarder UNCDF:
- Participate in wider discussions initiated by NAT, providing valuable insights and expertise to foster meaningful policy development aimed at building food security, nutrition and resilience of food systems in African countries.
- Engagement in Advocacy: Actively advocate for policies and practices that support the objectives of NAT, leveraging personal expertise and networks.
- Resource mobilization: Assist in the development of resource mobilization strategy.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core 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
Business Direction & Strategy
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNCDF’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions
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
Partnership Management
CSO engagement: Knowledge and understanding of CSOs and the ability to engage with CSOs
Partnership Management
Strategic engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives
Business Direction & Strategy
Entrepreneurial Thinking: Ability to create clarity around UNCDF’s value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNCDF’s organizational priorities and mandate
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 organi]ation’s 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 ptimizing return on investment
Required Skills and Experience Education: - An advanced university degree (Masters’degree or equivalent ) in International Relations, Business Administration, Finance, or related fields is required. or
- First level university degree (with Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, with additional two years of experience is considered in lieu of Advanced University Degree.
Experience: Min. years of relevant work experience
- Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in financing of private sector projects, including hands-on experience in originating loans, guarantees and/or equity transactions, managing due diligence, financial modeling, mitigating credit and other risks, negotiating term sheets and finance documentation and related project/corporate finance activities.
Required skills
- Demonstrable deal/transaction experience is required;
- Experience in investment modeling (credit risk analysis, valuation, VaR etc.) is required;
- Successful track record of closing and supervising transactions, including in developing markets, typically as a banker or developer, and ideally with both loan and equity experience.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
- Excellent knowledge of information technology;
- Demonstrated ability to analyze and formulate fund-related policies, procedures, and processes;
- International experience working in developing countries in Africa;
- Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tools for programme management;
- Experience with the UN and or International organization, Familiarity with its mandate and work, 2023 agenda and SDGs is an asset.
Languages:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Working knowledge of additional UN language is an asset, particularly French.
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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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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