Background
General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to โbring 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, performance-based payments, 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 UNCDFโs 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, 2022โ2031.
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 to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. ย 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. UNCDFโs work is focused on six priority areas, including:
โข ย ย ย ย Sub-national and local infrastructure financing
โข ย ย ย ย Women owned enterprise financing
โข ย ย ย ย Nature and climate financing
โข ย ย ย ย Energy and decarbonization finance
โข ย ย ย ย Sustainable food systems financing
โข ย ย ย ย Inclusive digital finance
Following a recent restructuring, UNCDFโs 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 in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in several 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.
In East and Southern Africa, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has embarked on a strategic initiative to bridge the financing, capacity and technology gaps for MSMEs. The initiative focuses on unlocking financing for four (4) key last mile segments:ย
Aspiring Entrepreneurs: These are entrepreneurs that are having trouble starting a new business and need development support and financing to launch operations. ย UNCDF tackles this by connecting them with graduation programs. These programs equip these entrepreneurs with the financial literacy and business management skills necessary to operate more formally and prepare them for accessing financial services offered by local institutions. High-Growth Technology Start-ups: The burgeoning tech startup scene in Uganda presents exciting possibilities for innovation and job creation. However, these young businesses require a different set of resources. UNCDF supports service providers who help refine their ideas, develop business plans, and attract angel investors. Additionally, UNCDF works to crowd in international capital and expertise to more mature start-ups looking for support to accelerate their scale. Low-Growth Microenterprises: These are generally informal businesses, often run by individuals with limited business experience, and may lack the formalization required for traditional loans. ย UNCDF collaborates with innovative fintech companies to develop data-driven credit assessment models that can evaluate the creditworthiness of even the smallest businesses, traditionally overlooked by traditional lenders. Low-Growth Small Businesses: These more established businesses often face difficulties accessing credit due to perceived high risk or cumbersome loan processes. UNCDF bridges the gap by collaborating with commercial banks. This collaboration aims to streamline loan application processes and develop financial products specifically tailored to the needs and growth potential of small businesses.In Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi programming on unlocking financing for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has already kicked off and is structured under four (4) key components:
Component 1 Derisking Financing Facility โ providing FSPs and other ecosystem actors with blended, derisking finance to better finance micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs. Component 2: Investment readiness support: Building Ecosystem actorsโ capacity and deploying digital tools to support the investment readiness of micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs.ย Component 3: Financial Sector Development Support Building capacity of financial service providers and local fund manager, establishing partnerships and business rationale for financing micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs. Component 4: Knowledge & Advocacy for Responsible Financing: Increasing Policy makersโ capacity and access to information - to develop, implement and monitor policies and strategies that foster capital flows and financial health of micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs.The programming aims to achieve the following outcomes:
Public and private capital flows to micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs are catalyzed (sector outcome). Micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs have the capacity, tools and capital to improve economic performance and resilience, with a specific focus on women-owned and women-led businesses (client outcome). Financial Service Providers and other ecosystem actors scale gender-sensitive models to support and finance micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs (stakeholder outcome). Policies and strategies that enable capital flows and financial health of micro- and small businesses, technology start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs are adopted and implemented (stakeholder outcome)Position Purpose:
The Regional FinWise Technical Specialist will provide direct oversight to the implementation and delivery of the FinWise programme in Uganda. She/He will design programme strategy and oversee its execution; and lead the resource mobilization for the Uganda FinWise programme. ย Further, he will provide technical support and quality assurance and fundraising support to FinWise focal countries ( Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia), ย in the ESA region.ย
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.) Lead the programme management of the FinWise Programme in Uganda
Serves as the Programme Manager โ with direct oversight and responsibility on project implementation and delivery. ย Directly manages the FinWise Country Coordinator, providing technical advice, professional guidance, and career development support. ย Ensures programme continuity when they are on leave.ย Provides technical quality assurance, risk mitigation, budget oversight in coordination with respective UNCDF corporate units. ย Leads implementation strategy, growth plans, programmatic donor relations, and strategic positioning of the programming.ย Provides strategic guidance on knowledge sharing and advocacy, oversight of results and impact and project administrative and operations.ย Ensures alignment of the programme with UNSDCF, other projects in Uganda, and selected FinWise programmes in the region as guided by the Regional Digital Manager, East and Southern Africa.ย Manages key stakeholder relationships including the project board, all donors and government partners involved the programme. Designs and executes the strategy to reach the resource goals targeted for the programme.ย Designs and launching the MSME financing fund and ensuring proper working relationship with the investment team to measure, monitor and deal with financial risk. Designs strategy for private sector partnerships, provides oversight on their selection and the delivery of their results. Manages all project risks.ย Manages board relations and reporting.2. Provision of technical support on MSME financing, data driven lending, fund development / management to ESA FinWise teams
Provides technical support towards programming in the areas of MSME financing, data driven lending to FinWise focal countries ESA regionโ including the development of programme documents, concept notes and funding proposals. ย Advise and supports FinWise programme teams in the region in structuring financing facilities, blended finance instruments for MSME financing and innovative fintech (data driven) lenders in coordination with respective UNCDF corporate teams. Advise and support country teams in setting up an architecture for concessional financing of local financial service providers (FSPs) that can directly finance MSMEs sustainably at scale.3. Contribute to cross country learning, and thought leadershipย
Provide strategic guidance on knowledge sharing and learning across FinWise focal countries. Contribute to the development and convening of a regional community of practice with pioneers in data driven lending and blended financing for MSMEs - to develop paradigms for strategy and products. Contribute towards organizing events and drafting publications on emerging approach around MSME data driven lending and its challenges and opportunities. Leverage the emerging successes and learnings to create opportunities for further programming and partnerships.4. Lead Resource Mobilization
Leads the resource mobilization for the US$60M unfunded portion of the FinWise Uganda programme document. Supports the resource mobilization efforts for FinWise Ethiopia to achieve their fundraising goals. Serves as technical lead for all resource mobilization efforts in FinWise focal countries. Provides guidance to ESA Regional Digital Lead on expansion of the FinWise programmes to further focal countries.ย5. Facilitate Knowledge Management
Identify best practices and lessons learnt from the project and other initiatives. Contribute to knowledge networks and participate in knowledge sharing with other relevant programmes. Facilitate generating of knowledge products such as best practices and lessons learnt for knowledge sharing. Introduce and maintain proper documentation of the programme outputs.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Directly supervises FinWise Country Coordinator in Uganda (NOC)
Competencies Core Competencies:ย
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3
Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsLearn Continuously: LEVEL 3
Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiencesAdapt with Agility: LEVEL 3
Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demandsAct with Determination: LEVEL 3
Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater resultsEngage and Partner: LEVEL 3
Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaborationEnable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3:
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicatedย site.ย
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Business direction and strategy: Systems Thinking ย ย ย ย
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 direction and strategy: Negotiation and Influence ย ย ย ย
Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create โwin-winโ situations.Business Development: Knowledge Generation ย ย ย ย
Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.Business Management: Results Based Managementย ย ย ย
Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.Business Management: Portfolio Managementย ย ย ย
Ability to select, prioritize 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.Business Management: Communicationย ย ย ย
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. ยAbility to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.Partnership Management: Multi-stakeholder engagement and fundingย ย ย ย
Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
ย Advanced university degree (Masterโs Degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Statistics, Finance, Economics or related field is required. Or A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degreeExperiences:
A minimum of seven (7) years (with masterโs degree) or 9 years (with bachelorโs degree) of demonstrated experience, in designing and implementing development programmes / projects from strategic conceptual level to detailed implementation level focusing on digital finance, digital innovation, MSMEs, in at least one of the following countries: Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania. Proven track record of successfully leading resource mobilization for projects and programs targeting low-income populations in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region is desired. Experience in managing relationships with high-level stakeholders in government, multilateral agencies, corporates, industry bodies, and the private sector, preferably in emerging markets in East and Southern Africa (ESA) region is preferred. At least five years working within the UN system around digital innovation, digital finance, access to finance, financial inclusion is an asset.ย At least five years cumulative experience working for banks and/or microfinance institutions, ideally in Least Developed Countries is considered as an advantage. Demonstrated thought leader in the field of innovative finance through past publication of articles and moderation of panels on the subject matter at high level events is preferred. Demonstrated experience in supervising and managing cross-country teams is an advantage.Language requirements:
Fluency in written and spoken English (Required). Proficient in written and spoken French (Preferred).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.ย
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.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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.
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