SDG Finance Policy Analyst

Background

This position is National Personnel Service Agreement NPSA9(NB4)

The United Nations Development Programme works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, the reduction of inequalities and exclusion and protect the environment. UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN Secretary General has highlighted the need for a fundamental reform of the way the UN system approaches financing, investment, and the work with the private sector, to help unlock the resources required to meet the SDGs. UNDP is increasingly being called upon to be a key player in the arena of SDG Finance, particularly in the COVID-19 context of building forward better.

China is implementing its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which reflects its vision for inclusive development, shifting towards a green economy, further reducing poverty, and increasing people’s well-being, using reforms and innovation to overcome development challenges.

Guided by the senior management of UNDP China, the Research and Policy team serves as the office’s research hub and overseas policy and research activities in UNDP China. The team closely cooperates with and provides technical support to other teams and senior management based on evidence-based knowledge products. The team is responsible for identifying and investigating research areas and policy solutions in support of China’s achievements of the SDGs and Paris Agreement climate goals.

In China, UNDP is increasingly becoming an important partner on SDG financing including on innovative financial solutions. In this context, UNDP China has established the SDG Financing Portfolio to operationalize the agenda on financing the SDGs. The purpose of the Portfolio is to convene key stakeholders in the financing ecosystem, whose contributions are essential to align financing with the SDGs and to co-create innovative tools and mechanisms that can catalyze change.

Within the Research and Policy team, the SDG Financing Portfolio focuses on improving the effectiveness of capital flow to the SDGs by engaging stakeholders, collaborating with policy makers, and advancing management for SDG impact. So far, UNDP SDG Impact Practice Standards, SDG Investment market intelligence, and SDG Finance Taxonomy have been tested through the portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent is responsible for performing and contributing to the following:

Programme support and policy advice in the areas of SDG finance

Policy research and development and knowledge management

Partnerships and resource mobilization for SDG finance

Programme management and quality assurance

a) Provide strategic inputs for the design and implementation of office’s research and policy advocacy programmes/ projects focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Provide inputs and strategic recommendations for the development of relevant programme/project proposals in line with UNDP’s Country Programme and for the scaling up of the SDG finance portfolio, when appropriate in close collaboration with UNDP and other UN agencies regional and corporate network of experts.

In close consultation with the relevant stakeholders, identify areas for support and intervention within the outcome areas assigned and any need for outcome level revisions that may be necessary to maintain UNDP’s relevance within the context of the country’s evolving development situation.

Provide policy advice and technical support to the design and implementation of SDG finance policy projects of the portfolio through consultation with the Government, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs/CSOs and other partners.

Contribute to the gender-mainstreaming in research and analysis, as well as the formulation of policies, programme interventions, procedures, guidelines and tools of the Research and Policy team.

b) Ensure provision of top quality policy advice services to the Governments, private sector and relevant stakeholders, facilitation of knowledge management and capacity building, and effective cross-project and cross-unit knowledge fertilization focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Identification of sources of information related to policy-relevant issues concerning SDG finance. Identification of institutions that will address the country’s problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.

Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to thematic issues and facilitate access to this information by programme and project staff within and outside the country office and other relevant counterparts.

Ensure that key policy results data and promotional material are available to showcase the progress, achievements and impacts of UNDP’s work in the SDG finance area through knowledge sharing and advocacy networks, and, when appropriate, make contributions to UNDP global policy networks and communities of practice.

Prepare briefs, talking points, and other documents as required by UNDP Headquarters, UN agencies and other stakeholders.

c) Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy focusing on the achievement of the following results:

Managing the partnership building and resource mobilization efforts, developing proposals and marketing materials and participating in relevant country and regional-focused external meetings, in line with the country office’s partnership and resource mobilization strategy.

Ensure the country office has access to thought leaders and experts to support technical assistance for innovative approaches to financing the SDGs.

Build, nurture and maintain a network of knowledge and implementation partners on SDG financing and support the implementation of regional partnership strategies with UN and external partner institutions, including governments, IFIs, private sector, academia, NGOs, and CSOs.

Participate in relevant external meetings, including resource mobilization, partnership and advocacy activities with UN partners, and external stakeholders.

d) Management of the project/programme, including ensuring effective quality assurance and oversight, and application of Results Based Management (RBM) across the portfolio

Monitoring policy projects and liaising with participating UN agencies, key stakeholders, and responsible partners to keep track of project progresses according to plan, and support problem-solve and implement corrective measures.

Ensure effective application of RBM tools and project/programme monitoring and evaluation procedures and guidelines to promote achievement of outcome level results.

Where relevant, effective management, monitoring and reporting of country office programmes and projects.

Where relevant, in collaboration with the programme units and project management units, develop project annual workplans, including detailed plans for procurement and recruitment of goods and services.

Where relevant, preparation of project reports for donors.

e) The incumbent of the position should avoid any kind of discriminatory behavior including gender discrimination and ensure that

Human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions.

Activities are designed and implemented in accordance with “Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP”.

Any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender are respected within all implementations including data production.

Differentiated needs of women and men are considered.

Inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created.

Necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

Competencies

Required skills and competencies

1.Leadership (Ability to persuade others to follow):

Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others

• Creates new opportunities for team, not just self to learn and take on new responsibilities

• Actively shares knowledge

2.Communication and Relationship Management (Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform):

Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis

• Communicates ideas and positions with command and confidence

• Finds common ground to solve problems

3.Innovation (Ability to make new and useful ideas work):

Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully

• Critically assesses established methods

• Contributes to prototyping, piloting, and evaluating lessons / feedback

4.People Management (Ability to improve performance and satisfaction):

Models independent thinking and action

• Demonstrates behaviors of teamwork, collaboration, knowledge sharing, maintaining

relationships

5.Delivery (Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement):

Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services

• Embraces complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done

• Ability to embrace challenges with minimal supervision

• Works to develop organizational awareness of UNDP’s approach to client service delivery and integrity and accountability

6.Technical Competency Aggregate:

Apply & Adapt

Contributes skills and knowledge with demonstrated ability to advance innovation and continuous improvement, in professional area of expertise

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Relevant experience in project design or management, policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation in the domains of capital market, fiscal policy, private and financial sector development, innovative financial solutions would be highly desirable.

• Knowledge and experience of UN Common System is an advantage.

• Experience in working with development partners, energy industries,think tanks and governments on policy programing in relation to sustainable development, SDGs and innovative finance would be preferrable.

• Experience of working with the government, financial institutions, development partners, private sectors, universities, institutional investors on innovative finance will be an advantage.

• Knowledge of major the international/national green and sustainable bonds market, framework, issuance modalities and procedures of debt instrument, blended finance, fiscal policy and development economies will be a strong asset.

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, and handling of web-based management systems will be an advantage.

• Familiarity with UNDP development projects in China is an advantage.

• Knowledge of and experience in supporting Sustainable Development Goals related projects will be highly desirable.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education

Master’s Degree or equivalent in humanities, development studies, climate and environment finance, or other related fields.

Min. years of relevant Work experience

2 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing policy advisory services and managing multiple partnerships, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of policy research and advocacy projects. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

Fluency in English and Chinese in both writing and speaking.