UNDP recognizes that achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) depends on vibrant economic growth driven by markets and private enterprises that create jobs, provide goods and services for the poor and generate tax revenues to finance essential social and economic infrastructure. The private sector - from large multi-national companies to small enterprises and cooperatives - also has an essential role to play in achieving broader UNDP goals in areas such as energy and environmental service delivery, crisis prevention, gender equality and democratic governance.
UNDP also has a number of global programmes that are implemented at the national level with guidance and technical support from the Innovation and Development Cluster within the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy at headquarters. These programmes are: Inclusive Markets Development, Growing Inclusive Markets, and Business Call to Action.
In March 2011, the UNDP Administrator inaugurated the UNDP Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), established in partnership with the Government of Turkey. The Centre’s efforts will build upon the work of UNDP’s former Private Sector Division, now Innovation and Development Alliances Cluster (IDAC) within the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy in contributing to the MDGs by focusing on the following objectives:
- Support the development of inclusive and competitive markets and inclusive business models that engage poor people into value chains as producers, employees, consumers and entrepreneurs, with the end goal of poverty alleviation;
- Foster private sector engagement and advocacy with for example, the UN system for achievement of MDG targets (especially on focus sectors like health, agriculture, education, housing and water and themes like youth, gender, environment) and other internationally agreed development goals (e.g. climate change);
- Become a center of excellence in terms of capacity development activities that harness Trilateral Development Cooperation and South-South partnership, and promotes skill-building, access to enterprise-related finance, entrepreneurship and assistance to enabling actors; and
- Convene business and supporting actors to expand dialogue and create actionable partnerships between themselves, in support of a development agenda.
These objectives will be achieved through research, advocacy, public-private dialogues, knowledge development and management, MDGs-based partnerships, capacity building and training. The Centre will act as a Southern-based International Centre of Excellence and will have a global mandate in terms of its focus, work, collaboration and outreach.
Under the guidance of the Director of the IICPSD, the Technical Specialist will provide strategic, advisory and technical support for overall management of the IICPSD and its programme and projects, covering substantive and administrative matters. The Specialist will be responsible for the facilitation of knowledge services and capacity development. He/she will provide support to the Director of the IICPSD for developing and realizing policy and programme advisory services; will contribute to the development of strategic partnerships network; will make sure that the Centre contributes to global knowledge and capacity development, and will ensure the integration of latest thinking and practice in the field of private sector in development.
The Technical Specialist will collaborate with his colleagues and counterparts in the Government of Turkey, its specific institutions and work closely with the Innovation and Development Alliances Cluster (IDAC) in the UNDP Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), relevant colleagues from the Turkey Country Office and Bratislava Regional Center as well as other UNDP units and bureaus.
Impact of Results:
- Key Result 1: Build at least three strategic service lines around training, research and capacity and develop at least four flagship products for the Center and mobilize resources either through cost recovery/cost sharing or additional financial contribution to ensure financial sustainability of the Center.
- Key Result 2: Develop a network of institutional partners (including universities, business intermediaries from the South and North, foundations, content providers) who would contribute to the activities of the Center.
- Key Result 3: Setup the Center as a fully functional global center of excellence with a team recruited to implement the activities of the Center with a working governance structure including Advisory Board and completion of activities approved by the Executive Council of the Center.
By successfully delivering the above-mentioned functions and respective expected results, the IICPSD Technical Specialist will contribute in turning the IICPSD into a globally recognized center of excellence for capacity development activities that harness Trilateral Development Cooperation and South-South Cooperation in the field of private sector in development.
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Summary of key functions:
- Strategy development and implementation.
- Policy and programme advisory services.
- Facilitation of knowledge services and capacity development.
- Building of strategic partnerships.
- Promotion of private sector engagement for development.
Within the framework of the UNDP Strategic Plan, the UNDP Private Sector Strategy, and other UNDP frameworks, the Technical Specialist will provide support to the Director of the IICPSD for developing and realizing strategic direction to the work of the Center:
- Provide substantive and operational support to the Director of the IICPSD in carrying out cutting-edge analytical research, networking, policy dialogue, and training in the area of private sector in development;
- Provide guidance and oversight of UNDP activities of Center activities to achieve the goals of the Center;
- Ensure that knowledge management generated by the Center is promoted and is integrated into UNDP’s activities; develop and implement a series of flagship knowledge products, trainings and capacity building activities that will position the Center as a global center of excellence in the area of private sector in development; and
- Mobilize resources for the activities of the Center.
Within the framework of the Center’s strategies, plans and activities the Technical Specialist will provide support to the Director of the IICPSD for developing and realizing policy and programme advisory services:
- Provide inputs for in the development and subsequent technical review and delivery of IICPSD products;
- Provide inputs for translating the UNDP Private Sector Strategy in country specific economic governance action plans and programmatic interventions;
- Undertake activities and missions related to CO programming and platform development support, private sector engagement, partnership development and resource mobilization;
- Monitor, backstop, and assess the implementation of IICPSD programme and projects; technical assistance support to Cos, Regional Bureaus and external stakeholders; and
- Provide inputs for developing impact assessment frameworks on inclusive market interventions.
The Technical Specialist will be responsible for facilitation of knowledge services and capacity development:
- Provide inputs for the development of capacity building and training activities for IICPSD products;
- Support the organization of policy dialogues, sector/industry meetings, capacity building and training activities for IICPSD’s stakeholders;
- Undertake knowledge capture at national, regional and global levels in the areas of private sector development and produce knowledge-based products as relevant;
- Research and analyze best practices, lessons learned of inclusive markets development initiatives and develop case studies on inclusive markets;
- Provide knowledge building and policy advisory services on international best practices in private sector development/engagement issues; and
- Develop the capacity of IICPSD's stakeholders in the development and implementation of programmes that target private sector development.
The Technical Specialist will contribute to the development of strategic partnerships network:
- Mobilize and network with the experts of national and regional offices of the UN System, international development organizations, sub-regional and regional associations, affiliations and bodies (inter-governmental, non-government or private sector) and prominent private sector organizations;
- Undertake national and international networking with government ministries, departments and agencies, donors and development agencies, national and international NGOs, academic institutions and civil society organizations to promote and improve IICPSDs strategies and goals; and
- Support the establishment of IICPSD’s academic partnership network to utilize the research capacity of universities for inclusive market interventions.
The Technical Specialist will contribute to UNDP corporate policies and initiatives to promote private sector engagement for development:
- Contributes to the development of UNDP corporate strategies, policies and procedures to better engage private sector in development;
- Contributes to external and internal networks that permit the effective implementation of strategies for building sustainable partnerships with new global development partners;
- Effectively and consistently liaises with units in IDAC, Regional Bureaus, Bureau for Development Policies and other headquarters units to help formulate appropriate strategies and approaches for building sustainable new partnerships in the area of private sector and development; and
- In close coordination with the Innovation and Development Alliances Cluster (IDAC) within the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy, provide support to the Regional Bureaus and Country Offices in the area of private sector in development as and when needed.
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Corporate:
- Demonstrated integrity and fairness, adhering to UN values and ethical standards;
- Commitment to promote the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP; and
- Ability to display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Leadership:
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically and provide leadership;
- Strong decision-making skills with proven track record of mature judgments;
- Superior communication and interpersonal skills; and
- Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic visions.
Managing Relationships:
- Well developed people and organizational management skills;
- Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff;
- Excellent negotiating and networking skills;
- Experience in partnership building with private sector entities, research institutions, international organizations, development agencies and government partners; and
- Strong resource mobilization skills and accountability for management of large volume of financial resources.
- Knowledge Management and Learning:
- Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
- Promote knowledge management and a learning environment within and outside of IICPSD; and
- Seek and apply knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of IICPSD.
Functional:
- Strong analytical and advocacy skills in private sector and development issues;
- Understanding of inclusive business models, inclusive market development, and business sustainability issues to engage private sector companies in job creation and income generation projects that contribute to the MDGs.
- Knowledge of private sector and pro-poor market development, in particular of value chain approaches
- Proven track record and high level technical competency in the area of private sector in development with in depth knowledge of inclusive business models and their potential contribution to development ;
- Proven management skills;
- Professional and/or academic experience in development theory and practice;
- Research and publications record on inclusive markets; and
- Knowledge of UN global policies, treaties, processes and frameworks.
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Education:
- A Master's degree, preferably in international development, international affairs, business administration, development economics, or other relevant field, or extensive compensating experience in the area of private sector in development.
Experience:
- A minimum of Five (5) years of experience in either the private (academia, non-governmental sector, corporate) or public (national or multilateral) sectors with recognized track record of research, advisory services, partnership development in private sector engagement in development.
- Experience of inclusive business models and hands on work experience in inclusive market intervention development and delivery in developing countries in a multi-country multi-region framework.
Language:
- Fluent and proficient in English. Knowledge of another UN language desirable.
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