The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs).  With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers ‘last mile’ finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF leverages digital finance in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve the vision of promoting inclusive digital economies. On that basis, the Inclusive Digital Economies Division of UNCDF adopted the strategy of ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’, which is based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The goal of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use digital services, which improve their quality of life and accelerate our progress towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs). To achieve this, UNCDF provides capital and technical support through Inclusive Digital Economy programmes to ensure that more households and small businesses gain access to services that expand opportunities and reduce vulnerabilities. The ability of UNCDF to provide risk capital directly to the private sector is helping bring new products and services to under-served and hard to reach markets and spurring innovations. Through flexible grant and loan instruments UNCDF supports a wide range of products and services in various sectors ranging from finance to agriculture, education, health and transportation. This entails working with the public and the private sector to ensure that the services match in particular the needs of key segments such as youth, women, migrants, refugees, and micro-small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

UNCDF has been present in Bangladesh since 1982. Over the past three decades, UNCDF has supported Bangladesh by focusing grant financing initially on local agriculture, and then strengthening decentralization and local service delivery. Today, UNCDF offers catalytic finance models that unlock public and private resources in “last mile” environments, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

Position Purpose

The Country Lead Technical Specialist (Digital Finance), Bangladesh will be responsible for coordinating UNCDF’s work in the country. The Country Lead Technical Specialist will have primary responsibility for managing and overseeing UNCDF’s activities in Bangladesh. The position will directly report to the UNCDF Regional Manager for Asia (based in Bangkok, Thailand) and will play a significant role in engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from financial service providers, telecommunication companies, business associations, NGOs and donor agencies.

The Country Lead Technical Specialist (Digital Finance) will work with a cross-section of partners to develop and strengthen initiatives through a variety of efforts, including but not limited to: supportive regulatory reform (when the context allows it), research and sector assessment, quality and range of new and existing financial products and services, usage of and access to such products and services by the underserved, consumer protection and digital and financial literacy. With support from UNCDF’s regional team in Asia, based in Bangkok he/she will develop and manage the portfolio of digital finance activities and will be responsible for achieving associated outputs, and outcomes under the different projects in the country.

Summary of key functions:

• Lead IDE’s programme management and coherence in the country.
• Develop the necessary pipeline in close consultation and coordination with the government, donors, partners and UNCT.
• Provision of top-quality policy advice services to the Government and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

1.           Lead IDE’s programme management and coherence in the country focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Manage and coordinate the implementation of projects in accordance with the objectives, work plan and timely budget, efficiently and effectively in accordance with the project document and work plan;
• Ensure that the various documents (multi-year, annual, quarterly, operational work plans, journals, reports) required for the proper functioning of the project are prepared on time according to the required quality standards and updated.
• Coordinate project activities with relevant government activities and initiatives, UNCDF strategy, CPD and UNSDCF;
• Maintain close working relationships with all relevant stakeholders and partners to ensure adequate information flow and cooperation among the project’s participating institutions, in particular, with the Project Committee members;
• Manage and monitor day-to-day budgetary and financial operations to facilitate project audits to ensure accurate and reliable financial reporting;
• Manage financial resources on the basis of value for money and cost effectiveness principles;
• Ensure compliance with administrative and financial procedures in the implementation of the programme
• Ensure the grants and loans with private sector partners are well managed and produce the results as per the respective agreements;
• Explore the possibility of deploying blended finance solutions to increase financing opportunities for the most vulnerable groups;
• Provide technical advice to partners (providers, regulators, funders), including sharing of information and updates on innovations;
• Review and respond to quarterly reports, ensuring partners are reporting accurately, monitor progress and reporting under agreements and contracts, verify milestones and targets for disbursements;

2.           Develop the necessary pipeline in close consultation and coordination with the government, donors, partners and UNCT focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Grow UNCDF presence in Bangladesh by developing partnership with funders and raise funds to fully implement UNCDF digital strategy in the country;
• Represent UNCDF in various meetings with donors and national parties (UN Country Team, Program Management Team, Steering Committee, Investment Committee…)
• Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to CCA, UNSDCF, and other documents.
• Explore and develop partnerships with potential donors (both traditional and newly established) seeking to encourage their commitment to UNCDF;
• Explore new funding mechanisms through traditional donors, the UN, donor special programs, and private sector and foundations;
• Analyze specific funding trends and patterns which can assist in predicting donor interest in UNCDF programmes;
• Explore strategic partnerships that do not involve funding but rather collaboration in other forms (joint advocacy, social mobilization, etc.) around goals and objectives central to UNCDF’s mandate;
• Lead in writing concept notes and proposals on a wide range of thematic areas (crisis preparedness, women economic empowerment, agriculture etc.) to increase the programmatic portfolio in country.
• Collaborate with the Regional Office team on positioning and advocating for goals and objectives central to UNCDF’s mandate, raising the visibility and promoting results from country programs and other relevant programming modalities relevant in the region;
• Manage networks of partners in the region, and create mechanisms for interaction among partners to further UNCDF’s mandate;

3.           Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results

• Maintain the quality assurance and the validation of the relevant data (indicators, targets, results) in the established information management system for measuring the qualitative and quantitative impact, and report on the progress;
• In addition to regular reporting to UNCDF Regional Office, regularly contribute to donors’ reporting and briefings;
• Facilitate and document human interest stories of beneficiaries and develop various communication materials linked to the socio-economic recovery;
• Identify and formulate lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader CO knowledge management efforts;
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: 1 Programme Officer (NPSA9); 1 Programme Finance; 1 Associate (NPSA7); 1 M&E Analyst (NPSA8); 1 KM Analyst (NPSA8); 5 Field Coordinators (NPSA6).

Core

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.

People Management Competencies:

Motivate and Direct

• Create and communicate a compelling vision and purpose.
• Align people and resources with organizational vision, strategy, objectives.
• Understand and proactively builds the team/organization culture.

Build an Enabling Workplace

• Create a working environment where people are engaged and want to do their best; empower and enables team members to perform and have a positive workplace experience
• Promote honestly, openness, trust and psychological safety and create opportunities to innovate and learn
• Recruit and promotes individuals based upon objective measures and meritocracy; acknowledge and utilise the talent of others Encourage collective action and integration

Build Capability

• Identify and develop talent in individuals, providing positive support to enable them to achieve their potential
• Foster learning or development of others by giving feedback, guidance, and support; support career development of others
• Have willingness and ability to delegate to help people learn, including from failure

Manage Performance and Ensure Accountability

• Ensure regular conversations with people about work
• Provide positive and constructive feedback
• Discuss poor performance in a timely manner
• Provide praise and recognition, as well as ensure accountability

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area   Name    Definition

Business Direction & Strategy – Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’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. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Management – Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management – Portfolio Management

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization 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 optimizing return on investment.

Business 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 – Resource mobilization

• Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

2030 Agenda: Partnerships – SDG Finance

• Financial Inclusion: Ability to identify entry points and design interventions that target individuals and businesses to have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs in a responsible and sustainable way.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity – Inclusive Growth

• Economic Diversification: Ability to identify and structure strategies that contribute to the efforts of enhancing positive economic growth and development

VI. Keywords

Programming, SDG financing, resource mobilization, programme management, innovative finance, inclusive growth.