Agency: UNCDF
Title: Programme Manager (Youth Empowerment), Dakar, Senegal, P-4
Job ID: 33408
Practice Area - Job Family: Capacity Development
Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA)
10/11/2020
Time Left: 12d 16h 53m
Duty Station: Dakar, Senegal
Education & Work Experience: G-Bachelor's Level Degree - 9 year(s) experience, I-Master's Level Degree - 7 year(s) experience
Languages
Required:
Desired:
English, French
Grade: P4
Vacancy Type: FTA International
Posting Type: External
Bureau: UNCDF
Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension


Background:
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. 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’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs.
Since 2008, UNCDF has been supporting digital finance with significant success, with digital finance currently the largest part of its inclusive finance portfolio. This includes digital innovations linked to on an off-grid energy, agriculture, employment, health and transport. UNCDF is also host to the Secretariat of the Better than Cash Alliance, a partnership of governments, companies, and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth.
With 60 professionals with strong digital finance experience across the globe and with several hundred projects in digital on-going, UNCDF is one of the leading development agencies in digital finance with a mission and expertise to reach very low-income customers in some of the world’s most difficult markets. UNCDF’s digital team and resources are currently spread across several programmes and UNCDF is in the process of consolidating its financial and technical resources to create a comprehensive team of experts in various domains to drive its newly-launched Digital Finance strategy “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”.
Based on this experience UNCDF started in 2017 to expand the scope of its programmatic agenda to go beyond digital finance. Through the “Leaving none behind in the digital era” strategy, UNCDF is supporting, through its digital finance interventions, the emergence of inclusive digital economies. The strategy recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the SDGs aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies for the following reasons:
The value of digital financial services (DFS) is not obvious, especially to poor and vulnerable populations, as it is not closely linked to their ability to respond to their specific constraints and needs around agriculture, education, health, energy and other key aspects of their daily lives.
New innovative services should be developed to address these unmet needs. Innovation will not come from traditional providers but mainly from a range of new players (entrepreneurs, start-ups in various sectors, and platforms like Facebook, Grab, WeChat, etc.).
UNCDF's “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy intends to move its focus only digitla finance (DF) to digital economies builds upon and constitutes a logical integration of UNCDF interventions in financial inclusion and digital, developed over many years. The legacy of UNCDF intervention programmes was built through a range of country/regional programmes and global thematic initiatives, which has established a very strong reputation for UNCDF vis-à-vis donors and peers.


Duties and Responsibilities

Position Context:
Since 2010, UNCDF has been working to provide tailored financial services in tandem with complementary non-financial services to the youth. The agency first started implementing YouthStart, a programme that was active in 8 different countries in sub-saharan Africa and that tripled its initial targets of providing financial services to 200,000 youth. In 2015, and after a reigourous evaluation of YouthStart, UNCDF decided to deepening its programmatic agenda on youth, integrating not only the lessons learned of YouthStart (i.e. integrate solutions to accelerate the asset accumulation process of youth, deliver the access to finance component in a partnership model to increase impact) but also, given the evolution of the financial inclusion field, digital solutions. As such, youth is one of the key population segments of the “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy.
The Programme Manager (Youth Empowerment) Lead will be responsible for managing a regional portfolio of USD 20M (in Gambia, Guinea, Ghana, Niger and Senegal) and support country and regional leads to increase high quality programmes to include young people in the digital era and to contribute to the achievement of SDG 8.

Functions / Key Results Expected
The role reports to Regional Digital Hub Manager, P-5 West Africa (based in Dakar) with matrix reporting line to the Director Financial Inclusion Practice Area D1 New York, USA. The role manages and supervises 3-4 Technical Specialist and Prog Management Specialist country/technical leads based in Dakar, Banjul and Ghana.

Summary of key functions
1. Provide the overall direction, implementation and management of the youth portfolio in The Gambia, Guinea, Ghana, Niger, and Senegal and ensure programmes at the country level are efficiently-managed, monitored and evaluated with top talent and expertise meeting or exceeding all targets
2. Provide technical leadership in building a strong knowledge sharing network around digital innovations for youth within the Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE) practice area
3. Build and maintain strategic partnerships, capitalize on business opportunities and mobilize resources to increase access to digital solutions of youth at country and regional levels
4. Provide corporate support to the IDE and UNCDF Management

1. Provide the overall direction, implementation and management of the youth portfolio (55% of time)
• Manage the delivery of the youth finance portfolio and ensure outputs are on time and within budget
• Provide guidance and oversee the technical team (3 in Gambia, 3 in Ghana, 2 in Guinea, 2 in Niger, 2 in Senegal)
• In consultation with the regional leads, develop annual performance plans for country teams
• Develop annual budgets and workplans, review them on a quarterly basis and manage its implementation vis-a vis programme objectives
• Ensure partners’ achievement of key project indicators and make sure they are in line with targets on programme document and cost sharing agreements requirements
• Effective management of all financial, performance and operational aspects of portfolio, including facilitating project implementation according to annual work plan of the project, ensuring achievement of outputs and consistent quality implementation across programmes and countries
• Develop and submit financial and performance reports to development partners on time and as per cost sharing agreement requirements
• Provide technical leadership and support on youth related issues to country and regional needs
• Identify and manage the team of professionals delivering results on for the youth finance portfolio
• Closely support the country teams to build, develop and manage their portfolio of projects and activities and creates environment of excellence, collaboration and engagement
• Support the country teams to identify and vet new projects that support the achievement of the objectives in the programme document and with donors
• Ensure quality of all the paperwork for the Request for Applications, procurements, PDs, etc. for projects is compliant with UNCDF Operations Manual
• Coach country leads to successfully implement the projects

Outcome: An efficiently-managed, monitored and evaluated programme with top talent and expertise on youth and digital meeting or exceeding all targets

2. Provide technical leadership in building a strong knowledge sharing network around digital innovations for youth within IDE (20%)
• Provide technical advice to colleagues across countries and regions so that they can expand and implement their programmatic agenda on youth
• Ensure learning agenda of the youth portfolio is aligned with the learning agenda at the global level, with a strong focus on Digital
• Lead the process of identification, documentation and incorporation of lessons learned on youth related topics in the West Africa and disseminate them across regions (East Africa, Asia and the Pacific)
• Supervise the development and implementation of the knowledge management agenda for the youth portfolio
• Organize internal and negotiate space in external information exchange events nationally, regionally and/or globally. Contribute to knowledge-sharing networks on digital innovations for youth;
• Participate and contribute to UN agencies sub-practice in youth development. Serve as the primary resource for knowledge management and cross-country learning at UNCDF-FIPA on youth development through active participation in the UN agencies knowledge networks
• Effectively represents UNCDF with governments and key regional and country stakeholders in the digital space, in consultation with Global Digital Manager and practice leadership

Outcome: Youth programmatic agenda in IDE is increased and UNCDF is positioned as the go to agency for digital innovations on youth development

3. Build and maintain strategic partnerships, capitalize on business opportunities and mobilize resources to increase access to digital solutions of youth at country and regional levels (20%)
• In coordination with the Regional Leads, secure the expansion of the youth portfolio as needed and where opportunities arise
• Develop strategies to mobilize additional resources based on programme resource requirements and new opportunities. Record and manage commitments, disbursements and programming of fund contributions;
• Support country and regional teams to mobilise resources for youth- digital related portfolio
• Provide corporate support for resource mobilization as needed
• Provide advice to UNCDF senior management on technical issues and business development opportunities, including inputs into corporate presentations and reports

Outcome: A well resourced and funded work on the youth segment in the digital strategy of UNCDF

4. Provide corporate support to IDE and UNCDF Management (5%)
• Provide input to support annual and cumulative UNCDF results analyses and substantive inputs into Unit work plan and UNCDF Business Plan;
• Support to the development of UNCDF programme and business strategies and to annual reviews;
• Provide advice to UNCDF senior management on technical issues and business development opportunities, including inputs into corporate presentations and reports.
• Provide advice on technical issues, knowledge management and business development opportunities having inter-regional and corporate relevance on Inclusive Digital Economies and/or UNCDF/UNDP programme
• Participation in IDE annual retreat

Outcome: An integrated organization leveraging synergies globally, regionally and at country level.

Impact of Results
The key result expected is the successful implementation of the youth finance portfolio and the integration of future youth programming in the “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy, including coordination with/reporting to all stakeholders, the IDE Practice Area in UNCDF and the funders of the programme. Successful implementation will position UNCDF as a strategic partner to assist host country governments and regional bodies to leverage digital finance and digital innovations for youth to achieve the SDGs, in particular SDG 8.

The Youth Empowerment Lead will pursue the following key results of the programme:
• An efficiently-managed, monitored and evaluated programme with top talent and expertise on youth and digital meeting or exceeding all targets
• Youth programmatic agenda in IDE is increased and UNCDF is positioned as the go to agency for digital innovations on youth development
• A well resourced and funded work on the youth segment in the digital strategy of UNCDF
• An integrated organization leveraging synergies globally, regionally and at country level.

• Competencies

Core Competencies
Innovation. Ability to make new and useful ideas work - Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them
Leadership. Ability to persuade others to follow - Level 6: Ensures teams are resourced for success and empowered to deliver
People Management. Ability to improve performance and satisfaction - Level 6: Guides substantive specialists / teams and expands credibility and innovation capacity
Communication. Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform - Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others
Delivery. Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement –Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions


Technical / Functional Competencies

Subject Matter Expertise:
Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in to digital & financial inclusion, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures - Level 6: Integrate and Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Knowledge Management:
Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge - Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise


Project Management:
Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals - Level 6: Integrate and Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise
Relationship Management:
Ability to engage and foster strategic partnerships with other parties, Inter-Agency Coordination and forge productive working relationships - Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise

Results Based Programming:
Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work - Level 6: Integrate and Empower: Leads integral work of teams utilizing expertise, vision, problem-solving capability, and collaborative energy in professional area of expertise

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Masters degree in economics, finance, business or public administration or related fields. A Bachelor’s/first university degree with an additional two years of experience would also meet this requirement.

Work Experience
• A minimum of 7 years experience in inclusive finance or technology field; out of which at least two (2) years’ experience must be with youth development related issues.
• Demonstrable work experience in managerial roles in Africa or Asia is considered a distinct advantage
• Demonstrable strong technical knowledge in youth development, digital solutions, digital economies and digital financial services
• Resource mobilization experience and record of success in reporting to and managing donor grants and reporting mechanisms.
• Strong programme management experience with emphasis on monitoring, evaluation and incorporating lessons learned into inclusive finance projects and digital economies programmes.
• Experience in successfully managing large projects and corresponding budgets required;
• Experience with financial management within the UN system, including use of ATLAS is required;
• Experience with fundraising, donor reporting, and a working knowledge of international donor organizations is highly desirable;
• Experience with project and impact monitoring and evaluation systems, knowledge of DCED standard is highly desirable;
• Understanding of the benefits of digitizing payments and its contribution to poverty reduction, desirable;

Languages:
• Fluency in both English and French languages is required - with effective written and oral communication skills in both languages.
• Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)
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.

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