Development Coordination Officer at UNDP

The UN system in Zambia supports development operations in the country through the activities of UN system agencies represented on the ground. The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Zambia is responsible for managing the overall coordination of the UN system’s support to national development objectives. These include support to UN reform efforts towards ‘Delivering as One’ (DaO), UN inter-agency coordination and performance management under the Zambia-UN Sustainable Development Partnership Framework 2016-2021 (Partnership Framework) and joint programmes, monitoring, policy analysis and advocacy on the Sustainable Development Goals, engagement on the national aid effectiveness agenda and promoting UN collaboration with relevant state and non-state partners

The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Lusaka, Zambia and typically reports to the Senior Development Coordination Officer, Strategic Planning and RCO Team Leader.

Within delegated authority, the Development Coordination Officer, Partnerships and Development Finance will be responsible of the following duties.

Summary of Functions:

Provides substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of UN Country Team (UNCT) partnerships.

• Participates in joint resource mobilization for the UN Partnership Framework.


• Provides substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


• Supports knowledge management and capacity development.

Assists with the provision of substantive support for strategic planning for and coordination of UNCT partnerships

• Provides advice on the development and implementation of the UN Partnership Strategy in alignment with and support of the Partnership Framework in the country;


• Monitors and assesses the strategy at regular intervals to harness new emerging opportunities, to anticipate changes to the internal direction and external environment, and to make mid-term adjustments;


• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and the UNCT in identifying risks and opportunities related to specific partnerships, and suggests mitigation measures as relevant;


• Provides inputs on due diligence processes of potential investment and partnership opportunities, in accordance with UN regulations and procedures;


• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally-tailored partnerships and resource mobilization strategies and initiatives;


• Contributes to dialogues with partners to improve development assistance policies and practice;


• Plans and facilitates liaison and coordination with UN entities at country, regional and HQ levels, to help package and define UN business strategies, including differentiated value propositions, to attract partners, both traditional and non-traditional.

Participates in joint resource mobilization for the UN Partnership Framework

• Provides substantive support to RC/UNCT to develop and implement locally-tailored resource mobilization strategies and initiatives, and identify appropriate data and benchmarks to measure progress and success;


• Monitors and analyzes existing resource mobilization partnerships and relationships, including those with high net worth;


• Plans and facilitates the design, formulation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of joint programmes and programming processes for use in joint resource mobilization;


• Provides substantive support for the production and distribution of marketing materials to raise awareness about opportunities for working with the UN on SDG investment;


• Contributes to building the UN brand via events, media and public relations opportunities targeted to the diverse partners, in close collaboration with the UN Communications Group.

Provides substantive support on financing for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs

• Provides substantive support on financing for development options, instruments, modalities to the RC/UNCT, in alignment with the Common Country Analysis (CCA), Partnership Framework, MAPS (Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support) and similar processes;


• Analyzes trends and provides advice on new and innovative financing mechanisms for development and SDG acceleration;


• Provides inputs for briefing papers and discussion points on issues related to financing for development for consideration by RC/UNCT;


• Plans and facilitates engagements with external stakeholders – including the national government, international financial institutions and others – on financing for SDG acceleration;


• Undertakes the design and execution of innovative proposals to strengthen the UNCT engagement and reputation, and to generate greater financial resources in support of the SDGs;


• Assists in the establishment and management of the country-based SDG Fund, in close collaboration with UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (where relevant).

Supports knowledge management and capacity development

• Plans and facilitates the development, maintenance and sharing of knowledge and intelligence, to ensure RC/UNCT are informed and positioned to effectively generate and harness opportunities to meet its resource mobilization targets;


• Contributes to knowledge networks and communities of practice at national, regional and global levels;


• Undertakes activities to strengthen the capacity of UNCTs to mainstream and promote SDG investment partnerships;


• Provides substantive support for the discovery, evaluation and selection of partnership opportunities at the sourcing and origination stages.

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional

Coordination Effectiveness

• Ability to lead the design and implementation of UN programme activities, strengthening of strategic partnerships for Partnership Framework implementation;


• Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, communicate sensitively across different constituencies.

Partnering and networking

• Initiates and sustains relationships with key constituents;


• Builds and sustains effective partnerships with UN agencies;


• Advocates effectively, engaging others to take action in desired directions;


• Communicates sensitively and effectively across different constituencies;


• Seeks and applies knowledge information and best practices from within and outside the UN Country Team.

People Skills

• Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests and concerns of others;


• Builds trust and engenders morale by displaying open, transparent and credible behavior;


• Respects individual/ cultural differences;


• Utilises diversity to foster teamwork;


• Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in and adaptation to change processes;


• Provides and responds constructively to feedback.

Management and Leadership

• Produces quality outputs in a timely manner when assigned a given task;


• Has initiative and develops creative solutions to particularly challenging situations;


• Leads teams effectively and possesses good conflict resolution skills;


• Sets clear performance goals and standards; executes responsibilities accordingly;


• Sound strategic planning expertise and familiarity with results-based management instruments and their application;


• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;


• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;


• Dependable and reliable;


• Possesses sound political judgment and maturity, and keeps confidentiality.

Education:

• Master’s degree in business or public administration, sustainable development or development focus area, International relations, social sciences, education or related area.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in providing strategic support to partnerships, project/Programme management, resource mobilization or development finance in the context of development cooperation or related area is required;


• Demonstrable experience in providing management advisory services, with hands-on experience strategic planning and programming processes, including design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;


• Previous UN field and coordination experience will be considered an asset;


• In-depth knowledge of the UN system, UN reform and its operational mandates, would be an advantage;


• Demonstrable experience establishing outreach and partnerships;


• Knowledge of humanitarian system is considered an asset.