Partnership and Resource Management Specialist at UNDP

Education & Work Experience
    
Master's Level Degree - 5 year(s) experience
    
Background
    
The UNDP Country Office in Kenya sought to reposition itself strategically and realign its human resources to better respond to the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2018-2022 and the articulated need to work in a more integrated and collaborative manner to help Kenya address interrelated development challenges and achieve sustainable development, particularly in those regions which have a high level of poverty.
 
The change process in UNDP Kenya is anchored in two fundamental components: 1) Actively positioning UNDP for emerging opportunities arising from SDG implementation, as reflected in the CPD  2018 – 2022, as well as implications of the UN development system reform; and 2) Adopting a new resource management paradigm, as the global funding landscape for development cooperation is transforming especially for middle income countries. As such, UNDP is systemically changing how its institutional activities are financed and Country Offices are compelled to unlock new business models that enable our programmes, projects, and services to create the development impact we seek to support implementation of the SDGs while our offices are increasingly self-sustaining and able to scale up and down on an ongoing basis.
 
To address the transformation of the global funding landscape a Partnership and Communications Action Plan has been developed and will guide the enhanced process of engagement for UNDP Kenya both externally and in collaboration with the UN System in Kenya. In addition, as part of the change process Results Based Management and Communications are integrated within the programme team to ensure that these cross-cutting support functions serve to elevate the quality and coherence of the entire UNDP portfolio of work, and position UNDP well for future partnerships.
 
Post-Specific Context
 
In this context the Partnerships and Resource Management Specialist (Team Leader) plays a vital role in integrating and strengthening a new approach to programme resource management and effective partnerships to support national development priorities and working towards the SDGs.
 
Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative – Programmes and working in close consultation with Programme Team Leaders for – (i) Governance and Inclusive Growth and (ii) Environment and Resilience, the incumbent fulfills the evolving role of integrated resource management in the Country Office (CO) from internal financial transaction control and oversight to externally focused strategic resource management. S/he provides strategic advice to senior management focusing on CO financial sustainability and leads the UNDP CO to a more externally focused posture while managing UNDP’s emerging risk profiles. The incumbent supervises and provides strategic guidance to the Partnerships and Resource Management team which includes quality assurance and resources management practitioners.  
 
Hence, the Partnerships and Resource Management Specialist (Team Leader) is entrusted with the following:

Leadership of the engagement and partnerships effort of the CO, with a focus on strategic business development while articulating UNDP’s value proposition and varied service offer in operational and partnership engagement terms
Technical leadership in supporting contract negotiations, business development pitches, and proposals for UNDP’s value added in leveraging domestic resources for development (incl. direct support with Government Cost Sharing as well as innovative financing solutions)
Leveraging in-house as well as external resource people in the area of communications and development results analytics to ensure UNDP’s offers are well packaged, tailored, and visible by the right audiences
Management of CO resource management practices, including establishing thresholds / targets, solution-guidance for new funding instruments. Defining and ensuring update of direct project costing methodology.

The incumbent promotes client-oriented approach while having strong networking savvy and political acumen performing her/his functions in collaboration with Programme team leaders and CO and Regional senior management to continuously reflect on how UNDP engages with its partners and stakeholders in order to truly fulfill UNDP’s strategic position and value proposition.  In doing so the incumbent develops the relationships, systems and tools to integrate business development income streams with strategic resource management leading to a greater financial sustainability for UNDP Kenya.  
 
 
    
Duties and Responsibilities
    
Summary of key functions:

Drives implementation of the CO Partnerships and Communications Action Plan
Facilitates proactive stakeholder engagement and partnerships
Leads efforts to diversity resource base of UNDP Kenya
Supports portfolios in codification of knowledge, specifically for innovations in financing   

• Partnerships and Resources Mobilization
  • Implementation and monitoring of the Partnerships and Communications Action Plan with planning tools to implement the action plan in close collaboration with Senior Management, Strategic Results and Resources team and portfolio managers
  • Development and monitoring of implementation of a Resource Mobilization Strategy
  • Development and implementation of a donor intelligence strategy (partners, needs and priorities, perception of UNDP by its current and potential future partners, and projection of UNDP’ added value and potential role)
  • Development of specific donor fund-raising strategies and approaches
  • External and internal analysis for assessing CO opportunities for partnerships and resource mobilization
  • Scanning of opportunities in the country; identification of where the CO strengths overlap with partner/client needs
  • Analysis of the Government of Kenya’s national budget and investment targets to identify areas for UNDP collaboration
  • Analysis of key development and sectoral policies currently being discussed and implemented in the country and key donors willing to support policies
  • Identification of emerging sources of funding; assessment of their current usage and potential for the future
  • Assessment of the level of CO engagement with each donor: Type and level of contact and particular areas of interest; development of strategy to position the CO to become a priority partner for the donor
•  Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
  • Broker meaningful dialogue between Government of Kenya, civil society, development partners and UNDP to provide citizens opportunities to engage with the development community and shape the national and global sustainable development agenda, and in so doing, support UNDP programme portfolios in accessing the knowledge, ideas, and aspirations of the people to influence UNDP’s approaches and concrete programme/ project design. Includes managing relationships with Government representatives, development partners, CSOs/think tanks and private sector.
  • Building strategic alliances and UNDP positioning, including creating opportunities and nurturing networks for idea generation
  • Interaction with the UNDP Senior Management to ensure access to partners, with the full weight of the UN System
  • Building partnerships with the Government of Kenya and Inter-Governmental engagement
  • Supporting the organization of high visibility events, policy dialogues, roundtables that positions UNDP thought leadership and results in Kenya
  • Work closely with Programme teams to establish and nurture civil society platforms, including as required a Civil Society Advisory Board, to ensure inclusion and relevance of UNDP programmes
  • Engage with think tanks and academic institutions to ensure that CO can access high quality research and involved in cutting-edge development discourse
• Diversification of Resource Base
  • Delivery of resource mobilization and government cost sharing targets for UNDP in line with strategic positioning
  • Engagement with government and development partner stakeholders on implementation of Direct Project Costing
  • Identification of emerging development partners and creating opportunities for collaboration
  • Negotiating alternative financing models with international financial institutions (IFIs) to achieve mutual goals in delivering sustainable development
  • Fostering innovations and creative development solutions in collaboration with private sector
  • Strategizes with senior management and portfolio managers on use of ICT-led innovations in resource mobilization, i.e. crowdsourcing, campaign-led fund raising.
•  Knowledge Management
  • Supports portfolios in codification of knowledge management, specifically for innovations in financing.
  • Facilitates discussions and strategy-setting for scaling up of UNDP projects in terms of coverage, policy impact and sustainability.  Helps portfolio managers in consistently applying scaling for all UNDP projects (including cost-sharing commitment from the government).
  • Leads CO efforts in ensuring national ownership in UNDP’s pursuit of Value for Money approach.  
  • Collaborates with Integrated Service Delivery team in increasingly use of effective tools and processes such as Long-Term Agreements with service providers, and rosters of experts.
  • Assists CO in implementing corporate transparency commitments, including regular update of project information on appropriate portals.   

Competencies
Core:

• 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 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers
•  
• People Management
  • Ability to improve performance and satisfaction Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others
• 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:
• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
  • Ability to identified and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate
• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertis
  • Results-based programme development and management
  • Ability to contribute into results through primary research and analysis
• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
• Building Strategic Partnerships
  • Ability to maintain and establish networks of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up to date on partnership related issues.
  • Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
•  Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
  • Can generate new ideas and processes and is able to analyze and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
• Resource mobilization
  • Ability to analyze information/databases on potential and actual donors and identity and present opportunities for project proposals to donors Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise
• Political Economy Analysis
  • Knowledge of the interaction of political and economic processes in a society; including distribution of power and wealth between groups and individuals, and the processes that create, sustain and transform these relationships over time, and how these dynamics both affect, and are affected by, UNDP's development support Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise  

Required Skills and Experience
    
Education:
 
Master's Degree in social policy, public policy, politics, economics, business administration, development studies or a related area.
 
Experience:

• Master’s Degree with 5 years of progressively responsible work experience in international development with special focus on partnership building, business development and resource mobilization.
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working in the UN System is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• English Proficiency.
• Other official language of the UN will be desirable.  

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