About the Organization
General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to "bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations." The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDF's vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.
As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the UN, UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF's unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.
As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others.
UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions which are highly impactful but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders. UNCDF's work is focused on three priority areas, including:
SME Finance
Sub-National Finance
Digital Finance
UNCDF's organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board comprised of UN Member States.
The main objective of UNCDF is to crowd-in "private capital" alongside ODA (official development assistance) into the developing economies, especially the world's least developed countries. There is a clear need from member states and philanthropies to work with each other partners to leverage each other's resources, especially in an era of declining ODA. Additionally, there is a role for the UN to work with philanthropies/foundations as well as their "Endowments" to be "mission aligned," which presents a unique engagement opportunity.
Job Summary
The Foundations, Philanthropies, Family Offices Advisor will provide strategic advisory support to senior leadership, including the Executive Secretary, on expanding and deepening UNCDF's engagement with global philanthropic and private sector actors. The role will contribute to defining UNCDF's institutional positioning, partnership models, and engagement strategies across key markets.
The incumbent will report to the External Relations Advisor, with overall strategic guidance provided by the Executive Secretary and Chief Investment Officer.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Advisory and Institutional Positioning
Lead the development and implementation of UNCDF's global engagement strategy with foundations, philanthropies, family offices, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals
Define and continuously refine UNCDF's value proposition and partnership models aligned with institutional priorities
Identify and pursue high-impact partnership opportunities that contribute to resource mobilization objectives
- Lead high-Level Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management
Lead engagement with key partners and stakeholders, including foundations, family offices, endowments, and private sector actors
Develop and maintain strategic relationships to position UNCDF as a partner of choice
Support and advise senior leadership in high-level engagements, negotiations, and partnership discussions
- Lead Strategic Market Intelligence and Analysis
Provide ongoing analysis of global philanthropy, family offices and private capital trends to inform UNCDF's engagement strategy
Identify emerging opportunities across priority regions (including the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East)
Develop and maintain a structured pipeline of partners and opportunities aligned with institutional priorities
- Resource Mobilization and Partnership Frameworks
Design and advise on innovative partnership models, co-financing mechanisms, and collaboration frameworks
Contribute to strengthening UNCDF's partnership pipeline and achievement of resource mobilization targets
Establish and monitor performance indicators (KPIs) to track engagement outcomes and partnership impact
- Promote Strategic Communications and Knowledge Management
Oversee the development of high-quality strategic materials, including proposals, partnership frameworks, and impact narratives
Guide the creation of communication products to support positioning, outreach, and engagement efforts
Contribute to institutional knowledge management and dissemination of best practices in partnership development
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Required Qualifications
Education
An advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, International Development, Public Policy or related area of study is required. Or
A first-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master's degree.
Experience
A minimum of 10 years (with master's degree) or 12 years (with bachelor's degree) of relevant professional experience in international development, finance, partnerships, or related fields.
Language(s):
Fluency in English is required.
Working knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.
Required Skills and Competencies
Core competencies:
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
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Entrepreneurial Thinking: Identify and seize opportunities to service and add value to clients, create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners, develop clear service offers responding to client needs in line with UNDP's organizational priorities and mandate.
Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations
Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
Resource Mobilization...