UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Workers and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Arab fragile and crisis States entered a series of shocks that started with the pandemic with relatively low resilience capacity as they have suffered from inability to plan, start and expand businesses, absorb shocks, smooth consumption, and access services (such as education and health).
Economic livelihoods programs provide the opportunity to scale support to vulnerable groups, extend the reach of social safety nets, support access to public service systems, and provide opportunities for MSME-led recovery.
The UNDP Crisis Bureau (CB) and Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) are looking for a technical specialist to support RBAS and UNDP country offices in the region to design and expand economic livelihoods and recovery solutions within the fragile and crisis affected countries to support the implementation of recovery and response plans through analytical, programmatic and policy dialogue technical support. This will also involve supporting development solutions for migration and displacement, including supporting relevant activities of the UNDP Sub-regional Facility for Syria crisis in connection to the Regional Refugee Resilience Plan (3RP), with a particular focus on jobs and livelihoods- related issues, as well as support to stabilization plans, etc.
Institutional Arrangement
The Livelihoods and Economic Recovery Specialist will report to the Team Leader, Regional Lead Economist at the UNDP Regional Hub.
Specific key areas of focus:
- Provide support to COs and other regional teams in the implementation of programmatic work in the field of economic livelihoods and recovery solutions, value chains, access to finance/microfinance/innovative finance, and MSME support for fragile and crisis affected countries including displaced populations and migrants;
- Provide technical support to UNDP COs and counterparts in the design of national policies, strategies, and programmes to progress the above-mentioned solutions and support for fragile and crisis affected countries;
- Provide support for policy advice to Governments in the region on how to create an enabling environment for the above-mentioned solutions and support and identify and help remove existing policy constraints;
- Develop knowledge and learning products in the above-mentioned fields including dimensions related to women, youth and vulnerable categories;
- Lead efforts in building and maintaining strategic partnerships with major multilateral, bilateral organizations, and the private sector;
- Contribute to regional level and country office resource mobilization efforts;
- Offer close support to other UNDP regional teams to build and develop the regional portfolio.
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
Technical and Cross-Functional Competencies:
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Business Direction and Strategy:
- Entrepreneurial Thinking: Ability to create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate
- 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
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2030 Agenda (Prosperity):
- Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility:
- Economic Recovery
- Jobs and Livelihoods
- Enterprise, Private Sector Recovery
- Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility:
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2030 Agenda (Partnership):
- SDG Finance:
- Financial Inclusion
- Innovative finance
- SDG Finance:
- Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Public Policy, or related discipline; or
- A first level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned field of study in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
- Minimum of five (5) years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in economic livelihoods and recovery solutions, value chains, access to finance/microfinance/innovative finance, and MSME support for fragile and crisis affected countries including displaced populations and migrants
Required Skills:
- Demonstrated strong technical knowledge in financial inclusion and MSME support;
- Experience in providing technical advice to third parties in economic livelihoods and recovery solutions, financial inclusion, and MSME support;
Desired Skills:
- Relevant experience working in fragile and crisis countries, particularly in the Arab region preferred;
- Experience working with IFIs or other relevant multilateral/bilateral development agencies preferred;
Required Languages:
- Fluency in English essential, knowledge of Arabic or French is an advantage.
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