Head of Impact Measurement, Verification, and Learning (IMVL) – P5

Job Description

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

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. UNCDFs 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, United Nations Organizations, 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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the guidance and supervision of the UNCDF Executive Secretary, the Head of Impact Measurement Verification and Learning (IMVL) leads in the generation, verification, and use of high-quality impact intelligence to support investment decisions, portfolio performance management, accountability to stakeholders, and organizational learning particularly in fragile, climate-vulnerable, and underserved markets typical of LDCs and SIDS.

Under the Leadership of the UNCDF Executive Secretary, the Head of IMVL coordinates and oversees the work of the Impact Measurement Verification and Learning Unit, established in the UNCDF front office, composed of Strategic Intelligence, Impact Measurement and Evaluation.

The overarching purpose of the IMVL unit is to determine whether and to what extent, the work of UNCDF is achieving positive intended impacts, and to provide data-driven recommendations on strategic and systemic actions that strengthen performance. This includes assessing whether UNCDF programming in digital finance, SME finance and sub-national/municipal support, is achieving development objectives. Insights and lessons from IMVL research, field reconnaissance and evaluations should enable UNCDF to expand pathways for replication, scalability, crowding in public and private investors and improving the conditions enabling market transformation in developing countries.

The Head of IMVL will provide key contributions as part of the senior management team. In addition to taking the lead role in impact management and assessment, the Head of IMVL will be expected to significantly contribute to other strategic areas, including transaction structuring, pipeline development, risk analysis and knowledge sharing.

The Head of IMVL will be based in New York, United States and will be required to travel occasionally.

UNCDF staff may be periodically redeployed to different regional hubs or headquarters as needed, subject to capability, consent, and due process.

UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNCDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

1. Lead Strategic Impact Intelligence, Portfolio Insight, Knowledge Management, Thought Leadership, and IMVL Data Systems and Digital Tools:

• Lead development and provision of forward-looking intelligence that informs investment strategy, pipeline development, and portfolio performance.
• Lead development of impact intelligence products to support strategy and investment decisions.
• Lead analysis of sectoral, geographic, and thematic trends relevant to blended finance and impact investing.
• Lead development of impact theories aligned with organizational priorities as defined in the UNCDF Strategic Framework.
• Lead development, production and dissemination of portfolio-level impact insights to inform resource allocation and risk management.
• Lead institutionalization of learning and contributions to sector-wide knowledge.
• Lead development of internal guidance materials and technical notes.
• Oversee and ensure development and maintenance of repositories of lessons learned and best practices.
• Lead production of thematic briefs and research outputs and ensure support and contributions to publication of case studies.
• Promote innovation in impact methodologies.
• Ensure reliable infrastructure for collecting, managing, and analyzing impact data