Background

Launched in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) is a global membership platform that encourages private sector companies to develop innovative business models that combine profitability with development impact, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Business Call to Action is a unique multilateral alliance between key donor governments including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UK Department for International Development, and the United Nations Development Programme — which hosts the secretariat.

BCtA members are market leaders and innovators, committed to developing commercially viable business ventures that engage people living at the Base of the Economic Pyramid (BoP) as consumers, producers, suppliers, and distributors of goods and services. In more than 68 countries, business leaders are spearheading efforts to provide the poor with the tools and resources they need to succeed by promoting economic opportunity. BCtA provides a leadership platform for companies to demonstrate their commitment to development and to access global expertise on innovation at the BoP.

The Knowledge Management and Partnerships Specialist will report to the BCtA Programme Manager. She/he will be responsible for providing technical and operational support in the implementation of the initiative’s Phase III. She/he will lead the BCtA Knowledge Management and Partnerships stream of work which includes developing and managing streamlined knowledge management systems to efficiently manage the information produced by BCtA, its members, partners and relevant stakeholders; ensuring the strategic use of this information to catalyse learning and evidence-based decision-making across the programme; supporting the strategic engagement with BCtA’s stakeholders by maintaining, developing and implementing existing and new business development strategies; supporting the strategic engagement and relationships with BCtA’s donors and identifying potential new donors and funding opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead BCtA’s knowledge management stream of work

• Develop and manage streamlined knowledge management systems to efficiently capture and leverage the information produced by BCtA, its members, partners and relevant stakeholders
• Ensure the strategic use of BCtA knowledge to catalyse learning and evidence-based decision-making across the organisation
• Lead the creation, planning, delivery and logistics of online and in-person peer-to-peer learning engagements with collaborations from a wide range of stakeholders
• Bring in knowledge management partners allowing BCtA to amplify its work in knowledge creation and sharing

Lead and support strategic engagement with BCtA’s stakeholders

• Identify and qualify partnership opportunities in a systematic manner in pursuit of supporting BCtA’s strategy and objectives
• In collaboration with other team leads, develop and implement joint initiatives with key partners to improve inclusive business knowledge, understanding and support of IB for both the public and private sector
• Build and nurture BCtA relationships and partnership with key stakeholders

Analyse new business and service lines opportunities for BCtA and their deployment at country level

• Analyse developments in the field on Inclusive Business
• Identify challenges and opportunities for BCtA to play a role, deploy its existing services or develop new ones
• Establish new partnership with relevant stakeholders including UNDP Country offices to deploy at relevant scale new or existing BCtA’s products and services

Support BCtA’s programme manager in the engagement with BCtA’s donors and identify potential new donors and funding opportunities

• Support the maintenance of effective and productive relationships with BCtA’s donors and reporting requirements;
• Develop and provide regular updates on donor profiles, databases and intelligence
• Support BCtA’s manager and UNDP’s management in the preparation of missions, meetings and other consultations with donors, including the preparation of relevant materials for the donor steering committee
• Support the identification of new funding opportunities and the development of proposals, cases for support, and other relevant materials necessary for potential new donors.

Competencies

Core

• 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

Primary

• Private Sector Development Issues: Knowledge of private sector development issues, concept and principles and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, motivate, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals. Ability to guide the design and implementation of multi-sectoral and sectoral programmes and projects at different scales.
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues: Ability to view society from the perspective of gender roles and understand how this has affected women’s needs in comparison to the needs of men.
• Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources.
• Advocacy and Representation : Ability to productively share UNDP knowledge and activities (at UN and other venues).
• Knowledge Management : Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.

Collaboration and Partnership

• Ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside (programmes/ projects) or outside the organization and across a wide range of disciplines who can provide information, assistance, and support. Sets overall direction for the formation and management of strategic relationships contributing to the overall positioning of UNDP.

Secondary

Results Based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s degree in economics, international development, development economics or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in international development working on topics related to private sector development, of which at least 2 years working directly in the field of inclusive business;
• Sound experience and knowledge of Inclusive Business across sectors and regions;
• Experience working with a UN agency, country level experience is an asset;
• Experience of managing multiple projects within a programme;
• Outstanding English written and oral communication skills, reporting and presentation skills;
• Excellent social and networking skills and capacity to liaise and partner with the private sector, governments and civil society;
• Demonstrated experience in developing technical proposal and mobilizing resources;
• Awareness and sensitivity regarding gender issues, experience working on gender mainstreaming is an asset;
• Demonstrated experience of initiative, client-orientation, risk taking, and working in complex and time-pressured contexts;
• Experience working and living in developing countries.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English; additional languages, particularly French or Spanish, is an advantage

Source:https://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=19836&hrs_jo_pst_seq=1&hrs_site_id=2