Portfolio and Partnership Management Specialist (Home based) - [Open to Tier 0 & 1 & 2 applicants]

UNDP•New York, NY

9d•Remote

About The Position

The Joint SDG Fund supports countries as they accelerate their progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It operates through joint programmes (JPs) that provide the mechanism for transformative solutions implemented by governments and national stakeholders and supported by the UN Country Team led by Resident Coordinators (RCs). Strategic direction for the Fund is provided by the Strategic Advisory Group chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General as the chair of UN Sustainable Development Group. The Fund is managed by the Operational Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of UN entities, and with the support from the Secretariat of the Fund. The UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) hosts the Fund and provides for the alignment with the broader UN Development System reforms. The Administrative Agent of the Fund, in charge of financial management, is the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF-O). Official documents (e.g. Terms of Reference and Operational Guidance) of the Fund and information on funding can be found on the Gateway portal. To advance the dual mandate of supercharging the UN Development System reform to be fit for purpose and, in turn, supporting the acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Fund incentivizes coherent and coordinated join UN action, anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks at country level under the leadership of Resident Coordinator (RC). Serving as the catalytic funding to piece together emerging policy priorities and financing strategies, the Fund aims to galvanize the UN Country Teams around integrated policies and identify the fiscal space to overcome the political and financial hurdles to scale and accelerate progress towards the SDGs. The Joint SDG Fund adopts a portfolio approach focused on the key SDG transitions of digital, food systems, social protection & jobs, energy, education and climate action to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, the Secretariat team is expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration. Within this framework, the Portfolio and Partnership Management Specialist will manage the Seef Funding Track (SFT) portfolio lifecycle extracting evidence and lessons and support the development and implementation of high-impact funding rounds. S/he will lead partnership development with Japan, building on the Fund’s strategic engagement at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) which was held in 2025, and contribute to the Fund’s visibility and positioning in relevant global fora.

Requirements

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Public Administration, International Development, Development Management, or related fields is required; or
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s) in the above-mentioned fields combined with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
A minimum of 5 years (with a master's degree) or 7 years (with a bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible experience in portfolio or programme management within the UN system or other international organizations is required.
Proven experience in project/programme design, management, monitoring and reporting, preferably in the context of international cooperation.
Track record of experience building and facilitating collaboration with a wide range of partners and stakeholders in multi-cultural settings.
Experience in working with global/regional funds, initiatives and institutions in the context of sustainable development.
Fluency in English is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience or familiarity with the UN System, particularly in the context of inter-agency collaboration.
Demonstrated experience in portfolio or programme management in the context of developing countries or emerging markets.
Proven experience in managing or coordinating donor-funded programmes or projects.
Fluency in Japanese is an asset.
Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Responsibilities

Lead comprehensive oversight and lifecycle management of the Seef Funding Track (SFT) portfolio, ensuring efficient implementation, quality progress and final reporting, systematic closure, and alignment with the Fund’s results framework.
Provide operational guidance, direction and technical advisory services to Resident Coordinator Offices (RCOs)/UN Country Teams (UNCTs) to address implementation challenges and facilitate coordination with UN system partners to mobilize expertise, ensuring coherence with the Fund’s strategic focus and evolving priorities.
Support the development and implementation of recent and upcoming funding rounds for high-impact programmes, integrating insights and lessons learned from the SFT portfolio.
Contribute to portfolio tracking and results measurement through data analytics and dashboards, monitoring progress, trends, and risks and foreseeing potential challenges.
Conduct systematic assessments of programme results across the SFT portfolio, including thematic areas of digital, food systems, social protection, energy transitions and education, identifying emerging patterns, promising models, and lessons for scale-up.
Perform analysis of transformative practices and innovative approaches captured in the SFT portfolio and ensure collection and validation of critical knowledge to inform future programming.
Contribute to development of knowledge products, thematic briefs, and/or analytical papers that showcase achievements and synthesize lessons learned from the SFT portfolio.
Identify and address implementation challenges and administrative bottlenecks and provide technical inputs to strengthen the Fund’s operational processes.
Guide the development and advancement of partnerships with Japanese government bodies, development agencies, financial institutions, private sector entities, and innovative financing mechanisms, building on collaboration initiated through TICAD 9 and other platforms.
Facilitate policy dialogues and strategic convenings that demonstrate the Fund's value proposition to relevant stakeholders and foster sustained institutional partnerships.
Prepare briefing materials and talking points for high-level engagements, highlighting the SFT portfolio results, and updates and partnership opportunities of relevant funding rounds.
Monitor changes in the development financing landscape to maintain Fund relevance and contribute to boarder partnership development and outreach efforts of the Secretariat.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.