Job Opportunities in Pakistan

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization, fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.
The Agenda 2030, based on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is underpinned by a strong commitment to leave no one behind and to reach the furthest behind first. It recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of poverty and inequality and provides a framework that comprehensively addresses all dimensions of well-being. Pakistan was one of the first countries in the world to endorse the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Sustainable Development Summit held on 25 September 2015. In 2016, Pakistan Parliament unanimously approved the SDGs as the national development agenda. Since then, Pakistan has demonstrated an impressive policy, institutional, and financial commitment to achieving SDGs, embracing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and leaving no one behind by adopting the UNDP-supported Goals frameworks as part of its national development planning. Since adopting the Sustainable Development Goals as the National Development Agenda, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government took the lead in establishing the SDGs Support Unit at the Planning & Development Department in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.
As a second-generation intervention of the long-standing National Initiative for SDGs (2016-2023), the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa SDGs Plus Project, as a joint initiative of UNDP Pakistan and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is launched to strengthen a policy integration approach, evidence-based decision-making, resilient institutional capacities, diversified partnerships, mobilization of innovative financing, and integrating climate resilience, innovation, social protection and inclusion to provide a comprehensive ‘SDG Push’ in priority policy areas to help Khyber Pakhtunkhwa embark on a stable, sustainable, and accelerated trajectory of achieving the SDGs. The project is anchored by an integrated framework comprising three key areas based on the provincial priorities, including:
Objective 1: Internalizing SDGs: Improved governance for SDGs aligned equitable and inclusive development planning, budgeting, expenditure tracking, monitoring, and reporting, with a special focus on underdeveloped /marginalized districts to achieve regional equalization.
Objective 2: Financing for Development and Climate Resilience: Public and private financing for development, identifying and channelling resources to reduce the development financing gap, focusing on SDG investments and climate financing.
Objective 3: Inclusive Development, Social Protection, and Innovation: Gender equality, inclusion, innovation, and digital transformation mainstreamed in SDGs to achieve Leave No One Behind.
Development of Financing Policy Framework

• Create synergies with the private sector around financing for development portfolio including creating avenues for identifying and/or co-financing SDG-linked projects, involvement in public-private partnerships, sponsorships, support with advocacy and community engagement.
• Provide technical support to design and implement a comprehensive Provincial Financing for Development Framework.
• Facilitate the rollout and adoption of the framework across provincial and regional levels whilst ensuring linkages across provinces and federal initiatives.
• Conduct in-depth policy analysis and research on international best practices in Financing for Development to inform the design of the national framework.
• Curate and implement innovative financing programme portfolios for SDGs Investments, Development and Climate Financing, and Climate Resilience.
• Develop plans (particularly resource planning) around disaster resilience and environmental sustainability under the broader ambit of Climate Financing, leveraging investment solutions, with a focus on flood/disaster resilience.
• Assist in leveraging UNDP’s SDGs Investment and Climate Change Facility aimed at advising the Government on an integrated institutional policy framework for Development Financing.
• Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to both public and private sectors in developing and implementing projects, defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and creating policy frameworks.
• Identify potential funding sources and financing mechanisms to diversify the funding base for SDGs-aligned projects.

Managing and Harnessing Strategic Partnerships and Forums

• Set up and manage Strategic Partnership Forums to foster collaboration with development partners and facilitate mobilization of private-sector financing for SDGs through a mix of instruments, including blended finance models, and the scaling up of private-sector partnerships.
• Leverage these partnerships to support institutional processes and tap into local and regional financing opportunities for developing pipelines for bankable projects, strengthen environmental laws and policies, and build implementation capacities to develop disaster resilience and preparedness.
• Develop a sustainability plan for strategic partnerships, ensuring continuous engagement, commitment, and alignment with SDGs financing goals.

Knowledge Management and Dissemination

• Develop policy briefs and conduct policy dialogues on the success stories, best practices, challenges, and opportunities in SDG financing, resource mobilization, and tapping the role of especially the private sector in closing financing gaps.
• Keep abreast of regional and global trends and issues on Financing for Development and Climate Resilience, analyze their implications, and incorporate recommendations collected from the public and private sector stakeholders.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Digital & Innovation: Alternative finance

• Ability to identify potential alternative forms of finance and mobilise them to address development challenges.
• Ability to review the skills, capacities, procedures, and protocols that are needed to enable new financial mechanisms.
• Ability to assess the risks, limitations, and implications of using new financial mechanisms.

Partnership management

• Resource mobilization: Ability to identify, develop, and manage partnerships that leverage private sector technical expertise and resources.
• Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain, and/or strengthen working relations, trust, and mutual understanding.

Information Management & Technology

• Data Management & Analytics: Knowledge in data management, data sciences, ability to structure data, and develop dashboards and visualization. Design data warehouses, data lakes or data platforms concepts. Familiarity with Machine leaning, natural language processing or generation and the use of artificial intelligence to support predictive analytics. CDMP or TOGAF9 or equivalent certification desirable.

Finance

• Development Finance Expertise: Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.

Business Direction and Strategy

• 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