Office/Unit/Project Description

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. In addition, BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.

The world needs an economic governance architecture deliberately designed to support governments, development agencies, civil society, and the private sector to make decisions that prioritize investment in the SDGs. Thus, UNDP established the Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) in 2019, aggregating UNDP’s existing work and expertise on financing the SDGs. UNDP aims to promote the investment of over $1 trillion of public expenditure and private capital in the SDGs and maximize development impact for country partners. With this goal, UNDP will mobilize governments, institutional and commercial investors, financial institutions, and enterprises alike to take a more integrated approach to sustainable investment, enabling and promoting the impact integrity of actual and realized investments to enhance transparency, and optimize private and public sectors contributions to achieving the SDGs. Through SFH, UNDP has been increasing its engagement in global financial and economic policy making through the work carried out in different forums (i.e., G7, G20, UN’s Financing for Development process, etc.) as well as other regulatory and market-based networks.

In this context, UNDP supports the Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD or Taskforce), a global initiative for reporting and managing inequality and social-related risks, opportunities, impacts, and dependencies. The Taskforce is a multistakeholder initiative involving investors, business, labour, civil society, policy makers and regulators, service providers, and academia working together to co-create a global framework for inequality and social-related disclosures, guidance and education and capacity building resources. For more information see: TISFD

It is anticipated the framework will be developed over two years, from September 2024 through September 2026, with the production of critical outputs throughout this period and further work on implementation to follow. The Taskforce Secretariat will coordinate and facilitate the Taskforce’s activities according to the direction defined by the Steering Committee and Working Groups. This includes coordinating inputs from a body of subject matter experts structured around the TISFD Alliance participating through Regional Hubs.

The Secretariat will operate mostly virtually with key Secretariat partners spread across the globe and be led by an Executive Director.

Position Purpose

The TISFD Executive Director will provide leadership, coordinate and oversee all Secretariat functions, ensuring effective planning and delivery of the Taskforce’s workplan according to the direction provided by the TISFD Steering Committee and Working Groups.

The Executive Director will ensure that the Steering Committee Co-Chairs are sufficiently supported, manage the day-to-day operations of the Secretariat, and maintain regular contact with the Steering Committee and Co-Chairs and other TISFD contributors as the framework is researched and developed.

The Executive Director will similarly ensure the Secretariat coordinates inputs from a body of subject matter experts envisioned as the TISFD Alliance structured around Regional Hubs. The Secretariat will operate mostly virtually with key Secretariat partners spread across the globe.

Scope of Work

Strategic leadership and management of the TISFD Secretariat

• Build and oversee a talented and diverse Secretariat team to drive the Technical, Engagement, Learning, Communications, and Operations functions of the TISFD.
• Provide overall strategic direction and leadership for the Secretariat’s staff to help them meet their responsibilities in an efficient and effective manner.
• Lead the development and execution of Engagement, Learning, and Communications plans.
• Ensure the Secretariat’s management and operations are aligned with relevant regulations and good practices.
• Oversee disbursement of funds, and ensure the integrity of financial transactions, systems and reports prepared by the TISFD Secretariat.
• Under the guidance of the Steering Committee, lead the formulation and implementation of a resource mobilization strategy and engage with donors to ensure sustainable funding for the TISFD.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of reports for endorsement and guidance by the Steering Committee, Co-chairs and Stewardship Council and other stakeholders such as donors, including annual progress and financial reports.
• Ensure systems are in place and implemented to perform human resource management for organizational excellence.

Strategic leadership and management of TISFD’s workplan

• Lead the development, implementation and coordination of the TISFD’s strategic activities and programme in alignment with the workplan and guidance from the Steering Committee.
• Advise and support the Co-Chairs and Steering Committee by leading effective execution of the TISFD’s workplan and technical scope document approved by the Steering Committee.
• Ensure timely delivery of TISFD milestones, including testing of the TISFD Framework and consultations before its launch.
• Together with the Co-Chairs (or Steering Committee, if appointed), review and refine the draft governance rules to support the decision-making process; once the Steering Committee is appointed, it will have an opportunity to review and approve the governance plans.
• Oversee research and other technical work of the Secretariat in service to the Working Groups established by the Steering Committee.
• Coordinate the sourcing of needed technical expertise, drawing from the TISFD Alliance and Research Network to support the co-creation of key outputs.
• Stay current and establish systems to inform and advise the Steering Committee on inequality and social-related issues as they relate to private sector activities, impacts, and performance and the opportunities and risks these represent for the TISFD.
• Supervise the formulation and maintenance of a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system for the TISFD.

Engagement, communication, and knowledge management

• Ensure open communication and engagement across all stakeholders while adhering to best practices of co-creation.
• Develop and manage the TISFD membership and broader stakeholder engagement and support, including liaising with standard setters and policymakers and regulators.
• Lead the development of, promote collaboration with the Allies network of organizations, and coordinate capacity development and engagement activities for different TISFD stakeholders.
• Participate in meetings, conferences and other public engagements on behalf of TISFD and identify other Taskforce members to do so.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The TISFD Executive Director will report to the Sustainable Finance Hub Director and work in close collaboration with the other SFH and BPPS team members.

Competencies

Core

People management

The Executive Director, TISFD will manage a team of 10-15 people.

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-functional and technical competencies

Minimum requirements

Min. Academic Education           

• An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Internation Relations, Anthropology, Business Administration, Economics, Physics, Mathematics, or other relevant field is required OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience               

• A minimum of 15 years (with master’s degree) and 17 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in sustainable finance, sustainability standards, social responsibility and/or business and human rights in the public sector, the private sector or academia.

Required skills   

• Experience leading complex inclusive and equitable multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary programmes/initiatives to successful outcomes within a global or international context.
• Experience working in or with the private sector to tackle inequality and/or social-related issues (e.g., human and workers’ rights, gender equality, responsible business practices).

Desired additional skills              

• Track record in managing inequality and/or social-related risks and opportunities for the corporate and/or finance sectors is an advantage.
• At least 10 years of experience in working and building relationships with senior-level leaders across two or more of TISFD’s stakeholder groups (businesses, investors, civil society, standard-setters, governments, and philanthropic funders) desirable.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver on their goals is an asset.
• Experience in speaking publicly and/or writing on issues of social sustainability is desirable.
• Experience in managing and reporting on complex multi-million-dollar programme budgets is an advantage.

Required Language(s) 

• Fluency in English required.

Travel:

• This is a home-based assignment, so no travel to/from the duty station is envisaged.
• Cost of other travel, as deemed necessary by UNDP while performing the outlined functions, shall be at UNDP’s expense and in accordance with the applicable UNDP travel policy.