Team Leader Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

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

The UNDP Cameroon Country Office supports national efforts to achieve inclusive, resilient and sustainable development in line with Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2020–2030 (SND30), the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2027–2031, and the UNDP Strategic Plan.

The Country Programme (2027–2031) is structured around three mutually reinforcing priority areas:

1. Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Transformation
2. Inclusive Governance, Resilience and Social Cohesion
3. Ecological Transition, Climate Resilience and Energy

Digitalization, gender equality, sustainable finance and access to energy are cross-cutting accelerators across the programme.

The Team Leader - Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development plays a central role in translating these priorities into integrated portfolios, mobilizing partnerships and financing, and ensuring high-quality delivery and results.

The Team Leader - Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development works to support achievement of UNDP strategic objectives to create a world where people and planet thrive together, and to help the Country Office act with both ambition and scale to address urgent problems facing the country as well as global climate deteriorating conditions. Team lead staff assist the Country Office in formulating and implementing programme strategies that go beyond solving immediate development challenges to create future smart and integrated systemic changes in resilience and capacity building within the country.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the DRR , the Team Leader, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development serves as a senior advisor to Country Office management and provides strategic leadership and oversight of UNDP Cameroon’s programme portfolio in the areas of (i) Inclusive Growth, Sustainable Economic Transformation, and (ii) Ecological Transition, Climate Resilience and Energy.

The Team Leader ,Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development leads programme strategy formulation, implementation and monitoring, identifies new areas and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities, ensures alignment with National Development Strategy, United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), UNDP strategic Plan and the Country Programme Document (CPD), manages programme risks and performance, and drives innovation, partnerships and resource mobilization. The position heads and supervises programme and projects teams and works in close collaboration with Operations, UN agencies, Government counterparts, development partners, civil society and the private sector to successfully implement the UNDP Programme.

In line with UNDP’s portfolio approach, Team Leader, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development promotes cross-sectoral integration, anticipatory programming and scalable solutions to address complex development challenges. 

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

Key Duties and Accountabilities

1. Substantively contribute to formulation and implementation of UNDP programme strategies and policies

• Contribute to analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country; and contribute collaborative inputs to the UN Common Country Assessment and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNCCA and UNSDCF) as well as to the preparation/revision of the Country Programme Document (CPD), Integrated Work Plan (IWP) and other strategic documents.
• Contribute to operationalizing UNSDCF/ CPD in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies.
• Ensure implementation of relevant programme Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the effectiveness of CO business processes. 
• Analyze and synthesize proposals in assigned programme areas.

2. Ensure effective management of the CO programme within the assigned thematic/sector areas focusing on quality assurance and risk management from formulation to implementation of the country programme.

• Contribute to design and formulation of CO programme, translate UNDP priorities into local interventions, and oversee programme implementation with the implementing partners within the assigned programme areas. Ensure that design and formulation of programme considers societal digital technology risks and opportunities and other future signals.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of the assigned programme areas; and track use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. Ensure digital technology solutions in programme implementation are managed towards scalability and sustainability in line with UNDP’s digital standards.
• Ensure effective application of results-based management tools and track achievement of strategic results.
• Ensure the effective use of data in programme implementation, across the data lifecycle; and ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and learning on programme impact. 
• Support trends analysis for future informed and anticipatory programming.
• Follow up on audit recommendations and ensure the implementation of management responses.
• Prepare and aggregate reports on activities, outputs and outcomes, including donor and corporate reports.
• Support to the rollout of new initiatives and programmes including through presentation of the project to PAC; finalize contribution agreements; and determine required revisions.

3. Ensure creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy.

• Develop partnerships with the UN Agencies, international financial institutions (IFIs), government institutions, donors, private sector (if applicable to CO), and civil society in assigned programme/ thematic areas.
• Identify strategic programme areas of cooperation including for joint programming. 
• Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identify opportunities for initiation of new projects, and substantively contribute to Country office resource mobilization efforts. 
• Support development of portfolios and Country office pipeline including through the design of Programme/Project documents, concept notes, proposals, and cross-sectoral coordination in assigned areas to bring resources for projects.

4. Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

• Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals.
• Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks. Implement relevant, high -impact advocacy with key partners.
• Provide substantive support in the development of policies and institutions to address country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.
• Provide input so that policy advisory contribute to inclusive societal digital transformation and takes digital technology risks and opportunities or futures signals into account. 
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.
• Organize training for the operations/ projects staff on programme related matters in assigned areas.

5. Ensure People Management and Team Leadership

• Lead, supervise and mentor programme staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and learning, by emphasizing the quality of teamwork
• Ensure effective performance management, capacity development and staff wellbeing.
• Promote diversity, equity and inclusion in team management and programme delivery.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results _ LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.

Think Innovatively _ LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.

Learn Continuously _ LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.

Adapt with Agility _ LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.

Act with Determination _ LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.

Engage and Partner _ LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion _ LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Management _ Results-based Management:  Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

Business Management _ Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Management _ Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Business Management _ Monitoring & Evaluation:

Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.

Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. 

Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management _Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making

Business Direction & 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.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness _ Effectiveness: Project Quality Assurance

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Agroeconomic, Agronomy, Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, or related field is required. 

  Or

• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree 

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national and/or international level in providing advisory services management, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development portfolios and projects in relevant thematic areas; and establishing inter-relationships among international organizations and national governments is required.

Required skills and competencies:

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-sectoral development portfolios at national, regional and global levels is required.
• Proven experience in partnerships development, resource mobilization and engagement with IFIs and donors, government and private sectors is required.
• Proven knowledge of the national development strategy, including key sectoral strategies, is required.

Desired additional skills and competencies:

• Proven experience and strong understanding of inclusive economic transformation, crisis resilience, climate and environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction is an asset.
• Experience with results-based management, monitoring and evaluation, and use of digital and data systems is an asset. 
• Experience in research, development and policy-level analysis at national and regional level is an asset.
• Experience and knowledge on key Sustainable Development Goals, conventions from major conferences on the environment and sustainable development is an asset.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems and advanced programmes for statistical analysis of data is an asset.

Required Language(s):

• Fluency in French and working knowledge of English is required.

  OR 

• Fluency in English and working knowledge of French is required. 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.

We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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