Organization: UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
Location: Dhaka
Grade: Junior level – NPSA-8, National Personnel Services Agreement
Occupational Groups:
Labour Market Policy
Social Entrepreneurship
Sustainable Business Development
Closing Date: 2024-11-13
Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Over the last decade, Bangladesh has experienced remarkable economic growth and human development. Despite progress, fragile employment and the growing frequency and intensity of disasters and climate hazards are impeding progress. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality and forced millions of people into poverty in Bangladesh. Women are facing the burden of these complicated issues, and the pandemic primarily had gendered consequences, slowing or even reversing much of the progress made toward gender equality.
SWAPNO (Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities) is a gender-based social security project that aims to lift poverty-stricken rural women (divorced/separated/widowed/having a husband with disability) out of economic insecurity by providing them with productive and sustainable livelihood opportunities. In addition to self-employment, SWAPNO also helps place women in local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and private sector companies in the formal and informal sectors.
Since its inception, SWAPNO has benefited 12,492 beneficiaries in five districts. Among them, SWAPNO II has covered 3564 in Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts. The project has aided economically disadvantaged women in developing their talents, linking them to services and the local market, and ensuring their financial inclusion. This has ensured their survival, improved their resilience to shocks, and provided them more power.
Based on the success of the project and the experience gained, SWAPNO II aspires to implement the project across the 12 districts of Bangladesh – Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Gopalgonj, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Cumilla, and Chandpur. SWAPNO will specifically targeted women group from 18 to 30 years and 31 to 45 years to ensure employability and sustainability of project outcomes. The project will maximize the possibilities for financial inclusion while also emphasizing future employability by improving industry skills for job placements in the formal sector and local SMEs. Additionally, SWAPNO will aim to attract investors for social enterprises that offer commercially viable solutions for social problems, encourage environment-friendly business, create employment, and collaborate with the private sector. The project will put further emphasis on the importance of disaster resilience and climate change adaptation and train women to develop their life and soft skills.
In this backdrop, this Implementation Plan outlines SWAPNO’s strategy to support women’s access to decent employment, ensure a discrimination-free environment in public workplaces, develop adaptive livelihoods, establish localized Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), access to financial services for sustainable graduation from extreme poverty, and develop local government capacity to implement pro-poor projects. SWAPNO II will contribute to achieve the following results:
Outcome 1: Strengthen Institutional Capacity for Sustaining SWAPNO Benefits
Outcome 2: Increased Income and Assets Engaging Local Economy and Skill Development
Outcome 3: Strengthened Human Capabilities and Resilience Capacit
Duties and Responsibilities
The Enterprise Development and Employment Analyst will work under the leadership of the National Project Manager (NPM) and coordinate all the program implementation and management teams. The Enterprise Development and Employment Analyst will lead with the enterprise and employment unit and liaison with the field team involved in the program to guarantee their active participation. E-Commerce Coordination Associate and Enterprise Development & Employment Assistant will directly report to this post.
Ensure assessment of local demands for skills and services in different economic sectors (including non-farm and off farm) as well as aspirations of the participant poor women.
Identify opportunities for vocational education and skills training, wage employment opportunities and micro-enterprise development.
Develop partnerships with- private sector, SMEs, micro-finance institutions, business development organizations, business associations etc.
Identify key institutions and organizations as well as scope of partnerships with those organizations for skills development through vocational education and skills training/ apprenticeship, wage employment, self- employment and employment support services;
Develop MoU and partnerships;
Monitor deliverables and results of partners.
Advise the project in designing and implementing interventions for skills development; micro-business development and setting up employment support system:
Ensure effective delivery of skills training and self-employment interventions
Identify vocational education skills training and apprenticeship related interventions and ensure their implementation;
Develop mechanisms for the placements of the trained persons and create support structures to enable identified poor women for setting up micro-enterprise and market linkages;
Provide inputs to monitoring team in setting annual targets and report achievements.
Set up institutional mechanisms at district level to sustain the project initiatives
Setting up regional/ district advisory board or council, representing the private sector, training institutes, local government organizations with schemes on skills development and employment generations; Support project in developing mechanisms for functioning of regional /district advisory council/ board;
Prepare the recommendation on establishing legal status and its financial sustainability.
Competencies
Core competencies:
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:
2030 Agenda: Partnerships
SDG Finance. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
2030 Agenda: Prosperity
Inclusive Growth. Women’s economic empowerment
Business Management
Communication. Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Ethics
UN policy knowledge. ethics. Knowledge and understanding of the UN Staff Regulations and Rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity.
Partnership Management
Private sector engagement. Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector
Business Development
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.
Human-centered Design. Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process Knowledge and understanding of human centred design principles and practices.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Economics or any other relevant discipline from a recognized University is required; or
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of relevant experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in the field of Enterprise Development is required.
Experience in providing technical support to micro-enterprise development related projects and/or programmes.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other relevant software.
Experience in working with government institutions, private sector, SMEs and micro-finance institutions.
Experience in working with private sector for skills and employment generation.
Experience in report writing.
Required languages:
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and Bengali.
Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: 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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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