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The Investment Specialist will work under the direct supervision of UNCDF Regional Investment Specialist (RIS) for Western and Central Africa and the Caribbean. The Investment Specialist will be required to report to the office. Explicit requirements include Fluency in English and Spanish is required and Advanced university degree. Appears limited to nationally recruited or locally authorized candidates.
Last checked: 1 hour ago
Closing date: Friday, 3 July 2026
Country: Colombia
Duty station: Bogota, Colombia
Contract type: National PSA- Regular
Grade: Not specified
Applicant eligibility: Local / national only
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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:
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.
As a Flagship Catalytic Blended Financing platform of the UN, UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.
As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, United Nations Organizations, International and Local Finance Institutions, Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources. UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.
UNCDF’s work is focused on three priority areas, including:
• SME Finance
• Sub-National Finance
• Digital Finance
UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York, USA.
Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board comprised of UN Member States.
Country and Project context:
UNCDF is progressively expanding its engagement in Latin America, extending its catalytic finance and blended investment approaches to support inclusive, sustainable growth in line with its Strategic Framework. One of the first flagship initiatives under this geography is the “Conexión Catatumbo” project in Colombia, which applies UNCDF’s catalytic and blended finance approaches to support inclusive local economic development in a fragile context.
The Project “Conexión Catatumbo” is a multi-agency project financed by Colombia Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF). Within this project, UNCDF aims to support the transition from illicit coca crops to legal, sustainable cocoa by strengthening the cocoa value chain and unlocking affordable finance for cooperatives and associations, with emphasis on women, youth, and indigenous Bari communities, in the Catatumbo region (Norte de Santander). The strategic approach is to mobilize public and private banks to expand lending under a UNCDF risk-sharing/guarantee mechanism. This project closely aligns with the Colombian Government’s Estrategia Integral de Transformación del Catatumbo, the RenHacemos push in high-risk territories, and other UN agencies (UNODC and UNDP amongst others) technical assistance interventions in the region.
To continue driving these objectives, UNCDF seeks to hire an Investment Specialist to lead investment-related activities, assess opportunities, provide technical assistance to end-beneficiaries, liaise with UN-partner agencies under this project, and manage financial instruments that drive sustainable private sector growth for the cocoa value chain in the Catatumbo region.
As UNCDF portfolio of projects in Latin America and the Caribbean evolves, the Investment Specialist would be expected to provide support to other potential projects that may arise in the region.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Investment Specialist will work under the direct supervision of UNCDF Regional Investment Specialist (RIS) for Western and Central Africa and the Caribbean.
The Investment Specialist will be required to report to the office. Travels within Colombia (Catatumbo) for on-site assessment, due diligence and project monitoring will be required and will be paid for by UNCDF, in accordance with UNCDF travel policies. A separate TOR with clear deliverables, budget and timelines will be prepared and agreed prior to each field mission.
The Investment Specialist may be required to travel for field missions, in particular to the Catatumbo region, with a focus on three areas around Tibu, El Tarra and Sardinata, for onsite assessments, due diligence and monitoring. Occasional other national and international travel may be required.
The Investment Specialist will provide end-to-end investment support to the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) under Conexion Catatumbo project and other potential projects in the region as they may arise. The role will focus on (i) liaising with national financial institutions on the design and implementation of credit products to the cocoa value chain, (ii) investment structuring and underwriting support for local financial institutions which could on-lend to associations of producers, cooperatives and MSMEs, (iii) assessing and conducting investment-readiness technical assistance to the investees in the cocoa value chain and (iv) synchronizing with other UN agencies on this project along with Government counterparts.
Key Responsibilities
• Investment Underwriting & Due Diligence
○ Lead the overall identification and nurturing of a high-quality transactions pipeline.
○ Conduct preliminary assessment of the pre-identified investment transactions and prepare pre-assessment memos (PAM) for approval.
○ Conduct detailed due diligence on the identified investees, covering financial, operational, legal, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions.
○ Validate and refine financial models to assess investment viability, risk-adjusted returns, and potential for scale.
○ Conduct risk assessments and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
○ Prepare high-quality investment memo and recommendations for submission to the UNCDF investment committee for approval.
• Blended Finance Structuring
○ Design and structure blended finance solutions, integrating catalytic capital with potential commercial co-investment.
○ Support negotiations on investment terms and agreements with investees and other financing partners.
○ Ensure alignment of investment instruments with UNCDF fiduciary and impact requirements.
• Assess and Conduct Technical Assistance to the Investees
○ Liaise with UN partner agencies to assess the needs of technical assistance for the associations of producers, cooperatives and MSMEs in the focus area.
○ Conduct technical assistance to the investees in terms of operational, financial and legal investment-readiness to access credit and report to the local financial entities.
○ Support investees in their application process to access and report on credit.
• Stakeholder Coordination
○ Work closely with project partners (other UN Agencies and Government counterparts) and UNCDF to ensure alignment on investment strategy, pipeline priorities, and project goals.
○ Act as the UNCDF focal point for coordination with local financial institutions and end beneficiaries (association of producers, cooperatives, MSMEs) on technical assessments.
○ Support documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Monitoring, Reporting & Impact Measurement
○ Develop and apply monitoring frameworks to track financial performance, ESG compliance, and environmental and social impact.
○ Produce progress reports, investment updates, and lessons learned for UNCDF and other stakeholders as requested.
○ Support the integration of investment learnings into adaptive programme management.
○ Conduct on-site due diligence and verification of results as needed.
• Support broader UNCDF operations
○ Provide internal advisory services for best practices on increasing private sector engagement and finance flows to promote economic resilience and peace building, forest conservation and restoration, emission reductions, sustainable food systems, job creation, and biodiversity protection.
○ Actively advocate for practices that support the objectives of UNCDF, leveraging professional expertise and networks.
○ Provide support to new or ongoing projects as UNCDF portfolio evolves in the region.
○ Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the project.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management:
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Thematic Area Name Definition
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 Finance Due Diligence Management Ability to conduct a comprehensive appraisal of an organization or opportunity to be undertaken by a prospective investor or partner, especially to establish its assets and liabilities, as well as evaluate the potential opportunity and its related risks; knowledge of respective methodology and tools. 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. Business Management Integration within the UN Ability to identify and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN system and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations. 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 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. Business Management Partnerships Management Build and maintain partnerships with a wide network of stakeholders, governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and other in line with internal strategy and policies.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or relevant related 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.
Experience:
• A minimum of 5 years (with a master’s degree) or 7 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in structuring and/or monitoring financial investments is required.
Required skills:
• Experience working on development finance, rural finance or agri-food finance in Colombia, or at least experience in emerging market financing and investments in LDCs.
• Experience in providing portfolio de-risking to lending institutions.
• Experience in underwriting grants, debt, or guarantees.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:
• Experience with UNCDF/UNDP rules and procedures.
• Experience working with Global Funds, IFIs, UNCDF and/or another UN entity.
• Experience in emerging market financing and investments seeking to reduce drivers of conflicts, fragility and environmental degradation.
• Experience in MSME lending, including credit appraisal and evaluation, financial analysis, financial modeling and forecasting, and loan portfolio.
• Experience setting up and managing credit risk-sharing structures, such as portfolio guarantees, partial credit guarantees, re-guarantees/counter-guarantees, including defining eligibility criteria, coverage parameters, claims verification, recoveries and payout processes.
• Experience monitoring and reporting on de-risking facilities, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) about the final beneficiaries, the de-risked contracts (e.g. guaranteed loans) eligibility compliance, and structure this reporting to governance bodies and donors.
Required Language(s):
• Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
Professional Certificates:
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) diploma, ACCA, CPA, PMP, or similar, is a distinct advantage.
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.
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
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