Private Sector Engagement and Partnership Specialist Energy Finance Specialist (Open all applicants)

Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:

• Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)
• Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA) and personnel on regular PSA contracts
• Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Background

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNDP is the United Nations’ lead agency on international development. We support countries and communities as they work to eradicate poverty, implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We advocate for transformative change, and we connect countries to the resources they need to help people build a better life. Additionally, 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 framework of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) global mandate to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development, the UNDP in Italy serves as a strategic platform linking UNDP with the Government of Italy, Italian institutions, and development partners. The Office works to strengthen partnerships, mobilize resources, and advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It facilitates collaboration and supports the design and implementation of programmes in areas such as climate action, inclusive growth, crisis response, and innovation for development.

The UNDP Rome Centre for Climate and Energy (the “UNDP Rome Centre”) represents a key platform for strategic engagement between UNDP and the Government of Italy in the areas of climate, energy, and environment. Operating under the overall guidance of UNDP and in close collaboration with Italian partners, the Centre focuses on critical policy areas including climate finance, youth engagement in climate action, and energy for sustainable development. The Rome Centre contributes to advancing global and national efforts toward a just energy transition, increased climate ambition, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The main UNDP Rome Centre programmatic activities are:PISTA, the Platform for Investment Support and Technical Assistance, aims to mobilise finance for climate, energy and the environment. Specifically, PISTA aims to support projects that contribute to the decarbonization efforts of developing economies and to their transition to climate-resilient economies, and it aims to catalyse international financial resources toward these initiatives. Matching impactful projects with investors and capital providers goes hand in hand with the engagement with financial institutions – both institutional and private – at Italian and global level. In its current portfolio, PISTA is supporting 18 projects across Africa, to which it is providing technical assistance throughout 2025 with the goal of strengthening their bankability – from developing financial models, to enhancing environmental and social impact management, to more ad hoc project support.Youth4Climate promotes youth engagement in climate action, contributing to SDG13. Youth4Climate supports the implementation of youth-led and youth-inclusive solutions to environmental and climate challenges, both financially and through capacity development. It also gives young people around the world who are committed to fighting climate change a platform to engage with policymakers and global leaders.

Energy For Growth (“E4G”) aims to promote access to sustainable energy in developing countries, contributing to SDG7. The goal of the initiative is to assist partner countries in unlocking finance to scale up the diffusion of clean energy solutions, increase access to energy and boost the energy transition. E4G aims to foster the mobilization of public and private capital toward projects aligned with the international policy agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. It does so by connecting UNDP's capacity and connections in emerging economies and developing countries with the public-private ecosystem of Italy and other G7 countries, in the crucial sector of energy.

The Team supports the head of the Rome Centre in high-level representation and fosters closer collaboration with the UNDP Global Network, regional bureau, and country offices. It oversees partnership frameworks that underpin the Centre’s cross-cutting mandate, particularly in engaging with the private sector. The Division also plays a central role in deepening donor engagement, especially through structured interaction with the G7 and G20 fora, where the Centre is increasingly recognized as a model platform for advancing sustainable development initiatives. In addition, the Division strengthens resource mobilization in priority areas such as climate, energy, artificial intelligence, and digitalization, while integrating UNDP’s technical expertise into donor-driven programmatic offers.

The Rome Centre holds a pivotal role in the European Union’s cooperation landscape, aligning its work with key frameworks such as the Global Gateway. In close coordination with the UNDP Brussels Office, the Division enhances outreach to EU institutions and Member States, ensuring UNDP’s positioning as a strategic partner in European development policy. At the same time, it drives private sector engagement by formulating innovative funding modalities for resource mobilisation and fostering impactful public–private partnerships, including through the Italy–UNDP bilateral framework.

Beyond these priorities, the Team actively explores emerging funding opportunities from both traditional and non-traditional donors, including philanthropic organizations and academia. It contributes to pilot initiatives in new thematic areas—such as cultural industries, health, water, and digitalization—ensuring the Centre remains responsive to global development challenges. By combining resource mobilization with political intelligence and strategic communications, the Division strengthens UNDP’s visibility in Italy, the G7, and the EU.

Through this work, the Team for Strategy and Partnerships enables the UNDP Rome Centre to act as a hub for innovation, partnerships, and thought leadership. It enhances UNDP’s capacity to engage diverse stakeholders, expand programmatic impact, and contribute meaningfully to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this context, the position plays a central role in advancing the UNDP Rome Centre’s mandate by leading private sector engagement and partnership development, strengthening strategic collaboration with Italian and international stakeholders, and translating programme priorities—across PISTA, Youth4Climate, and Energy for Growth—into concrete, scalable partnerships, resource mobilization opportunities, and high-impact initiatives aligned with UNDP’s Strategic Plan and the 2030 Agenda.

Scope of Work

1. Ensure Programme Development and Strategy

• Contribute to the refinement and lead the implementation oof the UNDP in Italy and UNDP Rome Centre’s private sector engagement strategy, aligning it with broader UNDP strategic objectives, and lead its day-to-day implementation.
• Design internal processes and tools that strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Partnership and Strategy team with a key emphasis on private sector engagement
• Identify strategic opportunities for collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders in Italy and internationally, including by undertaking background research and analysis on potential partnerships, donors, and climate and energy-related programmes to inform strategic planning.
• Support in preparing strategic documents, such as concept notes, strategy papers, and internal memos.

2. Lead Partnerships, Communication, and Private Sector Engagement

• Lead the end-to-end process for establishing formal private sector partnerships, from initial scoping and market research on potential partnerships to conducting due diligence and engaging with relevant UNDP approval teams, in full alignment with the policies and procedures outlined in the POPP
• Guide and support the UNDP in Italy and the UNDP Rome Centre’s thematic teams—including PISTA, Energy for Growth in Africa, Y4C, and other programmes—in identifying and facilitating strategic engagement with private sector actors, fostering collaboration on the programmatic priorities.
• Facilitate communication and relationship management with the Italian public administration and other key stakeholders from private sector
• Driving the private sector partnership-related engagement activities with UNDP Central and Regional Bureaux, and UNDP thematic units to ensure alignment and maximize impact.
• Leading the planning and execution of partnership-related events, such as donor briefings, consultations, and outreach events.
• Assist in the creation and refinement of communication materials, including presentations, brochures, talking points, and workshop agendas.
• Maintain and update a contact database and engagement tracker to support consistent follow-up and relationship cultivation.

3. Ensure Reporting, Monitoring, and Evaluation Activities

• Support the collection and analysis of data for reporting on partnership activities, ensuring alignment with established indicators and goals.
• Draft and submit periodic donor reports, project updates, and internal progress summaries.
• Coordinate inputs from multiple stakeholders to produce high-quality, timely reports for internal and external audiences.
• Ensure consistent documentation and dissemination of key results, lessons learned, and best practices.
• Ensure maintenance of a monitoring framework to track progress toward key performance indicators and partnership milestones.

4. Provision of Private Sector Engagement Support to the Management

• Provide direct support to the Partnership Team Lead in planning, scheduling, and coordinating high-level meetings and missions.
• Contribute to preparing briefing notes, background documents, and talking points for senior leadership.
• Serve as a liaison and logistical coordinator for cross-cutting events and stakeholder meetings involving senior management.
• Track and follow up on action items and commitments made during high-level meetings or engagements.

5. Contribute to Project Management

• Monitor timelines, deliverables, and milestones across partnership-related projects, flagging delays or issues for resolution.
• Ensure that project activities align with UNDP’s standards for inclusiveness, sustainability, and gender equity.
• Contribute to documentation and reporting of workplan progress and outcomes, highlighting synergies and opportunities for replication.

6. Facilitate knowledge management

• Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
• Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.

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 incumbent will be office-based;
• The incumbent will report to the UNDP Rome Centre - Partnership and Strategy Team Lead.
• The incumbent will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment.
• International mission travel may be required.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core Competencies

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

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Thematic Area Name Definition 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, prioritise and control the

organization's programmes and projects in line with

its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to

balance the implementation of change initiatives

with regular activities for optimal return on

investment. Knowledge and understanding of key

principles of project, programme, and portfolio

management

Finance Development Finance Expertise Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, 2030 Agenda: Partnerships SDG Finance Blended Finance for the SDGs Partnerships Management Private Sector Engagement

Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage

relationships with the private sector

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 to alter one element

can impact on other parts of the system

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.

Required Education, Experience, Skills and Competencies

Minimum Education requirements

• Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Public Policy, Business and Economics, Political Sciences, International Relations or a related field is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in policy, regulation, and international development, with familiarity with climate and green energy policy is required.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in international development, and private sector engagement, preferably in climate change.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing partnerships with the private sector, including identifying, scoping, and structuring partnership opportunities aligned with SDGs and climate priorities and conducting due diligence and risk assessments for private partners in line with UN/UNDP standards.
• Facilitating public–private dialogues, roundtables, or platforms for sustainability and innovation for structuring partnership framework and mobilize resources
• Demonstrated experience in designing and coordinating multi-country activities, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies.
• Demonstrated experience in regulatory and policy analysis, drafting reform recommendations, and producing high-quality publications.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement with governments, multilateral organisations, and the private sector at senior level.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building, including developing and delivering workshops, technical training, or Master Classes

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Strong experience in supporting co-financing, blended finance, and impact investment initiatives in partnership with private-sector entities.
• Experience working with investment banks or impact investment funds, particularly in green finance, ESG, and sustainable infrastructure.
• Proven professional experience in managing consulting firms (management, strategy, or development consulting) on assignments involving policy advisory, corporate sustainability, or institutional partnership development.
• Demonstrated experience in engagement with foundations and philanthropic organizations focused on climate action, sustainability, and social innovation.
• Proven professional experience collaborating with — or working within — development finance institutions (DFIs) and multilateral development banks (MDBs), including the World Bank, EIB, EBRD, AfDB, ADB, and IDB.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-country or regional programmes across developing and emerging economies.
• Strong track record of producing high-quality policy and analytical outputs, such as policy papers, strategic briefs, and reform recommendations.
• Extensive experience designing and delivering capacity-building initiatives (workshops, trainings, mentorship programmes, and peer-learning exchanges) for government institutions, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.
• Proven competence in project design, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and donor reporting.
• Experience in supporting co-financing, blended finance, or impact investment initiatives with private entities
• Previous experience in Investment banks or impact investment funds
• Previous work experience on climate and energy policy and frameworks is desirable

Required Language (s):

• Fluency in English is required.
• Basic working knowledge of Italian is an asset
• Knowledge of additional UN Languages would be an 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.

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.

Scam alert

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