Blue Economy Investment Specialist, IPSA11, Fiji - Suva (UNCDF)- [Open to internal and external applicants], Suva, Fiji

## Blue Economy Investment Specialist, IPSA11, Fiji - Suva (UNCDF)- [Open to internal and external applicants], Suva, Fiji - Organization:UNDP - United Nations Development Programme - Office:UNDP Suva, Fiji 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. 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, UNOs, 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: 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. UNCDF is seeking a Blue Economy Investment Specialist to lead the origination, structuring, and deployment of ocean-positive and nature-based blended finance investments in the Pacific. The position will focus on mobilizing concessional and catalytic capital toward enterprises and financial intermediaries that generate sustainable livelihoods while protecting and restoring coastal and marine ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on reef-positive, fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, waste management, and ocean-climate resilience solutions. Among other tasks, the incumbent is expected to manage the blue economy portfolio in the Pacific, in particular the EU-funded Sustainable Pacific Blue Circle Fund (SPBCF) project, an impact investment vehicle that provides investment capital backed by venture-building support (technical assistance, grants, loans, guarantees) to businesses that have the potential to generate revenue and create a positive development impact ongoing till 2028. The incumbent is also expected to oversee other blue economy focused and reef-positive interventions that are implemented in the Pacific region. Duties and Responsibilities Under the supervision of the Regional Investment Specialists for the Pacific and in close collaboration with other colleagues in IID and IFOD, the Blue Economy Investment Specialist will lead and support the development, structuring and execution of blue-economy or other relevant sectoral investment initiatives. The Specialist will work closely with IID and IFOD colleagues, as well as other UNCDF counterparts, country focal points, government partners, private sector actors and development partners. 1) Project Management of Blue-Economy Investment Initiatives - Manage all aspects of the blue economy initiatives implemented in the Pacific. - Lead the preparation and implementation of Annual Work Plans (AWPs), budgets and activity schedules for Pacific blue-economy investment programmes. - Manage day-to-day implementation of activities, including stakeholder engagement, technical assistance delivery, pipeline development and progress monitoring. - Manage project documentation, track financial delivery, oversee audits when required, and support organization of steering committee meetings. - Ensure effective coordination between countries, regional teams, and corporate oversight units to deliver a complex multi-country programme. - Apply UNCDF Social and Environmental Standards (SES), including safeguards related to human rights, gender equality, SEA/SH prevention, and grievance mechanisms. - Maintain and update project risk registers, escalate high-risk issues, and contribute to assurance activities, audits, and evaluations. - Apply adaptive management approaches, identifying implementation risks and bottlenecks and proposing timely corrective actions. - Ensure efficient use of project resources, value for money, and adherence to approved budgets. 2) Investment Pipeline Development and Blended Finance Execution - Lead the sourcing, screening, and development of a diversified pipeline of blue and green economy MSMEs - Oversee incubation and acceleration pathways, ensuring MSMEs receive tailored technical assistance and progress toward investment readiness. - Guide and quality-assure financial, technical, environmental and social (ESG), and gender-lens due diligence processes for MSMEs and financial-sector partners. - Coordinate the structuring and deployment of investment grants, concessional loans, and credit guarantees benefiting the blue economy in line with UNCDF investment policies and approval committees. - Support engage