Job DescriptionTiered ApproachIn 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.
Duties and Responsibilities Working under the guidance and supervision of the UNCDF Executive Secretary, the Head of Impact Measurement Verification and Learning (IMVL) leads in the generation, verification, and use of high-quality impact intelligence to support investment decisions, portfolio performance management, accountability to stakeholders, and organizational learning particularly in fragile, climate-vulnerable, and underserved markets typical of LDCs and SIDS.
Under the Leadership of the UNCDF Executive Secretary, the Head of IMVL coordinates and oversees the work of the Impact Measurement Verification and Learning Unit, established in the UNCDF front office, composed of Strategic Intelligence, Impact Measurement and Evaluation.
The overarching purpose of the IMVL unit is to determine whether and to what extent, the work of UNCDF is achieving positive intended impacts, and to provide data-driven recommendations on strategic and systemic actions that strengthen performance. This includes assessing whether UNCDF programming in digital finance, SME finance and sub-national/municipal support, is achieving development objectives. Insights and lessons from IMVL research, field reconnaissance and evaluations should enable UNCDF to expand pathways for replication, scalability, crowding in public and private investors and improving the conditions enabling market transformation in developing countries.
The Head of IMVL will provide key contributions as part of the senior management team. In addition to taking the lead role in impact management and assessment, the Head of IMVL will be expected to significantly contribute to other strategic areas, including transaction structuring, pipeline development, risk analysis and knowledge sharing.
The Head of IMVL will be based in New York, United States and will be required to travel occasionally.
UNCDF staff may be periodically redeployed to different regional hubs or headquarters as needed, subject to capability, consent, and due process.
UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNCDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
1) Lead Strategic Impact Intelligence, Portfolio Insight, Knowledge Management, Thought Leadership, and IMVL Data Systems and Digital Tools: - Lead development and provision of forward-looking intelligence that informs investment strategy, pipeline development, and portfolio performance.
- Lead development of impact intelligence products to support strategy and investment decisions.
- Lead analysis of sectoral, geographic, and thematic trends relevant to blended finance and impact investing.
- Lead development of impact theories aligned with organizational priorities as defined in the UNCDF Strategic Framework.
- Lead development, production and dissemination of portfolio-level impact insights to inform resource allocation and risk management.
- Lead institutionalization of learning and contributions to sector-wide knowledge.
- Lead development of internal guidance materials and technical notes.
- Oversee and ensure development and maintenance of repositories of lessons learned and best practices.
- Lead production of thematic briefs and research outputs and ensure support and contributions to publication of case studies.
- Promote innovation in impact methodologies.
- Ensure reliable infrastructure for collecting, managing, and analyzing impact data and coordinate with Corporate IT on the development and maintenance of impact data platforms.
- Lead definition of system requirements for data collection and reporting and ensure data interoperability across programs and investments.
- Lead support to visualization tools and dashboards.
- Oversee and ensure IMVL data governance standards.
2) Lead the Impact Verification, Measurement and Assurance function - Ensure robust, standardized, and practical measurement of impact across UNCDF investments and programs.
- Lead development of impact intelligence products to support strategy and investment decisions.
Analyze sectoral, geographic, and thematic trends relevant to blended finance and impact investing. - Lead development of impact theses aligned with institutional priorities (e.g., climate resilience, financial inclusion, gender equality).
- Lead development and production of portfolio-level impact insights to inform resource allocation and risk management.
- Lead integration of contextual intelligence (fragility, climate vulnerability, market gaps) into decision frameworks.
- Ensure support to due diligence by assessing theory of change coherence, environmental and social safeguards adherence and expected development outcomes.
- Safeguard the credibility, integrity, and reliability of reported impact results.
- Lead verification of impact data reported by investees and partners.
- Oversee and ensure periodic data quality audits, spot checking and validation exercises.
- Lead development and consistent organization-wide implementation of impact assurance protocols.
- Manage relationships with external verification partners where applicable.
- Lead identification of risks related to impact overstatement or data gaps.
- Oversee and ensure traceability from reported outcomes to source evidence.
3) Lead Evaluation and Learning (MEL) - Lead development and dissemination of actionable learning through structured evaluation of UNCDF investments and programs.
- Oversee the UNCDF evaluation function.
- Lead development of evaluation frameworks suited to blended finance models.
- Oversee the carrying out of midterm, final and ex post evaluations.
- Commission and supervise external evaluators.
- Ensure integration of learning loops into program and investment design.
- Lead translation of evaluation findings into practical recommendations.
4) Lead Governance, Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement - Ensure accurate, credible reporting to internal leadership and external stakeholders.
- Lead preparation of impact reports for senior leadership, donors, and investors.
- Lead support to reporting against development and Strategic Framework commitments.
- Ensure alignment between reported results and verified evidence.
- Lead IMVL contributions to UNCDF annual reports, impact disclosures, and strategic reviews.
- Lead development of briefing materials on impact results for the UNCDF Executive Secretary, Managing Director, and Executive Board.
- Ensure productive relationships with internal and external partners contributing to impact outcomes
- Coordinate with investment teams to integrate impact into decision-making, including participation in the UNCDF Investment and Disbursement Impact Committee, to ensure that the approval of new projects/programs meet expected standards for impact measurement and evaluation.
- Liaise with investees to strengthen their measurement capacity.
- Engage donors, development partners, and co-investors on impact matters.
- Represent the organization in technical working groups.
5) Provide Effective IMVL Team Leadership & Coordination - Lead a small team of staff and consultants delivering high-quality analytical and technical outputs.
- Develop and manage the IMVL annual work plans, ensuring that all planned deliverables are meeting time and quality expectations
- Supervise and mentor IMVL team, assigning workloads and ensuring efficient task management.
- Set performance expectations and development plans.
- Build team capacity in evaluation methods and data analytics.
- Maintain a collaborative, results-oriented team culture.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Supervision, development and performance management of IMVL staff members and personnel as well as technical experts.
Competencies Core Competencies - UNDP Core Competencies can be found here.
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 ContinuouslyLEVEL 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 PartnerLEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and InclusionLEVEL 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 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 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
