Sustainable Development Fund Coordinator

The UN Sri Lanka SDG multi-partner pooled (UNSLSDG) fund instrument will support an ambitious agenda for working together to unlock progress towards the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. Joint SDG Fund initiatives are built on a foundation of integrated policy support, innovative financing, and sustainable development–programmes are ambitious and not relegated to silos. The Fund supports United Nations Resident Coordinators, UN Country Teams (UNCTs), and national partners as they adopt these integrated approaches, which spur policy change, create robust financing systems, and lead to SDG achievement. As a country-focused instrument, the Fund champions collective efforts at country and multi-country levels, with the next generation of UNCTs and Resident Coordinators at the helm of this transformation. Pooled expertise from across all sectors will result in the development and growth of new coalitions. These “change makers” will use scalable finance and integrated policies to advance inclusive initiatives that accelerate multiple SDGs and cross-cutting issues like human rights, environment, youth, and gender. The Government of Sri Lanka has endorsed the SDGs in its Vision and National Policy Framework for national development set out in December 2019. To that end, the UNSLSDG has incorporated three thematic windows i.e. Peace, Resilience and Data.

The objective of the Fund is to support the achievement of results consistent with the current and any future UNSDCF. It supports coherent resource mobilization, allocation and disbursement to under-funded cross-sectoral areas where the UN has a comparative advantage in implementing together. The main focus of the Fund is the mobilization, financing coordination and co-financing of catalytic interventions in support of the SDGs. The Fund is overseen by a Steering Committee, chaired by the United Nations Resident Coordinator. The Steering Committee defines the priorities of the Fund, depending on needs related to the SDGs agenda.

A Secretariat will be established, to facilitate the management of the Fund, entailing the following main tasks: 1) Advise the Steering Committee and the Thematic Window Committees whenever on determining strategic priorities and programme/financial allocations; 2) Follow up the formulation and development of programmes/projects, providing feedback to proponent organizations in order to ensure consistency, quality and risk management, and supervising the application of Fund’s cross-cutting approaches; 3) Organize or facilitate calls for proposals and appraisal processes; 4) Monitor the balance of funding between Windows and report to the Steering Committee; 5) Consolidate monitoring and evaluating information from approved programmes/projects, and periodically inform Fund stakeholders of progress in the implementation; 6) Carry out the Fund’s knowledge analysis and management, including knowledge systematization, collection of good practices, lessons learned and proposed recommendations; 7) Support resource mobilization activities; and 8) fulfilling the secretariat function to the Steering Committee.

The Secretariat falls under the overall guidance of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and it sits in the RCO.

The Coordinator reports to the RCO Team Leader for substantive and strategic guidance on the overall fund, to the Peace and Development Advisor for substantive and strategic guidance on the Peace Window, and to the RCO Partnerships and Financing Specialist administratively. The coordinator will be responsible for the overall management of the Fund, supervise the coordinator of the Joint Programme on Peace and Programme Assistant for the Secretariat.

I.      Support effective and efficient coordination and management of the SDG Fund and its respective windows, which entails inter alia:

●        Support the UNRC, UNCT and the UNSLSDG fund steering committee in formulating the strategic direction of the fund;

●        Strengthening coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and communication among UN agencies and government entities;

●        Strengthening coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and communication among development partners contributing to the fund;

●        Engage in resource and fund management by engaging key UN administrative agents i.e. MPTFO et cetera in facilitating timely transfers of funding to UN recipient agencies;

●        Engage in resource and fund management by engaging key UN administrative agents i.e. MPTFO et cetera in facilitating timely transfers of funding from UN development partners of the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Ensure and provide for synergies on cross-cutting themes across the windows of the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Work with UN agencies towards catalyzing strategic programming and investments via the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Ensure the Fund Steering Committee and Thematic Window Committees are regularly convened;

●        Ensure Workplans and budgets for relevant programmes/projects of the UNSLSDG fund are tabled in a timely manner;

II.    Support Monitoring and Reporting

●        Ensure reduction and/or addressing political and fiduciary risks via result-based management and risk assessments;

●        Ensure quarterly updates are submitted to the development partners contributing to the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Support in implementing audits and assessments of the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Ensure MPTFO is provided with timely updates pertaining to documentation;

●        Ensure timely Annual Narrative and Financials reports are duly submitted;

●        Ensure quarterly updates are provided on the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Ensure documentation pertaining to the UNSLSDG fund is kept up-to-date and archived where necessary.

III.     Development of knowledge and support products

●        Ensure knowledge products are developed in relation to the UNSLSDG fund;

●        Create/review relevant UNSLSDG fund ToRs and Operational manuals;

●        Ensure communications products are available for dissemination.

Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Fund Manager to support the implementation and oversight of the project.

A.  Education

• Master’s degree in political science, international relations, sociology, management or related discipline. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

B. Work Experience

• A minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in managing staff and/or programmes, and establishing inter-agency relationships among international organizations and national governments is required.
• Experience of full cycle of programme/project management (planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting in a results-based manner) is required.
• Experience with donor coordination and/or coordinating across multiple stakeholder platforms is required.
• Experience  in the implementation of pooled funds (in coordination and/or programmatic roles) is desirable.
• Knowledge of financial resources management, procurement, and general administration is an asset
• Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, proven networking, team building, organizational and   communication skills.
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• Demonstrates strong analytical oral and written communication skills
• Ability to contribute to effective knowledge management and documentation.
• Ability to engage effectively with other implementing agencies supporting the respective   project partners.
• Good understanding of the governance structure and systems in Sri Lanka, including the current. knowledge on peacebuilding and reconciliation, access to justice/rule of law, etc.is desirable
• Working to tight deadlines.

C. Language

• Proficiency in communicating in English both verbally and in writing, in a well-structured, clear and concise manner. Fluency in Sinhala and/Tamil will be an added advantage.

Contract type:  Local Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level:  LICA Specialist (LICA 10) 
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• The position is open to Sri Lankan nationals only.


• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.