Project Adviser, AAI Food Security Accelerator (IPSA-12), Rabat, Morocco (UNCDF) – Readvertisement

Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the United Nations’ flagship catalytic financing entity for the world’s 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). With its unique capital mandate and focus on the LDCs, UNCDF works to invest and catalyse capital to support these countries in achieving the sustainable growth and inclusiveness envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.  

UNCDF builds partnerships with other UN organizations, as well as private and public sector actors, to achieve greater impact in development; specifically, by unlocking additional resources and strengthening financing mechanisms and systems contributing to transformation pathways, focusing on such development themes as green economy, digitalization, urbanization, inclusive economies, gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

To deliver the actions necessary to fulfil the targets outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework, UNCDF has established a nature-based financing service line – the Nature Asset Team (NAT). In collaboration with UN agencies, national and international governments, private sector institutions and other key partners, NAT works to strengthen institutional capacities, catalyze resource flows, and improve access to technical expertise, thereby creating the context for sustained investment in nature assets and long-term distribution of co-benefits.

The Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) Food Security Accelerator is a financial mechanism aimed at building food security, nutrition and resilience of food systems in African countries, as well as shifting economic ownership of adaptation solutions to African financial institutions. The AAI Accelerator aims to achieve this dual mandate by supporting African investment funds and ventures that directly or indirectly drive impact across the global stability, climate and food security nexus. UNCDF is uniquely positioned to drive investment flows from private institutional investors, development finance institutions (DFIs) and impact investors toward addressing these interconnected challenges and markets.

By providing technical assistance, financial advisory and co-investment opportunities to de-risk and support adaptation ventures, the AAI Food Security Accelerator will work to scale-up African investment funds and thereby increase their access to global or domestic capital markets, further expanding the resulting portfolio of businesses they can invest in. Thus, the Vehicle will be critical in securing Food Security and Nutrition (FNS) for a vast number of African communities, thereby reinforcing peace, stability, and resilience across the continent.

The AAI Food Security Accelerator is designed to deliver the following key objectives:

• Catalyse investments in research and technology to foster African-led, science-based and climate-resilient agricultural innovations;  
• De-risk African investment funds to a level compatible with DFIs’ and investors risk appetites in order to mobilise resources at the scale necessary to enable food systems resilience;  
• Directly invest in viable adaptation solutions to improve access to cost-efficient, proven adaptation technologies;
• Provide technical assistance and increase access to financial advisory, adaptation expertise and capacity-development support for African investment fund managers; 
• Develop standard investment models in new adaptation solutions to replicate across Africa and beyond; 
• Promote knowledge sharing and network-building across markets to improve access to information, local insights, and catalytic capital.

Within this context, UNCDF is seeking to hire a Project Adviser to support the implementation and day-to-day management of the AAI Food Security Accelerator. The Project Adviser will oversee all dimensions of the rollout and execution of the accelerator in close alignment with UNCDF’s partners and the wider Nature Assets Team.

UNCDF is seeking the services of a Project Adviser to provide dedicated support and oversight for the implementation of the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) Food Security Accelerator. Such support will at a high-level entail preparation of a draft implementation plan of action, consultations on the set up of the accelerator’s Steering Committee as well as the operationalization of the strategic and technical processes required to successfully deliver on UNCDF’s mandate as the accelerator’s Investment Agent. 

Specifically, the scope of the work will cover three components: 

1. Launch and coordinate the implementation of the AAI Food Security Accelerator:-

• Oversee successful launch of accelerator; 
• Coordinate activities of Steering Committee, including agenda and meeting preparation materials; 
• Produce accelerator project workplan for adoption by Steering Committee; 
• Create Steering Committee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as applicable; 
• Oversee and input to the accelerator investment plan and eligibility criteria; 
• Aid in the vetting and selection of investment funds/fund managers, as applicable; 
• Help identify, support and nurture high quality pipeline for the accelerator; 
• Determine and communicate operational needs of accelerator (back-office support etc.); 
• Ensure proper governance of accelerator through Steering Committee and otherwise; 
• Manage monitoring and reporting (UNCDF internal reporting and to donors e.g., US);  
• Spearhead communication and strategic engagements with ecosystem actors and support the creation of targeted communications materials; 
• Develop donor and investor management/engagement strategy; 
• Monitor and flag accelerator implementation risks and recommend mitigating actions as appropriate.

2. Oversee relationship with Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) in AAI’s role as the Programme Lead, maintaining close collaboration with AAI as it executes on its mandate to:-

• Identify gaps and challenges and provide expertise as to how to address the barriers in the implementation of adaptation action and addressing loss and damage; 
• Increase collaboration and cooperation amongst African countries, accredited entities and other stakeholders to access support; 
• Facilitate the scaling up and/or replicating of good practices;  
• Support on-going resource mobilisation and advocacy efforts; 
• Identify, engage, and increase South-South cooperation to replicate projects across the continent.

3. Oversee relationship with the responsible party partner SSA ensuring the execution of the following:-

• Conduct market research, outlining Accelerator strategy in a clearly defined investment plan; 
• Set criteria and conditions to systematically identify, assess and promote eligible projects; 
• Research and scoping for food systems solutions with adaptation and resilience direct and/or co-benefits; 
• Map and liaise with key stakeholders and institutions;
• Develop framework for the management of E&S risks and impacts;
• Design and implement a Landscape Protection Plan (LPP);
• Develop a clear gender strategy; 
• Develop and implement overarching investment thesis for African investment funds; 
• Provide technical assistance and impact monitoring in line with adaptation indicators.

With the above-mentioned scope of work, the PSA holder will have the following additional responsibilities.

A.   Coordination of Accelerator & Steering Committee support

• Develop and manage overall accelerator project workplan for presentation to the Steering Committee. 
• Create Steering Committee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), including meeting procedures, composition, nomination rules, voting rules, conflict of interest disclosure policy, etc. for consideration by Steering Committee. 
• Prepare or support preparation of communication decisions to the concerned implementers/stakeholders in close cooperation with the Technical Partner.

B.   Programme operations support

• Conduct or support requests for applications to aid in the identification, vetting and ultimate selection of investment funds and businesses by Steering Committee. 
• Support the assessment of programme budget and continuously expand and improve financial evaluation criteria.
• Coordinate with the SSA to ensure effective and timely delivery of activities.

C.   Reporting

• Support the production of the consolidated semi-annual reports comprising impact assessments, reports, and lessons learned.

D.   Strategic engagement & partnership management

• Spearhead communication and strategic engagements with ecosystem actors to promote accelerator.

LEVEL 3: Achieve Results – Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
LEVEL 3: Think Innovatively – Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
LEVEL 3: Learn Continuously – Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
LEVEL 3: Adapt with Agility – Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
LEVEL 3: Act with Determination – Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
LEVEL 3: Engage and Partner – Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
LEVEL 3: Enable Diversity and Inclusion – Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-functional and Technical Competencies:

Business Management: Project Management   

• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Management: Partnerships Management   

• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Management: Communications   

• Ability to 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: Operations Management   

• Ability to effectively plan, organize, and oversee the Organization’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. 
• Knowledge of relevant concepts & mechanisms.

External Relations & Advocacy: Event planning and execution   

• Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support & amplify individual communications & advocacy initiatives, as well as UNCDF’s overall brand & mandate.

External Relations & Advocacy: Strategic engagement   

• Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives.