Partnerships and Engagement Specialist – The Global SDG Synthesis Coalition (Office-Based)- (Open to Externals)

Independent Evaluation Office of UNDP, and the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) strengthens the development effectiveness of UNDP by enhancing accountability and fostering learning through independent, strategic evaluations. As one of the largest and most established independent evaluation functions in the UN System, the IEO is committed to helping shape the evaluation and evidence community to enhance the United Nations Sustainable Development (SDGs). 

The 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report highlights that only 12% of SDG targets are on track, while nearly half are significantly lagging. Recognizing the urgent need to address the slow progress toward the SDGs, the IEO established the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition (the “Coalition”) in 2022. The aim of the Coalition is to reverse this trend by harnessing the power of evaluation and "living synthesis" to accelerate SDG progress. It is founded on the principle that science must be multidisciplinary, equitably produced, openly shared, and socially relevant to drive the systemic transformations required for global sustainability.

Now co-led by IEO and UNICEF’s Evaluation Office, with IEO hosting its secretariat, the Coalition’s leadership group includes the UN SDG System-Wide Evaluation Office. The Coalition’s diverse membership spans 45 UN entities, member states, multilateral development banks, and international financial institutions, uniting efforts to catalyze meaningful progress toward the 2030 Agenda through the power of evaluation (and broader forms of evidence). In 2025, the Coalition will play a pivotal role in shaping transformative investments from key donors — including the Wellcome Trust, UK Research and Innovation, and the Jacobs Foundation — totaling approximately $126.74 million. These investments form part of the broader global initiative, the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative (ESIC), which aims to dramatically enhance the availability, accessibility, and usability of evidence to accelerate progress on the SDGs. See here and here for further information.

The Partnerships and Engagement Specialist will be an integral part of the Coalition’s secretariat team, based in the IEO offices in New York. This pivotal role will support the Coalition in advancing its mission to develop ambitious global evidence architecture for the SDGs, building on and working alongside transformative investments from the Wellcome Trust and UK Research and Innovation amongst other ESIC partners. 

Scope of Work

This role offers a unique opportunity to drive global efforts in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through evidence-informed decision-making. Positioned at the intersection of policy and evidence, the role is central to ensuring that the Coalition’s priorities are integrated into broader initiatives within the UN system and beyond, contributing to a stronger global evaluation and broader evidence infrastructure.

The role will lead the Coalition’s partnerships and engagement strategy, working closely with UN entities, development banks, bilateral and multilateral agencies, and other stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical and partnership-building skills, complemented by the ability to think systemically about global sustainable development. They should have expertise in leveraging evaluation and evidence to inform policy and decision-making, navigating complex multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder initiatives, and engaging diverse actors such as UN entities, member states, donors, academia, and civil society. Experience of advocacy for evidence-informed decision-making in high-level fora is also essential.

The position collaborates with a Senior Evaluation Synthesis Specialist and a Secretariat and Communications Consultant to implement key initiatives and ensure the Coalition’s priorities are aligned with global development efforts.

Lead Engagement and Partnerships within the UN System

• Establish strategic engagement and partnerships with UN entities, including Coalition members, the UN Evaluation Group, the UN Secretary-General’s Science Advisory Board, UN DESA, UN Economic and Social Council, the UN Office for Partnerships, UN Country Teams, Regional Representatives, and Member States and Permanent Missions to the UN fostering collaboration on evidence-informed decision-making for the SDGs.
• Contribute to the strategic engagement and partnerships with other multi-lateral evaluation entities, including multi-lateral development banks (members of the Evaluation Cooperation Group), OECD-DAC EvalNet, and international financial institutions such as the World Bank. 
• Contribute to the strategic engagement and partnerships with other ESIC members, including peak bodies representing global evidence synthesis producers, evidence intermediaries and evidence users. 
• Contribute to the mapping of relevant decision-making structures at all UN levels and policy windows to help the Coalition understand potential entry points for evidence to influence decision-making on the SDGs.
• Lead the Coalition at high-level meetings, events, and forums, ensuring alignment of its priorities with broader UN initiatives, such as the 2030 Agenda and UN Development System reforms.
• Facilitate the integration of evidence and evaluation as central components of UN policy dialogues, advocacy campaigns, and programmatic strategies.

Lead Engagement and Partnerships Beyond the UN System

• Support the Coalition co-chairs, the leadership group and pillar co-chairs to develop, strengthen, and manage strategic partnerships with key development stakeholders outside the UN system, including international development banks, financing institutions, and bilateral and multilateral development agencies, to drive joint initiatives on evidence use.
• Support Coalition co-chairs, the leadership group and pillar co-leads to co-ordinate and engage with other ESIC stakeholders, including sectoral and regional hubs funded by donor investments. 
• Participate in the Coalition in global forums, such as the Evaluation Cooperation Group (ECG) and OECD/DAC EvalNet, promoting collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and increased visibility of the Coalition’s work.
• Advocate for the inclusion of UN evaluative evidence in evidence-informed decision-making on global development policies, funding frameworks, and multilateral agreements.

Contribution to Global Evidence Architecture

• Contribute to the Coalition’s central role towards the design, development, and implementation of a global evidence architecture for the SDGs, ensuring it is inclusive, responsive to stakeholder needs, and reflective of global best practices.
• Work with Coalition co-chairs, the Secretariat, and partners to identify gaps and opportunities in evaluative evidence generation, communication, and utilization for accelerating progress towards the SDGs.
• Strengthen the role of the UN system in governance structures related to evidence generation and use, bridging the gap between evidence supply and demand
• Contribute to the Coalition’s efforts to develop partnerships for capacity development through existing national evaluation capacity development actors, 

Event Leadership and Coordination

• Plan and deliver high-profile Coalition events, such as side events at the UN General Assembly and High-Level Political Forum, relevant high-level summits and annual meetings, or strategic forums, showcasing evidence-based solutions and fostering dialogue among stakeholders.
• Design innovative event formats, such as workshops, roundtables, and knowledge-sharing sessions, to promote the use of evidence in policy discussions and decision-making processes.

Amplification of Coalition Communications

• Develop and oversee the implementation of the Coalition’s communications strategy, managing its website, blogs, news updates, and digital platforms to ensure effective translation and communication of its work.
• Support the creation of compelling knowledge products, including evaluation synthesis reports, evidence maps, and policy briefs.
• Coordinate campaigns and outreach activities to showcase the Coalition’s contributions to advancing evidence-informed SDG decision-making and attract new partners and donor.

Lead knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s) and UNDP

• Proactively identify and pursue opportunities for the documentation and communication of best practices, programme results, and lessons learned under the project. 
• Actively participate in and make substantive contributions to external networks and communities of practice to promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends. 
• Support establishment of knowledge platforms and innovative mechanisms for capturing and disseminating knowledge from the project; and ensure development of 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 Partnerships and Engagement Specialist will work as part of the Coalition Secretariat team reporting to the IEO Director. The UNDP IEO (Senior Evaluation Synthesis Specialist), UNICEF’s Evaluation Office and the UN SDG System Wide Evaluation Office will also provide oversight of and guidance for the Secretariat’s workplan.

Competencies Core     

• 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

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 altering one element can impact on other parts of the system 

Business Development    

• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange
• Integration within the UN: Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work. Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Business Management 

• Partnerships Management: 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
• 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
• Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making 

External relations and 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

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (A master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Social Sciences, International Relations, Political Sciences or related fields is required. OR 
• first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant Work experience 

• A minimum of 7 years (with a Master’s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of experience in activities either supporting evidence-informed decision-making processes or designing or applying evaluative evidence to inform policy, and experience in building and managing partnerships

Required skills

• This experience will preferably be in the field of international development, with knowledge of the latest international development issues (e.g., poverty reduction, democratic governance, human rights, environment and natural resources management, climate change, disaster risk reduction and resilience, gender equality and women’s empowerment).
• Demonstrated ability to organize own work, and work of others according to deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment with staff and partners with differing experience and skills and in different geographic locations.
• Prior work experience at or familiarity with the work of UNDP and/or other UN agencies.
• Experience in using computer and office software packages, web-based data management systems, website management tools, including Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TEAMS, SharePoint.

Desired additional skills and competencies    

• Experience in supporting multi-stakeholder initiatives, ideally within UN agencies, international organizations, or global partnerships is desirable.
• Experience in developing, strengthening, and managing strategic relationships with UN entities, high-level government entities and UN Permanent Missions, international development banks, bilateral and multilateral agencies, academia, and civil society, is advantageous.
• Proven experience in successfully plan and organize high profile event planning, such as design workshops, roundtables, and knowledge-sharing sessions to promote the use of evidence in decision-making – is beneficial. 
• Experience in evidence-informed decision-making, including the leveraging of evaluation and evidence, particularly within the SDGs and global development context. 

Required Language(s) 

• Fluency in English is required
• Working knowledge of another UNDP official language is an asset
   

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.

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