Investment Portfolio Management Specialist

Job Title

The Investment Portfolio Management Specialist, working under the supervision and guidance of the Investment Portfolio Management Advisor, provides a wide range of investment portfolio management services for smooth implementation and management of the Investment and Finance Oversight Division’s (IFOD) operational responsibilities. S/he will ensure full compliance with IFOD-specific workflows and practices, adhering to UNDP/UNCDF Financial Regulations and Rules, UNDP/UNCDF programme and operational policies and procedures (POPP) and UNCDF Supplementary Guidelines. The Investment Portfolio Management Specialist is expected to work in close collaboration with the entire team.

Responsibilities

• Ensures implementation of Investment Portfolio Management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Manage the UNCDF on-balance investment portfolio with a comprehensive understanding of the performance.
• Lead semi-annual investment review meetings and prepare the semi-annual investment review report, including macroeconomic country analysis related to the portfolio, progress and financial performance reviews, and lessons learned.
• Produce the annual investment portfolio valuations in support of IPSAS 41 impairment and provisioning requirements, within 2 months post-period end.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly portfolio management reports as needed, including loans and guarantees portfolio analysis.
• Monitor monthly payment activities of the UNCDF on-balance investment portfolio (e.g., loan repayments, guarantee fees, etc.).
• Supervise the production of monthly concentration reports based on the loans and guarantees portfolio by the Investment Portfolio Management Programme Associate.
• Supervise the annual covenant and financial statement analysis of the portfolio.
• Review investment amendment requests (e.g., restructurings, write-offs, etc.), guarantee claims requests, etc. as necessary.
• Support the design of new financial instruments.
• Support policy development as required.
• Support investment portfolio-related responses to audit recommendations as required.

• Implements and maintains the Investment System in Quantum+ focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Develop investment modules for the effective operation of the investment portfolio management covering all investment instruments by UNCDF.
• Develop structures and routine tasks for data collection, verification, recording, and reporting.
• Collaborate with IT software developers, Salesforce external teams, UNCDF data analytics, and UNCDF Digital Agility colleagues for enhanced system usage and continuous improvement of the organization’s portfolio management solutions.
• Address system issues and maintain the reporting system regularly.
• Ensure adaptation and usage of Quantum+ by front office colleagues and oversee the quality of manual data handling and inputting into systems.
• Generate both standardized and bespoke reports from the system and Excel for internal and external use.

• Conducts investments related activity (including impact and results monitoring) focusing on achievement of the following results:

• UNDP Lead the measurement of impact indicators related to the Investment Portfolio.
• Support and review the accuracy of impact stories related to the Investment Portfolio.
• Support new transactions favoring SDG-positive investments in financially underserved areas as needed.
• Participate in IFOD and IDIC meetings as required.

• Ensures compliance of loans and guarantees operations with policy and regulatory requirements:

• Provide support to the documentation, analysis, and publication of cross portfolio indicators needed by other operational units.
• Provides advice in a timely manner to UNCDF’s projects/programmes as it relates to regulation, risk management, and the loan and guarantee policy.
• Supports drafting of new, and review existing, policies and procedures to ensure that UNCDF continues to comply with regulatory standards and industry’s best practices.
• Adopts approaches to ensure that the lessons learnt are collected and disseminate.
• Follow the international debate on the recording and valuation of an investment portfolio, etc.

Competencies

• Achieve Results - LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work​
• Think Innovatively - ​​LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking​
• Learn Continuously - LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning​
• Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process​
• Act with Determination - ​​LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously​
• Engage and Partner - LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships​
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion - ​​LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making ​

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• 2030 Agenda: Partnerships - SDG Finance:
• Blended Finance for SDGs
• 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 UNCDF strategy and policies
• Digital - Alternative Finance:
• Ability to identify potential alternative forms of finance and mobilize them for the purpose of addressing development challenges.
• Ability to review the skills, capacities, procedures and protocols that are needed to enable new financial mechanisms.
• Ability to assess the risks, limitations and implications of using new financial mechanisms. Set up the processes and structures to design, testing and implement new financial mechanisms.
• Managing outreach and stakeholder engagement.
• Finance - Development Finance Expertise:
• Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.
• Business Direction and Strategy - Systems 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 - 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
• Business Management - Portfolio Management:
• Ability to select, prioritize 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 portfolio management.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, or other closely related field is required.
• A 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.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years (with Master’s degree) or 7 years (with a bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible finance or programme finance experience is required at the national or international level.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in a financial institution, development cooperation agency, or development financial institution is required.
• Experience issuing and/or managing various financial instruments; grants, loans, guarantees, and/or equity is required.
• Experience in preparing investment portfolio valuations (aligned with IPSAS 41 or similar accounting standards) is required.
• Experience in financial database system management and information migration is required.
• Experience in loans and guarantee restructurings and amendments are required.
• Experience in credit and/or equity for investments with a social mission in emerging/frontier markets, is highly preferable.
• Experience with IPSAS accounting standards is highly preferable, particularly related to financial instruments.
• Demonstrated experience in managing finance, accounting, budgeting, internal controls and reporting is desired, particularly related to financial instruments.
• Experience in financial database system development is an advantage.

Language

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is considered desirable.