Programme Support Officer: Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP)

The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs).
UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: (1) inclusive digital economies, which connects individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; (2) local development finance, which capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and (3) investment finance, which provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization.

Introduction: Pacific Digital Economy Programme

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. In addition, by identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have a transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs.

The Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP) is a joint programme between UNCDF, UNDP and UNCTAD, aims to work in close collaboration with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to support the development of inclusive digital economies in the Pacific specifically in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands; Inclusive digital economies that allow rural communities, women and MSMEs, as well as labour mobility workers to enhance market participation, resulting in poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and economic growth.
UNCDF has a unique mandate among UN agencies to deploy grants, loans and guarantees depending on the growth stage of the business and/or partner. These financial instruments are complemented by technical assistance such as market or product research, business model and product design. The intent is for UNCDF and private and public partners to pilot and commercialize inclusive business models, so that mainstream services are better designed to take into account the needs of under-served customer segments. Furthermore, for start-ups and early-stage businesses that already have a track record in commercializing inclusive business models, but needs need growth capital, UNCDF provides loans and guarantees so that these businesses can unlock financing from local banks and other, more commercial sources of financing.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Programme Manager or his/her
designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Programme Support Officer will:

 Assist the Regional PDEP team and Fiji PDEP team in coordination and implementation of PDEP’s programming activities detailed in the work plan.
 Assist Regional PDEP team and Fiji Country team in developing Regional and country RFAs, project documents and monitoring the progress of projects and initiatives to ensure that their scope, budgets, and timelines are managed, risks are identified, and remedial steps are taken.
 Assist PDEP programme partners during project implementation by providing logistical support, assisting partners in meeting project objectives and goals. Activities will include financial and literacy workshops, and community awareness.
 Assist in the preparation of project documents, monitoring of project activities and preparing funding disbursement request for approval.
 Assist in liaising between Consultants and the UNCDF Operations Team on contracting, deliverable submissions, and payment requests.
 Assist in the preparation of quarterly reporting for existing project partners and conducting field visit to project partner sites when required.
 Assist in preparing inputs to UNCDF corporate and donor reports.
 Provide support to PDEP Regional/Country teams in organizing in-country events to disseminate knowledge and results of research, including venue, invitees lists and invitation process, planning, agenda, etc.
 Assist in conducting secondary research in areas of policy and regulation relating to inclusive digital economies and related areas.
 Assist in preparing project documents, policy briefs, concept notes, discussion papers, and presentations in areas including but not limited to the digital economy.
 Assist with other tasks related to PDEP as specified by the Fiji PDEP team and Regional PDEP team from time to time.
 Assist Country Leads under PDEP regarding programming activities.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
 Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
 Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
 Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities;
 Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc;
 Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; and
 Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs
 Active engagement in activities under the Pacific Digital Economy Programme.
 Timely completion of research activities and inputs to project documents and reports.
 Develop and maintain relationships with pogramme partners, including other UN organizations, government bodies, regional organizations, the private sector and civil society
 Project coordination and logistics support to the Pacific Digital Economy Programme.