Research Analyst (short-term assignment - 20 working days)

Background

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crises and to drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives, build resilient nations, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sustainable Development Goals represent the global consensus for the comprehensive and ambitious 2030 Agenda. The level of ambition and the need for resources to reach the targets necessitate innovations to increase efficiency, and partnerships for effective use of existing resources as well as growing them.

As a major effort to finance SDGs and in order to streamline its financial and investment engagement, UNDP launched the Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH), a finance and innovation platform, that draws on a critical mass of UNDP expertise, initiatives, and partnerships to support the mobilization and leveraging of resources for the SDGs and lead the implementation of the new UNDP private sector strategy and other initiatives. The Hub is an integral part of both the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), as well as part of the GPN. The Hub serves as a connector, broker and global coordinator among internal and external actors; curates and manages UNDP’s catalogue of service offers on SDG financing to governments, investors and companies, via the COs, to significantly enhance the scale and impact of UNDP’s work.

Through SFH, UNDP’s Istanbul Center for Private Sector in Development (ICPSD), one of the five Global Thematic Policy Centers of UNDP, acts as an enabler for the private sector and foundations to become more active partners in development, encouraging them through policy advice and technical services on how to contribute towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. ICPSD was established in 2011 in partnership with the Government of Türkiye. The Center’s work to engage foundations and the private sector focuses on delivering policy advice and technical services in four thematic areas:

• Private Sector Engagement in Digital Transformation and Skills Development
• SDG Financing and Private Sector Development
• Islamic Finance
• Crisis and Resilience

Under its Crisis and Resilience portfolio, ICPSD supports sustainable and durable solutions for conflict and fragile affected contexts. The Center, together with its partners and relevant stakeholders, is working on identifying and promoting private sector led good practices in developing countries to be replicated and scaled up to address the major development challenges such as humanitarian crises, disaster risk reduction, climate change, conflict affected economies. As part of the work under the thematic area the Center designs and implements activities to support the Country Offices, partners and stakeholders from both public and private sector through awareness raising and capacity building programs, knowledge products and technical assistance services.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Policy Coordinator, the Research Analyst will assist with the ongoing and planned activities through Crisis and Resilience. This includes supporting the overall management and coordination of thematic areas’ workplans and activities. The Research Analyst will also assist in the design and implementation of knowledge management activities of ICPSD under Crisis and Resilience, such as research, toolkit, and training development for initiatives of the Center. Additionally, the Research Analyst will support cooperation, donor mobilization, and technical advisory/assistance provided to other UNDP units, including Country Offices and Regional Bureaus.

Duties and Responsibilities

The contractor will be requested to work no more than 20 days during the contract. The payments will be based on a daily fee and the number of days worked.

Under the guidance of and reporting directly to the Crisis and Resilience Policy Coordinator, the Research Analyst will be responsible for performing and contributing to the following:

Provide technical assistance and research on preventing violent extremism:

• Support the design and development of preventing violent extremism related initiatives in crisis contexts, with an emphasis on integrating private sector engagement and innovative approaches to address drivers of violent extremism through socioeconomic resilience.
• Coordinate research activities by developing methodological frameworks, designing questionnaires and data collection tools and facilitating stakeholder engagement to generate actionable insights for programming.
• Undertake technical assessments to inform the feasibility and impact of proposed interventions, ensuring alignment with PVE objectives and community needs in crisis contexts.

Conduct value chain research for inclusive economic empowerment of women and youth:

• Design and implement research frameworks to map and analyze value chains, ensuring gender-responsive approaches that identify barriers and opportunities for women and youth participation and economic empowerment.
• Identify key actors, linkages and structural gaps across value chains, with a focus on promoting equitable access to resources and markets.
• Develop and apply gender-sensitive data collection tools including surveys and interview guides.
• Produce actionable recommendations that enhance value chain competitiveness, inclusivity, and gender equity while supporting broader development goals.

Provide technical assistance and research on migration and economic integration:

• Support the design and implementation of programs that promote the economic integration of migrants from crisis contexts, including through private sector engagement and livelihood enhancement.
• Conduct research and analysis on migration trends, labor market and skills assessments and identify barriers to economic participation, producing actionable recommendations.
• Undertake stakeholder mapping and develop tools, methodologies and data collection instruments including surveys, interview guides to assess gaps in economic integration of migrants.

Conduct research and analyses for crisis and resilience portfolio:

• Conduct research and quantitative analysis on the private sector for crisis contexts.
• Support the preparation of high-quality reports, policy advocacy and design research projects around innovative solutions.
• Prepare analysis and synthesis of proposals on the areas for support and interventions within these thematic areas.
• Conduct the necessary internal procedures related to editing, design, and clearance of documents and advocacy materials.

Participate in knowledge management activities

• Participate in the design and formulation of ICPSD activities within the area of responsibility, translating ICPSD’s priorities into local interventions and partnerships.
• Participate in the development, design and formulation of projects focusing on technical aspects, from formulation to implementation of the ICPSD activities.
• Monitor and evaluate knowledge management activities under Resilience and Crisis Response, and prepare inputs for reporting.

Implementation, collaboration, and monitoring of project implementation

• Coordinate and communicate effectively with the respective country offices to ensure continuous implementation of projects.
• Collaborate closely with the relevant COs to align project activities with organizational goals and objectives.
• Monitor the implementation of projects in collaboration with the related country offices, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Data Analysis

Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to leverage data and analytics to inform strategies and responses.

Environmental Management

Sustainable Practices: Understanding of sustainable practices that mitigate environmental impact and enhance resilience to future crises

Crisis Communication

Stakeholder Coordination: Ability to communicate effectively with various stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector, NGOs, and communities, to coordinate efforts.

Innovation

Innovative solutions: Ability to integrate innovative solutions to improve crisis response capabilities and resilience.

Systematic Thinking

Interconnected Systems: Understanding how different systems (e.g., social, economic, technological) interact and how changes in one system can affect resilience and crisis response in another.

Business Development

Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Business Management

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

Required Skills and Experience

The contractor will be requested to work no more than 20 days during the contract. The payments will be based on a daily fee and the number of days worked.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Security, Peace and Conflict Studies, Development Studies or other related field.

OR

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned field of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

• Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of qualifying experience with socio-economic research in crisis contexts, including on preventing violent extremism, migration and value chain analysis.
• Proven record publishing research on migration, refugees or displacement
• Experience in undertaking private sector and value chain analysis with a focus on economic empowerment of women and youth.
• Experience designing data collection tools for labour market and skills assessments.

Desired experience:

• Experience in conducting quantitative analyses for projects is an asset.
• Experience with business development and knowledge generation is an asset.
• Experience working with an international organization, particularly familiarity with the UN/UNDP system.
• Experience in conducting research on fragile and conflict affected contexts, including in the Middle East and Africa.
• Proven experience in conducting research and designing initiatives on preventing violent extremism.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.

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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