Head, Impact Measurement, Verification, and Learning (IMVL), P5, New York, United States, UNCDF [Open to internal and external applicants]

This vacancy follows a tiered application process: Tier 0 (UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff with permanent or fixed-term appointments whose posts will be abolished or contracts terminated/non-renewed in 2026), Tier 1 (other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV permanent/fixed-term staff), Tier 2 (temporary appointments, regular PSA contracts, Expert/Specialist UN Volunteers), Tier 3 (all other contract types and external candidates). Verify the tier indicated in the vacancy title and confirm your eligibility before applying.

About the role

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) was established by General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) as an autonomous UN organization. UNCDF assists developing countries, especially least developed countries, by supplementing capital assistance through grants, loans, and guarantees. Its vision is to mobilize and catalyze increased capital flows for SDG-impactful investments to address pressing development challenges in vulnerable communities, contributing to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity. As the UN's flagship catalytic blended financing platform, UNCDF deploys grants, loans, and guarantees to crowd in finance for scaling development impact, focusing on SME Finance, Sub-National Finance, and Digital Finance.

UNCDF operates as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution, providing targeted technical and financial advisory services, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial de-risking, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG-aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UN organizations, international and local finance institutions, development finance institutions, foundations, and philanthropy. UNCDF develops local financial systems, new markets, and mobilizes capital from public and private sources.

UNCDF's organizational structure includes the Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD), and the Directorate of the Executive Office. Staff are located in regional hubs in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya), and Bangkok (Thailand), with sub-regional presence in the Caribbean and Pacific. The Executive Secretary is based in New York, USA. The UNDP Administrator serves as UNCDF Managing Director, and UNCDF is overseen by an Executive Board of UN Member States.

The Head of Impact Measurement, Verification and Learning (IMVL) is based in New York, United States, with occasional travel required. UNCDF staff may be periodically redeployed to different regional hubs or headquarters as needed, subject to capability, consent, and due process. UNCDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions; personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams to enhance horizontal collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead Strategic Impact Intelligence, Portfolio Insight, Knowledge Management, Thought Leadership, and IMVL Data Systems and Digital Tools:
  • Lead development and provision of forward-looking intelligence that informs investment strategy, pipeline development, and portfolio performance.
  • Lead development of impact intelligence products to support strategy and investment decisions.
  • Lead analysis of sectoral, geographic, and thematic trends relevant to blended finance and impact investing.
  • Lead development of impact theories aligned with organizational priorities as defined in the UNCDF Strategic Framework.
  • Lead development, production, and dissemination of portfolio-level impact insights to inform resource allocation and risk management.
  • Lead institutionalization of learning and contributions to sector-wide knowledge.
  • Lead development of internal guidance materials and technical notes.
  • Oversee and ensure development and maintenance of repositories of lessons learned and best practices.
  • Lead production of thematic briefs and research outputs and ensure support and contributions to publication of case studies.
  • Promote innovation in impact methodologies.
  • Ensure reliable infrastructure for collecting, managing, and analyzing impact data and coordinate with Corporate IT on the development and maintenance of impact data platforms.
  • Lead definition of system requirements for data collection and reporting and ensure data interoperability across programs and investments.
  • Lead support to visualization tools and dashboards.
  • Oversee and ensure IMVL data governance standards.
• Lead the Impact Verification, Measurement and Assurance function:
  • Ensure robust, standardized, and practical measurement of impact across UNCDF investments and programs.
  • Lead development of impact intelligence products to support strategy and investment decisions.
  • Analyze sectoral, geographic, and thematic trends relevant to blended finance and impact investing.
  • Lead development of impact theses aligned with institutional priorities (e.g., climate resilience, financial inclusion, gender equality).
  • Lead development and production of portfolio-level impact insights to inform resource allocation and risk management.
  • Lead integration of contextual intelligence (fragility, climate vulnerability, market gaps) into decision frameworks.
  • Ensure support to due diligence by assessing theory of change coherence, environmental and social safeguards adherence, and expected development outcomes.
  • Safeguard the credibility, integrity, and reliability of reported impact results.
  • Lead verification of impact data reported by investees and partners.
  • Oversee and ensure periodic data quality audits, spot checking, and validation exercises.
  • Lead development and consistent organization-wide implementation of impact assurance protocols.
  • Manage relationships with external verification partners where applicable.
  • Lead identification of risks related to impact overstatement or data gaps.
  • Oversee and ensure traceability from reported outcomes to source evidence.
• Lead Evaluation and Learning (MEL):
  • Lead development and dissemination of actionable learning through structured evaluation of UNCDF investments and programs.
  • Oversee the UNCDF evaluation function.
  • Lead development of evaluation frameworks suited to blended finance models.
  • Oversee the carrying out of midterm, final, and ex post evaluations.
  • Commission and supervise external evaluators.
  • Ensure integration of learning loops into program and investment design.
  • Lead translation of evaluation findings into practical recommendations.
• Lead Governance, Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement:
  • Ensure accurate, credible reporting to internal leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Lead preparation of impact reports for senior leadership, donors, and investors.
  • Lead support to reporting against development and Strategic Framework commitments.
  • Ensure alignment between reported results and verified evidence.
  • Lead IMVL contributions to UNCDF annual reports, impact disclosures, and strategic reviews.
  • Lead development of briefing materials on impact results for the UNCDF Executive Secretary, Managing Director, and Executive Board.
  • Ensure productive relationships with internal and external partners contributing to impact outcomes.
  • Coordinate with investment teams to integrate impact into decision-making, including participation in the UNCDF Investment and Disbursement Impact Committee, to ensure that the approval of new projects/programs meets expected standards for impact measurement and evaluation.
  • Liaise with investees to strengthen their measurement capacity.
  • Engage donors, development partners, and co-investors on impact matters.
  • Represent the organization in technical working groups.
• Provide Effective IMVL Team Leadership & Coordination:
  • Lead a small team of staff and consultants delivering high-quality analytical and technical outputs.
  • Develop and manage the IMVL annual work plans, ensuring that all planned deliverables meet time and quality expectations.
  • Supervise and mentor IMVL team, assigning workloads and ensuring efficient task management.
  • Set performance expectations and development plans.
  • Build team capacity in evaluation methods and data analytics.
  • Maintain a collaborative, results-oriented team culture.
• Perform other duties within the functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office.