Job Description
The Leadership Development Specialist will develop, design and deliver learning solutions for UNDP staff, including key role leadership development programmes, events, workshops and related activities, as well as driving large scale online and when appropriate, blended, programmes as part of the Leaders for 2030 initiative. Partnering across BMS/OHR teams and with organizational partners, the incumbent ensures the integration of an end-to-end blended learning methodology, formulating learning curricula relevant to the organization’s evolving capacity needs in leadership. The incumbent will create learning materials and develop content; design and manage assessments, including the development, implementation and review of feedback for all participants of these learning events; and use available learning technology and platforms in delivering blended and online learning events.
1) Leadership Development:
- Facilitate global leadership development through research, partnerships building, design, curation and delivery of customized learning solutions and events leveraging established leadership development methodologies and tools in accordance with global best practices.
- Manage multiple learning and development interventions as part of the Leaders for 2030 initiative.
- Ensure effective project management for specific target audience deliverables, within project document specifications.
- Under the direction of the HR Manager for Leadership Development, build, influence, and partner with networks including service providers, academic institutions, internal resource persons and learning centres of excellence for product development, service provision, and advocacy.
- Implement tools and resources for coaching, mentoring, assessment and development aligned with corporate needs and overall learning strategy.
- Engage with best-in-class external providers for provision of learning and development solutions supporting leadership development.
- Participates and substantively supports other team members in the procurement processes and provide substantive inputs as necessary.
2) Integration and alignment of the Leaders for 2030 with UNDP business needs:
- Work with business units, HR leaders, and other key stakeholders to distill leadership development requirements necessary to achieve business outcomes; leverage this information to contribute in implementation of leadership development strategies
- Ensure these components are aligned with UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, People for 2030 (UNDP’s People Strategy), the Leaders for 2030 Strategy, UNDP’s Leadership model, and the People Development Strategy
- Contribute to the creation of a corporate learning culture in which UNDP’s leaders drive an contribute to building a learning organization and promote a strong employee experience and value proposition.
- Ensure that UNDP effectively leverages modern learning experience platforms and technologies.
3) Leaders for 2030 Evaluation and Benchmarking:
- Develop and leverage evaluation measures, benchmarks, and scorecards to monitor effectiveness of leadership development programmes and initiatives in line with the People for 2030 Results Framework and its Leadership Excellence focus area.
- Conduct research and benchmarking to ensure strategy, content and delivery model of the leadership development portfolio is positioned to deliver best-in-class results and best value.
4) Communications and Knowledge Management:
- Facilitate (virtual) events or leadership learning programmes.
- Ensure knowledge management and ensure relevant information is readily available on UNDP’s Talent Hub (intranet).
- Communicate and promote UNDP’s leadership development opportunities to various target groups, leveraging a variety of channels and networks.
- Leverage virtual communication and learning technology / tools e.g., Microsoft Suite, TEAMs, Yammer, SharePoint.
Competencies
Core Competencies - UNDP Core Competencies can be found
here.
- 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
- HR - Learning & Development
- Leadership Development: Knowledge of the leadership development theories, concepts and methodologies; ability to apply them in the design and implementation of the leadership development strategies and programmes; ability to advise leaders on their development needs and related strategies.
- L&D Planning: Ability to identify organizational learning priorities aligned with the business strategy using key stakeholder involvement to ensure appropriate learning and optimal return-on-investment.
- L&D Design: Knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional design, learning styles, and learning programmes delivery modalities; ability to identify and design effective learning paths, programmes and initiatives.
- Business Management
- Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
- Communication: Ability to 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.
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master’s degree, in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Learning and Development or any other relevant practice.
Experience:
- A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in the public or private sectors, multilateral organizations, including UN, academia, non-governmental sector, private and corporate companies with an increasing level of responsibility.
- Demonstrated experience and success in design, partnerships building and implementation of leadership and talent development strategies.
- Demonstrated experience in budget management and procurement.
- Proven ability to collaborate with and lead vendors.
- Demonstrated experience in learning impact evaluation.
- Demonstrated experience in leveraging virtual communication and learning technology and tools (e.g., Microsoft Suite, Teams, Yammer, SharePoint)
- Demonstrated experience in (virtual) facilitation of learning programmes and events for various target groups, with excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Commitment to the United Nations system’s mission, vision and values; cultural sensitivity and adaptability
- Previous working experience in the UN system and working with UN country offices desired.
- Professional certifications in HR and leadership development are an asset.
Language:
- Full proficiency in English required.
- Knowledge of another UN language (e.g., French, Spanish) is an asset.
