International Analyst in Sustainable Rural Development [Open to internal and external applicants]

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Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in more than 170 countries and territories, providing assistance to develop policies, leadership skills and partnerships, institutional capacities, and resilience-building, thereby fostering development. In Colombia, it operates in 32 departments and 360 municipalities.

UNDP is one of the 26 United Nations Agencies, Funds, and Programmes in Colombia, contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. The UNDP Country Programme Document 2025–2027 seeks to support the efforts of the Government of Colombia in the transition toward peace and the consolidation of its position as an upper-middle-income country, through four priority areas:

At the programmatic level, UNDP Colombia is organized into two Clusters and five Portfolios: the Inclusive Sustainable Development Cluster, which includes the Sustainable Development Portfolio and the Productive Inclusion and Social Protection Portfolio; and the Peacebuilding and Inclusive Governance Cluster, which brings together the Democratic Governance Portfolio, the Peacebuilding Portfolio, and the Crisis Response and Rule of Law Portfolio.

From the area of Sustainable Development, UNDP Colombia focuses its actions to contribute to the economic and social development of the country to be environmentally sustainable and improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable and excluded population, promoting the development of the 2030 Agenda and the objectives of sustainable development at local, regional and national level with an environmental view of the territory, from 5 lines of work: reduction of vulnerability to climate change, improvement of the environmental sustainability of productive processes, increase of environmental governance in natural resource management, promotion of the sustainable use of biodiversity and territorial peace with environmental sustainability.

The project "Income increase for small rural farmers, through value chain strengthening in two PDET regions: Montes de María and South of Córdoba – Cosechando igualdad y sostenibilidad" is a partnership between the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Colombia, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with the objective of increasing the income of small-scale producer’s families in the PDET regions of Montes de María and Sur de Córdoba. To achieve this objective, the prioritized value chains (cacao, corn, yam, cassava and plantain) will be strengthened, improving the productive, climate change adaptation, commercial and organizational capacities of at least 40 organizations and 2,400 families of small-scale rural producers, mainstreaming the gender approach throughout all stages of the project.

In this context, the project is seeking an International Analyst in Sustainable Rural Development, who will play a key role in fostering strong relationships with relevant Korean institutions to ensure the sustainability of the project. This Analyst will contribute to structuring new initiatives for scaling up results, strengthening the technical development of the project’s cross-cutting approaches, and advising on the management, analysis, and quality assurance of project data. Given the need for effective collaboration with Korean institutions, excellent communication skills, a solid understanding of Korean culture and institutional dynamics, and proficiency in the Korean language are essential. The Analyst will work closely with UNDP technical leaders and other relevant partners to achieve these goals.

Scope of work 

Summary of key functions

The International Analyst in Sustainable Rural Development is expected to perform the following key tasks:

A. Support for the management, coordination and implementation of projects.

B. Technical development of the project's cross-cutting approaches

C. Quality assurance, project monitoring and evaluation

D. Support the creation, sharing, and development of capacities relevant to the project.

Perform other activities related to the achievement of project results and the field of sustainable rural development.

Institutional arrangement

The day-to-day work of the International Analyst on Sustainable Rural Development will be guided in general by the UNDP Resident Representative and jointly supervised by the National Sustainable Development Manager and the Chief Project Analyst. The outputs arising from the functions of the International Analyst on Sustainable Rural Development may be considered in consultation with relevant partners such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development-MADR, the Rural Development Agency-ADR and other relevant UNDP technical staff. This work will be carried out in close cooperation with KOICA. The core activities outlined in this document have been structured based on the approved project document.

The evaluation of the International Analyst on Sustainable Rural Development will be managed by the National Sustainable Development Manager and the Resident Representative (RR).

Competencies

Core

Cross-functional and technical competencies

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

Minimum education requirements              

Minimum years of relevant work experience       

Skills required               

Skills desired in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Required language(s)             

The expected duration of the contract is 8 months, with a possible extension for a maximum period, subject to performance and project needs.

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.

Scam alert

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