Project Analyst - Capacity Development and Partnerships

Project Analyst – Capacity Development and Partnerships

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

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

Background

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development. Together with the Government of India and development partners, we have worked towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, strengthening local governance, enhancing community resilience, protecting the environment, supporting policy initiatives and institutional reforms, and accelerating sustainable development for all.

With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to supporting the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.
UNDP India’s new Country Programme (2023-2027) builds on our prior work and aims to provide an integrated approach to development solutions in three strategic portfolios:

• Strong, accountable and evidence-led institutions for accelerated achievement of the SDGs.
• Enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized.
• Climate-smart solutions, sustainable ecosystems and resilient development for reduced vulnerability.

South-South cooperation, gender equality and social inclusion are promoted across the pillars. The programme is supported by a framework of renewed partnerships and blended finance solutions, strategic innovation and accelerator labs, and data and digital architecture.
You are invited to join a team of future-smart development professionals to support India in achieving the national and globally agreed goals. As part of the UNDP team, your focus will be to work with diverse stakeholders to find country-specific solutions that lead to sustainable development and reach those furthest behind first.

Project Description

UNDP’s Country Programme Document (2023-2027) intended outcome 2 states that “By 2027, people will benefit from and contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth through higher productivity, competitiveness and diversification in economic activities that create decent work, livelihoods, and income particularly for youth and women”. The Sustainable and Inclusive Growth portfolio is aligned to outcome 2 of the UNDP country plan. The focus of the portfolio is enhanced economic opportunities and social protection to reduce inequality, with a focus on the marginalized communities across the country.
Under the portfolio, there are several projects being implemented Across different thematic areas such as Skills, Jobs and Sustainable Livelihoods, Women Entrepreneurship and Youth Innovation, Accessible and Inclusive Social and Risks protection Mechanism, Care Economy with focus on:

• Socio-economic empowerment and resilience building of marginalized and vulnerable populations through bridging the information gap, building managerial, financial, and digital capacities and improving access to opportunities.
• Support unlocking the full impact of public supports schemes– Agri Insurance & Credit, Social protection, Forest Rights and Entitlements, Skill India, NULM with improved Institutional Capacity, Service Delivery and Enhanced Coverage
• Confront the significant barriers and stigma faced by women and girls, enhance agency and promote inclusive workplace.
• Promote responsible business behavior as well as greater industry participation specifically SMEs in the skilling ecosystem.

Over the past decade, UNDP India’s value-chain programming has prioritized women’s agency alongside income generation, recognizing that increased commercialization can alter intra-household and enterprise- level control over assets and decision-making. Accordingly, interventions have sought to address not only market access and productivity, but also women’s roles, voice, and bargaining power across the value chain, with particular attention to ownership, leadership, and decision-making at household, collective, and enterprise levels. Programmes such as DISHA built gender-transformative roles like Women Sourcing Managers (WSMs) and Women Business Managers (WBMs) that place rural women at the heart of procurement, quality, pricing, logistics and enterprise management across FPOs and producer groups.

Building on its past work, UNDP is implementing a new project i.e. “Market Led Inclusive Value Chain Development” to significantly strengthen women's economic empowerment, improving outcomes such as incomes, asset ownership, productivity, and savings. Overall goal of the planned project is “resilient, equitable and inclusive value chain, which ensures sustainable livelihood and increased income for rural households, particularly women SHG/ collective members”. The approach is to facilitate integration of gender-responsive strategies throughout all stages of the value chain, not just isolated initiatives.

The project is anchored with the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). NRLM has already laid strong foundations by linking primary producers to markets and building producer organizations at scale. Building on these models, UNDP, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, will work across select value chains and states to further enhance women’s agency –particularly in post-harvest operations, processing, branding, and market engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting To: National Programme Manager, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Unit, UNDP India
Reportees to this position (if applicable): N.A. 

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the National Programme Manager, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth Unit, the Project Analyst – Capacity Development and Partnerships and in collaboration with National Project Manager - Value Chain Development and Private Sector Partnerships will provide analytical, coordination, and project management support for programme implementation. The position will support planning, coordination, and results-oriented implementation of programme activities across selected states and value chains, working closely with central and state government counterparts, implementing partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.
The main purpose of the position is to support UNDP and the Ministry of Rural Development in the planning, coordination, and effective implementation of programme activities under the Market-Led Inclusive Value Chain Development Programme. The Project Analyst – Capacity Development and Partnerships will work across programme components, including but not limited to capacity development, to strengthen delivery, sustainability, and scale of interventions.

Activity Planning, Coordination, and Implementation

• Contribute to annual and quarterly work planning, implementation schedules, and development of specific interventions under the programme.
• Support monitoring of programme activities in project locations, provide technical and coordination support, and contribute to timely achievement of programme targets (both quantitative and qualitative).
• Coordinate with on-ground partners, technical agencies, and SRLM teams to ensure timely and good-quality delivery of outputs.
• Support identification of appropriate local partners, technical support agencies, and government departments, and assist in reviewing and monitoring on-field activities of implementing partners.
• Facilitate regular communication with government counterparts, partners, and the National Programme Manager, with a focus on sustainability and problem-solving. Provide day-to-day project management support related to partner coordination, timelines, deliverables, documentation, and follow-up.
• Support preparation of meeting notes, action trackers, and internal coordination materials.
• Coordinate closely with TSU experts and other programme team members to ensure coherence across workstreams.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Management

• Liaise with relevant stakeholders including MoRD, SRLMs, financial institutions, private sector actors, civil society organisations, academia, skilling agencies, and UN partners to ensure smooth implementation and strengthen partnerships.
• Support organisation of meetings, consultations, workshops, exposure visits, and capacity- building events.
• Support maintenance of partnership records and follow-up actions.

Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening

• Support design, adaptation, and rollout of training and capacity-building interventions for women SHGs, producer groups (PG), and women-led FPOs, aligned with value chain priorities.
• Support post-training, handholding and application of skills at enterprise and institutional levels.
• Support alignment of selected training modules with NSQF and relevant central and state skilling schemes, and document convergence opportunities and constraints.
• Support development and coordination of detailed intervention plans for priority value chains (e.g., Honey & Beekeeping, Millets), as per programme priorities.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management

• Prepare and contribute to monthly updates, periodic progress reports, and analytical briefs for UNDP, MoRD, and partners.
• Support documentation of best practices, case studies, and lessons learned.
• Contribute to programme knowledge products and learning processes, in coordination with the Communications Specialist.
• Support review of risks, data management, and implementation challenges to inform adaptive programme management.

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

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: Level 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• 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:

Business Management    

• Project Management. Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.    
• Risk Management. Identify and organize action around reducing, proactively managing risks.    mitigating and    
• Monitoring and Evaluation. Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented
  effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
  Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an
  independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.    

Partnership Management    

• Private sector Engagement. Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector.       

2030 Agenda 

• Gender-People. Inclusive economies and the economic empowerment of women   

Business Direction & Strategy    

• System Thinking. Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system.    
• Negotiation and Influence. Reach a common understanding/agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.     

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Development Studies, Rural Management, Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Gender Studies, or related fields is required, or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• Applicants with a 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 relevant professional experience in any development sector organizations, government, think tank/research organizations.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section    

• Demonstrated experience in planning, coordinating, and implementing capacity development interventions, including training programmes, post-training handholding, and institutional strengthening initiatives within livelihoods and value chain contexts.
• Experience working effectively with government-led programmes and systems, including coordination with central and state government institutions, and alignment with national and state missions and frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience in multi-stakeholder engagement and partnership coordination, including collaboration with civil society organisations, private sector actors, skilling institutions, and development partners.
• Experience in documentation and reporting, with the ability to prepare analytical briefs, progress updates, technical notes, and knowledge products to support programme monitoring, learning, and accountability.
• Experience working on agricultural or allied value chain development initiatives, particularly those involving SHGs, producer collectives, or FPOs.
• Experience scaling or system-level capacity development efforts (e.g., integration with national missions, skilling frameworks, or institutional reform processes).
• Experience to gender-responsive, climate-resilient livelihoods, or women’s economic empowerment programmes

Required Language(s)   

• Fluency in English and Hindi 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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

Experience Level

Mid Level