National Coordinator - Tax for SDGs at UNDP

Scope of Work

• UNDP Nigeria is seeking a Tax for SDGs National Coordinator to effectively manage and support the ongoing implementation of the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative and provide support to UNDP Nigeria on tax related engagements as part of the agenda of financing the SDGs in the country.

Key Duties And Accountabilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Strategic and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement
• Policy and Programme Coordination
• Knowledge Management
• Outreach Engagement
• Strategic and Multi-Stakeholder Engagement:
• Support the Head of Inclusive Growth Pillar in embedding the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative in UNDP’s broader INFF and SDG finance portfolio in UNDP Nigeria.
• Lead implementation and multi-stakeholder engagement for the project in Nigeria including engaging with tax experts, bilateral, regional and multilateral organizations, governments (central and local governments).
• Support UNDP Nigeria in building strategic alliances and partnerships with governments, think tanks, academic institutions, development partners and others to expand UNDP’s work on tax and fiscal policy.
• Work with the Head of Strategic Policy and Inclusive Economic Growth (SPIEG) unit to support UNDP COs to learn from the Nigeria experience in designing and implementing Country Engagement Plan (CEP) and in their broader engagement on tax and fiscal policies within the overall project.
• Provide a secretariat and technical support to the Development Partner Group on Tax or Public Finance Management.
• Policy and Programme Coordination:
• Analyze local context and identify potential synergies with UNDP’s policy and development work in-country at national/federal/ sub national level and map out emerging trends and opportunities for the region.
• Provide technical advice to support the implementation of the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative and to backstop tax experts working under the project.
• Identify potential synergies between the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative work of UNDP Nigeria, the UNDP Regional Hub and UNDP Country Offices implementing same Initiative.
• Engage with policymakers on tax and fiscal policy matters and further develop the role of UNDP in taxation in Nigeria.
• Coordinate the development of policy papers to promote understanding and integration of tax and fiscal policies and SDG issues.
• Support the Head of Strategic and Inclusive Economic Growth (SPIEG) unit in relevant analytical and policy-oriented work on tax policy and administration, and on technical tax topics.
• Draft internal UNDP briefing notes and talking points for Senior Management on UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative.
• Knowledge Management:
• Facilitate setting up the interventions under the project as well as coordinate their implementation as per standard operating procedures, including knowledge capture from past programs.
• Collaborate on evidence collection and lessons learned from other countries, including promoting best practice sharing and peer learning through case studies.
• Collaborate on knowledge management between various stakeholders, including UNDP CO and tax experts.
• Develop concept notes for technical workshops/webinars/side-events for UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative.
• Outreach Engagement
• Collaborate on project communications, including Annual Reports and Newsletters.
• Coordinate the organization of events, including high-level launches of the programs.
• Collaborate on lessons learned from the project activities, including through case studies.
• Develop resources to enhance capacities within UNDP on tax, fiscal policy issues and SDGs.
• Follow technical discussions in other forums and represent UNDP in relevant meetings.
• Perform other duties, as may be required by the Supervisor.

Institutional Arrangement

• The position will be embedded in the Strategic Policy and Inclusive Economic Growth (SPIEG) Unit and work as part of the UNDP Nigeria Country Office. The National Coordinator will report to the Head of the SPIEG unit UNDP Nigeria. The Regional Programme Specialist of UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative will backstop the National Coordinator. Throughout the project, collaboration and coordination with the rest of the UNDP/TIWB Tax team and other teams will be required.

Competencies
Core Competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build and/or /maintain coalitions/partnership.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

Functional/Technical competencies

Business Management

• Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Business Management

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness

• Effectiveness: Project Quality Assurance.

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 on other parts of the system.

Business Direction & Strategy

• Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources.

Business Direction & Strategy: Strategic Thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP's objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions.
• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP.

Business Development: Integration within the UN
 

• Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work.
• Knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.

Education

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced University degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in taxation, law, economics, finance, public policy, or a closely related field is required.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of relevant years of progressively responsible experience working in taxation, public finance management, or domestic resource mobilization for a government or international organization is required.

Required Skills

• Strong record in advising and engaging with international institutions and/ or governments on taxation, public finance management or domestic resource mobilization with involvement in technical work such as producing tax policy proposals, conducting tax audits, or drafting tax regulations.
• Experience in results-oriented based project management.

Desired Skills

• Experience working in and with developing countries in Africa, especially Nigeria.
• Experience of working with UNDP or the UN Development System on matters related to taxation and fiscal policies will be an advantage.
• Excellent knowledge/experience of current debates regarding taxation, fiscal policy and illicit financial flows, and fiscal decentralization in Nigeria.
• Thorough understanding/experience of tax/fiscal policy, tax administration processes.

Language

• Fluency in English and local language is required.