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.

Our 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.

Office/Unit/Project Description

More than half of all livelihoods in India is primarily dependent on agriculture. A massive 54.6% of the total workforce is engaged in agricultural and allied sector activities and 57% of the rural households are directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, the agricultural sector is facing various challenges like small landholding, declining productivity, rising input costs, declining farm income, the adverse impact of climate change, and decline in the percentage share of workers engaged in the agriculture sector. Agricultural production shocks have huge social and financial repercussions, impacting rural income levels, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and poverty rates.

The Government of India’s flagship schemes Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and KCC/MISS have become important tools to strengthen the resilience of Indian farmers. The schemes ensure maximum benefits for the farmers by providing financial risk protection against natural calamities and catastrophic events including pests, climate uncertainties and environmental shocks. Apart from providing comprehensive risk coverage for the entire crop cycle, PMFBY also enables direct claim transfer into farmers’ accounts through e-remittance. Additionally, to address agrarian distress, Kisan Credit Card/ Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) was introduced by the Government of India to provide cheap and hassle-free credit for millions of farmers and to ensure continued investment into agriculture to bring in mechanization, modernize agriculture practices and eventually enhance productivity.

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”. UNDP leverages its expertise in systems strengthening to support the Ministry of Agriculture through setting up of Central Program Management Unit (CPMU) for the implementation of PMFBY and KCC, to improve institutional and programme responsiveness, increase coverage and better access among marginalized and excluded farm households, offering innovative measures and support mechanisms for Agri-value chain financing, risk management and reduced crop loss.

Duties and Responsibilities

Main Purpose:

The Product R&D & Compliance Analyst – Technical Support Unit will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the National Programme Director-TSU. S/He will ensure engagement of all direct stakeholders and delivery of project objectives, in coordination with the Joint Secretary & CEO, DoA&FW, MoA&FW when needed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Should be able to review current digital banking infra in the country and give inputs for enhancement of use of channels for transactions related to agriculture and ancillary activities;
Support ministry in digitization of disbursement of benefits under crop insurance and agriculture credit schemes in the country;
Assessment of the digitization needs under crop insurance and agriculture credit schemes and mechanisms for digital transformation of service delivery;
Working with Financial Institutions, States, Bankers, Fintech/agri-tech entities and other
Stakeholders for inputs and product re-design and innovation;
Liaison with international banking, financial institution and experts to draw on international best practices for improvement in rural digital banking infra of the country;
Review current business practices and procedures inside and outside India to identify key risk factors of digital banking;
Provide high level assistance to the Stakeholders including states, banks, fintech/agri-tech entities for the smooth implementation of various direct benefit Scheme;
Should understand loopholes in the payment system, fraudulent transactions, current phishing scams and accordingly share inputs for bridging the gap in this regard;
Perform any other tasks consistent with the level of the post and/ or assigned by the NPD – TSU.

Institutional Arrangement

Direct Reporting To1: Agri Finance and R&D Specialist (NPSA 10)
Overall Reporting To2: National Programme Director (NPSA 11)
Reportees to this position (if applicable): N.A

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

Event planning and execution:

Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP’s overall brand and mandate.

Emerging partnerships:

Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.

Financial reporting and analysis:

Understands changes in regulatory, legal and ethical frameworks and standards for financial reporting in the public sector.

Ability to extract, evaluate financial data, derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful and coherent manner to facilitate effective decision making and performance monitoring.

Understands the benefits of integrated reporting, including non-financial resources such as human, social and intellectual capital, and environmental and governance performance.

Technology and data in Finance:

Ability to understand developments, opportunities and challenges in technology relating to public finance.

Commercial understanding within the public sector:

Understands the role, importance and accounting practices for commercial activities. Understands income generation options and related risk and reward.

Understands the importance of commercial suppliers to the public sector and evaluating their financial resilience. Is adept with private sector accounts and their use within commercial offshoots and subsidiaries.

Possesses influence and negotiation skills and can facilitate and engage with ‘productive competitive dialogue’.

Understands the procurement cycle and the scope and features of good contract management.

Business Acumen:

Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome.

Digital Awareness and Literacy:

Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Banking, Finance or B. Tech or M. Tech or MBA or closely related field or Bachelor’s Degree with additional years of experience will be given due consideration.

Experience:

Essential

Minimum of 4 years (post Bachelor) and minimum of 2 years (post Masters’) of relevance experience in banking, general finance, agriculture or MSME finance, Monitoring and Evaluation in national /international projects.

Desirable

Additional years professional relevant experience in state, national/international projects;
Relevant Experience at the national level working with Governments and private entities in the insurance sector;
Have working experience with any of financial industryregulator of the country, i.e., RBI, SEBI, NABARD etc;
Have worked in the field of agri research with ICAR, CSIR, Agriculture/Horticulture universities;
Relevant Experience at the state, national level working with Governments and private entities in the banking/finance sector;
Experience to work with Information technology Dept., Digital payment dept. of any bank or financial institution working in the field of payment system in the country;
Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the organization;
Broad based knowledge current rural insurance and finance;
Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and requirements of the post with excellence;
Possesses the capacity for strategic planning, result – based management and reporting;
Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the organization.

Required Language(s)

Excellent oral and writing skills in English and Hindi

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