Mission and objectives

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. As the lead UN development agency, UNDP is well-placed to help implement the Goals through our work in some 170 countries and territories. We support countries in achieving the SDGs through integrated solutions. Today’s complex challenges—from stemming the spread of disease to preventing conflict—cannot be tackled neatly in isolation. For UNDP, this means focusing on systems, root causes and connections between challenges—not just thematic sectors—to build solutions that respond to people’s daily realities. UNDP has been on the ground in 2017, supporting the Government of Egypt and delivering to people the best solutions particularly the most vulnerable, women and youth. Since 2015, 195-member states of the United Nations, including the Government of Egypt, committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, an ambitious action plan that pictures a better world by 2030, with serious commitment from countries to meet the set targets. In terms of policy and partnership development, UNDP is establishing new partnerships with new partners and both local and global levels. UNDP is also keen to strengthen already developed partnerships with different organizations and initiatives that support UNDP mandate.

Context

The Egyptian Red Sea Initiative (ERSI) is a national flagship programme directly implemented by United Nations Development Programme in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment (Egypt) and supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs. ERSI aims to protect and enhance the ecological and economic value of the Red Sea’s globally renowned, climate-resilient coral reef systems by advancing solutions that secure long-term financing and operational sustainability for coral reef conservation—recognizing reefs as a critical biological and economic asset underpinning tourism, fisheries, coastal livelihoods, and local value chains. Within ERSI’s portfolio, the Egyptian Fund for Coral Reefs (EFCR) is a dedicated financing vehicle intended to serve as a blended-finance conservation fund to channel and combine public, private, and philanthropic capital. By deploying concessional and development finance to de-risk investments, EFCR aims to crowd in private capital for projects that protect coral reefs while generating local economic benefits. At this stage, the project team and advisors are consolidating multiple technical inputs and proposals (including comparative examples, partner submissions, and landscape analyses) into a structured evidence base to inform consultations and decision-making on EFCR’s modality, governance, operational model, and feasibility—particularly in relation to national market fit. This assignment provides dedicated support to the EFCR workstream under the supervision of ERSI Project Manager providing direct support to the Senior Investment Consultant, and the Senior Government Engagement Advisor, ensuring a coherent process, strong documentation trail, and timely production of materials required for high-level engagements and technical decisions.

Task Description

Under the supervision of ERSI Project Manager providing direct support to the Senior Investment Consultant, and the Senior Government Engagement Advisor, the UN Volunteer will provide structured research, reporting, documentation, and coordination support to the senior advisors and ERSI PMU, ensuring timely delivery of outputs, well-managed stakeholder engagement processes, and a strong evidence base and documentation trail. The UN Volunteer will perform the following tasks: 1) Research and analytical support • Conduct targeted desk research to support the advisors’ workstreams (e.g., good practices, benchmarks, comparative models, stakeholder mapping inputs, and synthesis of relevant policy/market references). • Prepare concise research briefs (2–4 pages), annotated bibliographies, and synthesis notes to inform decision-making. • Maintain a structured repository of reference materials, links, and key excerpts for easy retrieval. 2) Documentation, drafting, and quality support • Draft and/or consolidate working drafts of key documents (e.g., background sections, context summaries, stakeholder descriptions, process narratives, and annexes), based on guidance and consolidated input from the senior advisors. • Edit, format, and quality-check deliverables for consistency, clarity, and completeness (including version control). • Prepare meeting packs (agenda, participant lists, slide inputs, briefing notes, speaking points) as requested. 3) Stakeholder engagement and coordination • Support planning and coordination of stakeholder engagements led by the senior advisors including invitations, confirmations, briefing notes, attendance lists, and logistics with support from ERSI admin assistant. • Document outcomes through meeting minutes, decisions captured, and action logs with clear owners and timelines. • Maintain and regularly update stakeholder trackers (engagement pipeline, follow-ups, correspondence logs, contact lists). 4) Progress tracking and reporting • Prepare short weekly highlights and a monthly progress memo summarizing accomplishments, pending actions, and next steps. • Support compilation of reporting inputs requested by ERSI PMU/UNDP (as relevant to these workstreams). • Coordinate with other ERSI team members/consultants to gather inputs needed for the advisors’ deliverables (e.g., technical notes, data points, updated status). • Ensure timely circulation of drafts for review, consolidation of comments, and documentation of final approvals.

Competencies and values

• Achieve Results • Think Innovatively • Learn Continuously • Adapt with Agility • Act with Determination • Engage and Partner • Enable Diversity and Inclusion • Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

The position will be based in Cairo, with potential travel to Red Sea governorates and other locations as required. Cairo, Egypt is a family duty station with a wide range of services (health, education and leisure) and good living conditions. It has long been a center of the region’s political and cultural life, with high levels of tourism. Like other similar cities, Cairo offers good quality of life in terms of access to shopping centers, banks, medical services, educational facilities, cultural events, etc. The Arab Republic of Egypt has a unique geographical position in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea, and its connection to Sub Saharan Africa through the Nile Valley. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos The UN Specialist Volunteer receives the following package: • Volunteer Living Allowance (USD 1,306.5/Month) • Entry Lump-Sum = USD 400 (one-time payment) • Exit Lump-Sum upon completion of contract. • Medical and life Insurance premium/Cigna (100%) and dependents policy. • Access to UNV E-Campus for training and learning including access to LinkedIn learning. Further entitlements and information available at: https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service