Young Professional – Inclusive Value Chains

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. 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), which comes into effect in 2023, 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. 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 behaviour as well as greater industry participation specifically SMEs in the skilling ecosystem. Over the past decade, UNDP India’s value-chain programming has prioritised women’s agency alongside income generation, recognising that increased commercialisation 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), with a Technical Support Unit (TSU) being established within MoRD to support strategic coordination, technical assistance, and implementation oversight. NRLM has already laid strong foundations by linking primary producers to markets and building producer organisations 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.

Under the overall supervision of the National Project Manager - Value Chain Development and Private Sector Partnerships and in close coordination with the Technical Support Unit (TSU) and programme team, the Young Professional – Inclusive Value Chains will support the coordination and implementation of programme activities related to inclusive value chain development under the Market-Led Inclusive Value Chain Development Programme. The UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: - Support planning, coordination, and implementation of programme activities across selected value chains and geographies, including preparation of workplans, tracking of progress, and follow-up with implementing partners. - Assist in coordination with government departments, State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), private sector partners, producer organisations, and other ecosystem stakeholders to facilitate effective programme implementation. - Support organisation of programme meetings, consultations, workshops, training programmes, and stakeholder engagement activities, including preparation of background materials, documentation, and follow-up actions. - Assist in monitoring programme progress, maintaining trackers, compiling data, and supporting preparation of periodic progress reports, briefs, and implementation summaries. - Support documentation of best practices, case studies, and lessons learned related to value chain interventions and inclusive livelihoods. - Provide coordination and logistical support to programme teams and partners to ensure timely delivery of planned outputs. - Support knowledge management and information sharing across programme stakeholders. - Perform other related duties as required to support effective programme implementation.