What are the main activities/tasks you are working on? What is a day at the office/in the field like? 

I currently work as a Partnerships Analyst with UNDP’s Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA). I am part of the Public Partnerships Group, particularly a team focused on the partnership with OECD-DAC donors. My work is to manage the day-to-day partnership with a portfolio of donor governments, which includes being up to date on political, social, and economic developments that may have an impact on the UN/UNDP; arranging senior management engagements with counterparts from those countries; preparing briefings and intelligence notes to support UNDP’s positioning in key events and fora; and developing engagement strategies that are aligned with UNDPs Strategic Plan, among others.

In your day-to-day work, what SDG(s) are you helping to implement? 

Due to the nature of my position, the most obvious one would be SDG 17 “Partnerships for the goals”. However, as a central bureau, in BERA we support thematic and regional teams to position their work with our partners, and UNDP has a very diverse programmatic offer, so most SDGs are impacted by our work indirectly as well.

What is the most challenging project that you have worked on/are working on? 

I don’t currently deal with projects per se. However, I believe one of the most challenging parts of my work is advocating for core funding. In the current context, where Official Development Assistance budgets are facing cuts worldwide, it is more important than ever to make the case for unearmarked funding as it is a key enabler of UNDP’s delivery. In my team, we work hard to convey this message to partners and are constantly looking for ways to diversify UNDP’s donor base as well as new ways to partner. 

What has been the most rewarding experience to date for you at your duty station? (work and/or non-work related) 

Being based in New York is already very stimulating, both personally and professionally. Workwise, it offers you the opportunity to participate in many inter-agency and inter-governmental events and processes. Having had the chance to prepare UNDP engagements around the UNGA and the SDG Summit last year was a truly rewarding experience. It demanded a lot of work and preparation, especially as we also held the Second Regular Session of the Executive Board 2023 around those dates. It was just so interesting to work on the lead-up to it and listen to the interventions made by Member States, as well as to engage in some of the conversations that took place on the sidelines, including at key side events.

What set of skills have you developed most throughout your assignment?

I have realized the importance of soft skills when working with the UN. Particularly, partnership work requires engaging with stakeholders from all kinds of backgrounds, cultures, and interests. Over my time in this assignment, I have also strengthened my analytical skills as I regularly have to quickly understand and summarize lengthy pieces of information about key issues, trends, and strategies and match them with stakeholders’ interests and priorities. 

What piece of advice would you give to those who are considering applying to the JPO Programme? 

The JPO programme offers a fantastic opportunity to gain relevant experience, exposure, and to build networks within the UN system. My advice would be to try to be honest when communicating your aspirations and ambitions and to be patient if it takes time to get where you want to be. 

How do you feel your JPO assignment will influence your career choices/opportunities within the UN? 

In my case, working in an HQ setting has proven to be extremely interesting, given that many key events, negotiations, and discussions take place in New York as I mentioned. This experience has shown me how much your career journey is shaped based on the context you are in; even the same organization can have a different culture depending on the duty station. Recently, I had the opportunity to undertake a brief assignment at the Panama Regional Hub, where I learned a lot just by being exposed to the interesting work of colleagues, primarily with the inclusive growth team. I think it is vital to keep in mind that the work we deliver is for the people in the countries where we serve, so my assignment has made me even more aware of the importance of effectively liaising between the country offices, regional and HQ levels. 

Do you feel that you are part of a community of purpose?

I feel overall very privileged to be part of UNDP. Most of the people I’ve had the chance to work with over the years have a strong sense of purpose and are here because they believe in the organization’s capacity to have a positive impact on people’s lives. This is not an easy attitude to keep these days!

What is the biggest motivator for you when it comes to your work?

I am lucky to enjoy the work I do and the people I work with, and I am motivated by the alignment between the values of the organization and my own. 

In what ways do you feel you are part of an organization that fosters people’s development?

I have worked with UNDP for some time now, and I see the increased efforts of the organization to provide people with career development options. As JPOs we have the opportunity to, on top of already available resources, use our Duty-related Travel and Training Allocation (DTTA) in many different ways. The mentoring programme is also a great way of getting to know more about how other colleagues have built up their career paths and reflect on our own. 

If you had to summarize your JPO experience into a couple of brief sentences or less, what you would say?

To me, the JPO experience is an eye-opening one. I think it is also good to remind ourselves of the privilege of being part of the JPO programme. The exposure I’ve gained to the different streams of work of UNDP and its stakeholders has helped me better understand the challenges of serving and delivering in the contexts in which we work. I’m also aware that there is much more to it, and I’m ready to take it one step at a time.