Job Description

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.

Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments

Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers

Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government, and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data-driven, including in its programme support efforts.

The Quality and Impact Hub aims to expand UNDP’s value position as an accountable, transparent and therefore trusted and neutral development partner. The Impact Hub serves as the corporate custodian and strategist driving continual improvement of UNDP’s institutional architecture that guides UNDP programming. The Impact Hub leads changes in UNDP policy instruments and quality assurance approaches to enable UNDP programming - spanning all funding sources, including core, non-core, and Vertical Funds (VFs) - that is risk-informed, agile, results-focused, and integrates social and environmental risks and opportunities. The Impact Hub brings together two existing units in BPPS: the Vertical Fund Hub (VF Hub), and the Quality Programming Team (QPT - including the Social and Environmental Team (SES) Team) to be the central pillar of trust and transparency in UNDP.

By consolidating policy custodianship, quality assurance, risk management, and results oversight, the Impact Hub will be better able to support UNDP in achieving higher accountability, fostering greater trust with partners, reducing fiduciary risks, being more adaptable, and achieving greater developmental quality and impact. A renewed focus on fit-for-purpose and relevant policies will enable and steer UNDP into new partnerships with the private sector, with IFIs, and with the VFs. The Impact Hub will also institutionalize quality assurance and oversight into UNDP, where risk management, results assurance, and policy coherence operate seamlessly through digital systems, enabling evidence-based decision-making and learning across all UNDP programming. The Impact Hub will drive continuous improvement internally while learning from external engagements with the UNDP Executive Board and Boards of the Vertical Funds amongst others to ensure UNDP remains fit-for-purpose, dynamic, agile and relevant in an ever-changing international development landscape. The Quality and Impact Hub will continue to lead UNDP’s accountability and engagement with the VFs and ensure UNDP VF programming complies with VF policies and requirements, as well as continue to provide financial oversight of VF programming to ensure VF funds are used for their intended purpose as required by the VFs and VF fiduciary management, reporting and auditing as mandated by the VFs.

Position Purpose:

The Programme Analyst will work under the direct supervision of the Director, Quality and Impact Hub to provide data-driven analyses, including on VF performance and resource mobilization, operational support and coordinate integrated programme support across the three sub-teams of the Quality and Impact Hub. The Programme Analyst will work in close collaboration with BPPS HQ colleagues, Regional Bureaus, VF Secretariats and other teams/bureaus and external partners, where required, to address programme-related and operations-related issues and to ensure consistent and high-quality service delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1-Programme Support and Knowledge Management

• Provide support to the various initiatives overseen by the Quality and Impact Hub, including relationship management with the Vertical Funds.
• Coordinate Hub contributions to UNDP internal work planning, annual performance reports, and other internal communication.
• Support coordination of the Quality and Impact Hub with the Planet Hub and Regional Bureaus;
• Support risk reporting to the VF Secretariats;
• Organize meetings, including planning and logistics as needed;
• Prepare correspondence, directives, and comments on behalf of the Director for signature and follow-up when required;
• Prepare and/or compile relevant background materials, briefing notes, presentations, reports, and/or talking points as needed
• Substantively review and critically analyze key documents to ensure all briefs and presentations are complete and accurate;

2-VF Hub data management, use and quality control

• Support all aspects of the vertical fund portfolio risk management globally through anticipatory action, proactive monitoring, data mining and producing analyses of VF business intelligence and business processes, pipeline management and overall workflow;
• Assist with the management of the VF portfolio and pipeline, including tracking and monitoring of key deadlines
• Undertake analyses of data and information from PIMS+, compiling syntheses, reports, charts, tables, graphs, presentations, etc. as required
• Undertake analyses of data and information in Quantum to ensure alignment with PIMS+ as needed
• Support the management of the VF intranet space, and PIMS+ as needed.
• Maintain informal communication channels and networks with BPPS (Planet Hub) colleagues and region-based technical teams to facilitate high-quality data entry and use of PIMS
• Manage standard information flows and protocols between UNDP and the VF Secretariats
• Manage UNDP access and user rights to the VF information portals, follow VF portal updates, and ensure UNDP colleagues are fully informed/trained as appropriate
• Manage quality assurance of UNDP data entered in the VF information portals
• Support with the timely preparation and signature of VF Delegations of Authority, financial authorizations, legal agreements and other relevant documentation for approved Vertical Fund Projects.

3-Administrative Support and Operations

• Coordinate and plan all aspects of the missions for Quality & Impact Hub as requested by the supervisor. This includes: formulating mission travel plans, obtaining management approval, verifying travel budget, obtaining travel authorization, submitting completed travel settlement forms and maintaining files;
• Liaise with the official UNDP travel agency on travel authorizations and issuance of tickets;
• Process travel transactions, handle claims, refunds, reconciliations, and settlements in UNall and Quantum;
• Provide administrative support to conferences, workshops, and retreats upon assignment;
• Oversee logistics, documentation, preparation/review of budget and authorization of expenses;
• Provide budget planning, monitoring, and financial oversight support, including budget revisions in Quantum, budget tracking, and management of budget and contract monitoring tools;
• Ensure budget clearances prior to payments, process invoices and generate management reports;
• Assist in the drafting of TORs, identification and recruitment/procurement of consultants and interns
• Initiate procurement requests for contracts, raise e-requisitions, verify requests for payments, manage contract amendments, and ensure preparation of various consultant performance evaluations;
• Coordinate closely with centralized Business Solutions Hub;
• Identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency for the Hub

4-Facilitate knowledge building and management.

• Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and compile best practices and lessons learned directly linked to the operations of the Hub.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

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 a 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 the 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 :

Business Development -Knowledge Generation: Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

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

Business Management-Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to making sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.
• Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmarks, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of clients, current and upcoming.
• Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate clients' upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management-Communication:

• Communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.

Procurement-Sourcing: Ability to find, evaluate, and engage suppliers of goods and services.

Finance-Budget Management: Ability to support budgetary aspects of the work planning process; drawing and management of team budgets.

Data-Data Analysis: Ability to extract, analyze, and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision-making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business or Public Administration, Finance or other closely related field is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Business or Public Administration, Finance or other closely related field in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of a Master’s Degree.

Experience:

• Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in administration, results management and reporting, and/or knowledge management is required.
• Experience with the UN and UNDP Rules and Regulations is desirable.
• Experience in UNDP travel and/or procurement is desirable.
• Experience with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with online web-based applications is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is desirable.
• Experience using spreadsheet and database packages is desirable.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems and ERP is desirable.
• Experience of working with Environmental Vertical Funds (GEF, GCF, AF, etc.) is desirable.
• Experience in an international organization is desirable. Experience in usage of project/portfolio management software (Microsoft Planner, PIMS etc.) is desired.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in German is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of additional UN languages is an advantage.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed-term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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