Project Management Support Specialist-Home Based-[Open to All Applicants]

Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you hold the applicable contract as defined below.

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026 
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)  
• Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development within 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 headquarters, regional hubs, 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 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) is responsible for developing all relevant policies and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to country offices, advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder forums including public-private dialogues and government-civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination on specific thematic areas. BPPS collaborates closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau to support emergency and crisis response, ensuring that risk considerations are fully integrated into development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and its partners in achieving higher-quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with innovative, knowledge-driven programme support efforts.
The 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development, addressing issues such as widening economic and social inequalities, the climate crisis, rapid urbanization, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis), the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, and emerging health threats. Delivering health and well-being for all demands innovative partnerships and financing. As affirmed in the Political Declaration of the 2019 High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), partners like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and others are critical to achieving the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. The Stronger Collaboration, Better Health: Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All outlines how multilateral health, development, and humanitarian agencies, including UNDP, will collaborate to support countries in delivering UHC and achieving health-related SDG targets.

UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund, in alignment with UNDP’s HIV, Health, and Development Strategy, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs, and the pledge to leave no one behind. 
As a long-standing partner of the Global Fund, UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions delivering health services. Since 2003, as an interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 51 countries, UNDP has achieved significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability form the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach, enabling countries with significant capacity constraints to manage large-scale health programmes. By offering technical assistance during all implementation phases, strengthening legislation, policies, and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities in critical areas like financial management, health information systems, procurement, and supply chain management, UNDP ensures sustainable transitions to national entities. UNDP’s track record as PR over the past 20 years underscores its capacity to deliver in challenging environments, solidifying its positioning as a health implementation support partner. 
In addition, following UNDP’s accreditation to Pandemic Fund (PF) as Implementing Entity (IE), UNDP is planning to support eligible COs in submitting application to the PF on pandemic preparedness and response, leveraging its expertise, partnerships, and systems developed through longstanding collaboration with the Global Fund and other health partners. The Fund’s objectives center on fostering multisectoral collaboration, integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives—and supporting projects that address the links between environmental change, climate risks, and human health outcomes. By mobilizing resources and coordinating with government agencies, multilateral organizations, and technical partners, the Pandemic Fund aims to enhance resilience, promote sustainable resource management, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative, cross-sectoral approaches to pandemic preparedness. UNDP’s involvement will ensure effective grant management, capacity development, and alignment with global health strategies, positioning the organization as a key technical partner in the international response to emerging health threats.
 

A critical role of the Global Fund Partnership Team is to support Country Offices (COs) with tools, methodologies, learning materials, and expertise for capacity development, fostering resilient and sustainable systems for health, and promoting knowledge building and management, focusing on communication and information sharing across country offices (COs) and regions, and with UNDP’s health and development partners.
The recently approved Scaling Smart Health Systems (SHS): Accelerating SDG Progress global project, is being advanced under UNDP’s Large Project Development Facility (LPDF) and operationalized by the Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST), in coordination with the Sustainable Energy and the Sustainable Finance Hubs. Launched by the Administrator in 2025, the LPDF’s purpose is to catalyze large-scale initiatives with a minimum valuation of US$100 million that can deliver significant development outcomes while strengthening partnerships and generating sustainable revenue. 
Global health systems face critical challenges: unreliable electricity, inefficient medical supply chains, limited digital connectivity, conflict and increasing climate vulnerabilities. SHS responds by integrating climate-smart infrastructure, digital health solutions, and innovative financing to build equitable, resilient and sustainable health systems. Anchored on a decade of proven success—solarizing over 1,500 health facilities, securing cold chains for vaccines, and scaling digital health platforms—SHS is now poised to expand to at least 20 countries over the next four years. 
SHS represents a UNDP integration solution reflecting BPPS and BMS partnership to accelerate pipeline development by working at the intersection of Health-Climate (change), Green Energy & Environment, leveraging innovative financial mechanisms and enabled by Digital & AI and Data Governance. In full alignment with the new UNDP Strategic Plan, SHS stands as a practical demonstration of a systems-based approach, transforming the delivery and sustainability of healthcare to promote improved health outcomes and equity. This ensures that health systems become more environmentally friendly, inclusive, and resilient to future challenges. Through these efforts, SHS not only supports human development but also advances climate action, driving the fundamental changes necessary for enduring prosperity, greater inclusion, and overall well-being
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day operations and implementation of project activities:

• Ensure the timely and efficient delivery of project outputs and products, as per the Initiation Plan and/or Project Document, leading to the achievement of expected results.
• Support developing project documents and related revisions as an adaptative management may require, in line with UNDP Programme and Project Management (PPM).
• Exercise close monitoring of project activities and produce monitoring reports, as applicable.
• Contribute to developing periodic narrative progress and final reports, as requested. Efficient  management of the project financial resources, including budgeting and budget revisions, as well as expenditure tracking and reporting, in coordination with the Finance specialist allocated to the project.
• Continuously record and maintain project issues and risks and suggest mitigation measures, as well as provide support to keep the project updated in Quantum and Quantum plus, checking the coherence with the integrated project dashboard.
• Maintain a close collaboration with other related UNDP programmes to ensure synergies and complementarities.

Develop and foster the establishment and maintenance of strong technical and strategic partnerships, and support resource mobilization focusing on the key responsibilities:

• Contribute to the the development and maintain systematic engagement with different donors targeted by the SHS project and other health and project partners to ensure UNDP’s effective engagement as a key technical health partner including, on the impact of integrated and cross-sector responses to strengthen health systems at technical levels in coordination with different units and teams in UNDP and project related UN Agencies;
• Support the management of the day-to-day technical relationships with the project partners to ensure UNDP enjoys maximum benefits in the implementation of Global Fund and other health projects, to inform strong pipeline creation and/or implementation;
• Participate in relevant technical meetings with partners and project related technical working groups to inform UNDP’s policies and procedures and guidance to Country Offices and support resource mobilization efforts.
• Substantively contribute to project communications and visibility efforts. Make recommendations to the management team on activities with potential for scale-up, replicability and synergies.
• Support the identification, dissemination, and systematic tracking of resource mobilization opportunities through a maintained database.

Provide technical advice and quality assurance to UNDP Country Offices in designing concepts for scale, that may complement ongoing projects and/or create new ones:

• Provide technical advisory support, guidance and advocacy to Country Offices in designing concepts for scale, that may complement ongoing projects and/or create new ones. This includes on feasibility and risk analysis of new initiatives in compliance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures and Grant Agreements per donor.
• Provide technical advisory support to ensure linkages of ongoing projects funded by The Global Fund and other donors, with other projects for the effective use of resources, ensuring synergies and avoiding duplication. 
• Liaise with different UNDP teams (Health, Energy, Climate, Finance, Governance, etc) at global and regional levels, to coordinate and facilitate support to COs in the relevant priority areas agreed for each region.

Ensure knowledge sharing and development of systems and tools for effective management of SHS project, and capacity development of national entities focusing on the key responsibilities:

• Support in coordinating the exchange of information internally and between relevant project  stakeholders.
• Ensure timely and proper documentation of the programme implementation process and products produced in accordance with the UNDP guides.
• Ensure high quality information and visibility of the programme activities to the mass media and stakeholders and support mechanisms for exchange of information, experience and lessons learned at the local, national, and as required at international levels.
• Capture and disseminate good practices locally, nationally and as required internationally.

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

Key Results:
The key results have a direct impact on the overall successful achievement of the SHS Project.  Accurate analysis and presentation of information enhance UNDP’s position as a strong development partner.

Institutional Arrangement
This post will report to the Programme Specialist, manager of the SHS project, in the Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (BPPS/HHG/GFPHST), who is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.  
The role will require close collaboration with different teams in UNDP and other UN Agencies to support the expected results at global scale, within the frame of the new UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029.
 

Competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-functional and technical competencies

Business Development and Strategy    

• System Thinking    Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Development and Strategy

• Negotiate and Influence    Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations.

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 and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.

Business Management    Results-based Management    

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results.

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.

Partnership Management  Relationship Management

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Social Science, Business Management, Communications, or related area is required. OR
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in the public or private sectors with increasing level of responsibility in managerial positions, is required.
• Experience in developing successful pitch/concepts/project proposals.
• Experience in providing technical support to countries, governments and development partners.
• Experience and broad knowledge of UNDP and/or the UN system in general is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in working with health infrastructure projects and related technology is desired.
• Experience working in different sectors is desirable.
• Familiarity with Global Fundʼs policies and knowledge products is desired.
• Experience working with a UN Agency is an asset. 
• Experience in the field is an asset

Language(s) 

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Working knowledge of French and/or Portuguese and/or Spanish is desirable.

Professional Certificates    

• Training and/or certification are areas as project management, communications, economics is desirable.

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. 

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.

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