Background

The RBEC Sustainability Facility is hosted within the Office of the Chief Economist at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH), Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia (RBEC). The Facility is a regional, modular policy and investment framework designed to operationalize Article 55 of the UN Charter by accelerating sustainable, inclusive, and climate-informed development across the Europe and Central Asia region. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Sustainability Facility responds to mounting structural challenges facing RBEC economies, including high debt burdens, fiscal constraints, demographic decline, climate risks, and slowing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Facility provides integrated support to UNDP Country Offices through forwardlooking diagnostics, alignment of national planning and financing frameworks, innovative financing instruments, digital and AIenabled monitoring tools, and regional peer learning. 

The Regional Bureau is advancing two strategic and interlinked initiatives: 

  1. The Regional Human Development Report (HDR), which provides forward-looking, policy-relevant analysis on inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development pathways; and 

  1. The Article 55 Facility, a regional analytical and programmatic platform supporting integrated economic, financial, and institutional solutions aligned with sustainable development objectives. 

Both initiatives require strong applied economic analysis, methodological rigor, and close coordination across UNDP regional teams, country offices, and external partners. To support this work, the Office of the Chief Economist seeks to engage an Economist to contribute substantive research, provide quality assurance of analytical outputs, and support technical dialogue and coordination across stakeholders. 

Analytical Research and Knowledge Generation 

  • Conduct applied, policy-relevant economic research contributing to background papers, thematic notes, and analytical chapters for the Regional HDR and the Article 55 Facility. 

  • Support the development of integrated economic and development diagnostics, including linkages between macroeconomic trends, labour markets, social protection systems, financing frameworks, and human development outcomes. 

  • Apply quantitative and mixed-methods approaches, including analysis of macroeconomic indicators, labour market data, household surveys, and administrative datasets, to inform human development analysis. 

  • Contribute to analytical framing, conceptual approaches, and synthesis of evidence across economic, social, and institutional dimensions. 

Quality Assurance and Technical Review 

  • Provide substantive technical review and quality assurance of analytical outputs produced by consultants and partners, including background studies, policy papers, analytical tools, and draft chapters. 

  • Review outputs for analytical rigor, methodological soundness, coherence, and alignment with UNDP frameworks, HDR standards, and regional priorities. 

  • Support consolidation of comments and revisions to ensure consistency and clarity across analytical products. 

 Coordination, Engagement, and Technical Dialogue 

  • Participate in technical meetings, consultations, and workshops with UNDP regional teams, country offices, and external counterparts, including government institutions, development partners, and research organizations. 

  • Support technical dialogue and stakeholder engagement in politically sensitive or institutionally constrained environments, applying context-aware and conflict-sensitive analytical approaches. 

  • Prepare technical summaries, and follow-up actions arising from consultations and engagements. 

  • Support coordination across thematic teams to ensure analytical coherence and avoid duplication of efforts. 

Support to Strategic and Knowledge Management Processes 

  • Contribute inputs to governance and management processes related to the Regional HDR and the Article 55 Facility, including concept notes, progress updates, and briefing materials. 

  • Support alignment of analytical outputs with UNDP corporate priorities and regional programming processes. 

  • Contribute to internal knowledge management by organizing analytical materials, documenting methodologies, and supporting handover notes to ensure continuity across reporting cycles. 

3.Scope of Work 

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Chief Economist, the Economist will support the design, delivery, and quality assurance of analytical outputs related to the Regional HDR and the Article 55 Facility. 

Competencies


Achieve Results

​​LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work​

Think Innovatively

​​LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking​

Learn Continuously

​​LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning​

Adapt with Agility

​​LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process​

Act with Determination

​​LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously​

Engage and Partner

​​LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships​

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

​​LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making ​

Required Skills and Experience

  • Advanced university degree (Master´s degree or equivalent degree) Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, or a related field is required;  
  • In lieu of advanced university degree, Bachelor’s degree in economic or social sciences with 2 additional years of experience will be accepted.  
  • Minimum 5 years of professional experience with Master’s degree and 7 years with Bachelor’s Degree in economic analysis, development policy, or applied research.
  • Demonstrated experience producing high-quality analytical outputs, including policy papers, reports, or applied research.
  • Proven experience in reviewing and quality-assuring analytical work produced by consultants or research teams.
  • Experience working with international organizations, UN agencies, development banks, or similar institutions is an asset.
  • Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to interpret economic data and translate complex analysis into clear, policy-relevant insights.
  • Demonstrated experience working with economic and development data, including macroeconomic indicators, labour market statistics, household surveys, or administrative datasets.
  • Excellent drafting, editing, and synthesis skills, with the ability to produce concise, high-quality written outputs.
  • Ability to work effectively across disciplines and engage with technical and non-technical counterparts.
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines. 

Desired skills: 

  • Experience working with UNDP, UN agencies, international organizations, development banks, or similar institutions.
  • Familiarity with human development frameworks, including the Human Development Report methodology and related analytical approaches.
  • Experience contributing to regional or multi-country analytical products.
  • Experience operating in politically sensitive, fragile, or institutionally constrained environments, applying context-aware and conflict-sensitive analytical approaches.
  • Experience supporting knowledge management processes, including documentation of methodologies and analytical continuity across reporting cycles.
  • Familiarity with the regional context is an advantage.
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.

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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