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

The Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (IDSF) supports strategic, collaborative and comprehensive engagement of United Nations country teams (UNCTs) under the leadership of United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinators (UN RCs) in managing internal displaced persons (IDPs)-centered initiatives aligned with national priorities, the 2030 Agenda, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. IDSF priorities address causes of protracted internal displacement, ways of improving coherence and coordination in programming multi-dimensional solutions, and piloting methods of rapidly advancing IDP strategies and scaling them accordingly.

The IDSF was established in 2023 by the Office of the Special Adviser on Solutions to Internal Displacement as one of the commitments under the Secretary-General's Action Agenda on Internal Displacement. It is the financing instrument of the Global Solutions Hub that promotes solutions to internal displacement, prevents future displacement crises from emerging, and ensures that individuals who are currently internally displaced have access to protection, assistance and early solutions.

IDSF stakeholders provide financing to leverage impact through:

• Multi-sector, SDG-aligned and IDP-informed strategies that accelerate development planning and humanitarian responses for internally displaced people.

• Leveraging a whole-of-UN response using accountability frameworks and joint coordination mechanisms where peacebuilding, social cohesion, legal identity and economic inclusiveness are foundational elements.

• Deploying financing frameworks that link IDP solutions to long-term development planning and financing that is evidence-based.

In line with the UN Secretary General’s Action Agenda on Internal Displacement, the Fund promotes national leadership and strategies that are fully inclusive in addressing the needs of IDPs, as well as leaving no one behind and respecting national SDG plans. Moreover, IDSF stakeholders support joint assessments, provide seed funding, pilot innovative solutions, support local partners in driving policy, legal, and institutional change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Head of Secretariat-Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (Fund Manager), the Programme and Partnerships Specialist provide technical advisory support to achieve a high level of fund performance, coordinating closely with joint programmes focal points and members of the inter-agency Solutions Hub. By identifying catalytic programme opportunities, the incumbent ensures the Fund remains innovative and responsive to emerging challenges. The incumbent is also responsible for monitoring programme implementation to ensure consistency with IDSF priorities, while contributing to resource mobilization and advocacy efforts that promote and elevate the Fund.

Ensure Strategic Coordination and Programme Management

  • Provide day-to-day technical support in participating in UN Organizations (PUNOs), government counterparts, and implementing partners on the design and implementation of joint programmes.
  • Undertake the technical review of submitted concept notes and JP proposals against the IDSF’s quality standards, ensuring they demonstrate catalytic potential, conflict sensitivity, and gender responsiveness before submission to the Fund Manager for final review.
  • Support efforts to identify new programme areas, geographic priorities, and creative responses to emerging challenges in internal displacement contexts.

Ensure Fund Operations, Monitoring, and Oversight

  • Track the day-to-day implementation of the IDSF portfolio, monitoring JP delivery against approved work plans, budgets, and the Fund's Results Framework.
  • Assist joint programme teams in applying data collection methods and M&E frameworks that capture results against the IDSF’s signature indicators, ensuring interventions measure sustainable integration milestones.
  • Maintain and update the IDSF risk matrix by compiling operational and political risk data reported by JPs, providing regular analysis to the Fund Manager.

Build Strategic Partnerships, Advocacy, and Resource Mobilization

  • Draft advocacy materials, such as high-quality briefing notes, talking points, presentations, and background papers to equip the Head of Secretariat for strategic dialogues with donors, IFIs, and UN leadership.
  • Synthesize complex programme results in compelling "investment cases," concept notes, and fact sheets to be used in senior-level resource mobilization pitches.
  • Continuously monitor and analyze global funding trends and financing mechanisms related to internal displacement to identify potential new funding streams for the IDSF in close coordination with the development finance advisor. 
  • Organize and provide technical backstopping for donor briefings, Steering Committee meetings, and partnership events, including managing agendas and drafting post-meeting readouts.
  • Work closely with the Global Solutions Hub and Joint Programme focal points to ensure consistent messaging and a unified approach to external advocacy and partner engagement.
  • Ensure that donor contributions are appropriately recognized and visible in IDSF communication and joint programme outputs, strictly adhering to donor visibility guidelines.
  • Contribute to the resource mobilization.

Reporting, Knowledge Management, and Operational Support

  • Ensure narrative and financial reports are technically robust and highlight catalytic successes, providing the evidence base the Head of Secretariat needs to negotiate funding replenishments.
  • Systematically extract, document, and analyze lessons learned and best practices from across the Fund's portfolio to build a robust knowledge base on effective solutions programming.
  • Manage the collection and review of narrative reports submitted by implementing partners and support the drafting of the consolidated annual report for the Steering Committee and donors.
  • Provide administrative and technical secretariat support to the IDSF Steering Committee, prepare technical briefs, communicate funding decisions to UN entities, and facilitate collaboration between the Committee and recipient organizations. 

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

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Full list of UNDP Core Competencies can be found here

  • 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 & Technical Competencies:

Business Direction & 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.

Partnership Management – Strategic Engagement

  • Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives.

Finance - Financial planning and budgeting

  • Ability to create and manage processes to achieve long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.

Business Management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

  • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. 
  • Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. 
  • Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
  • Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management - Results-Based Management

  • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.
  • Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

Business Management - Portfolio Management

  • Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization as programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity.
  • Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
  • Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Partnership Management – Resource Mobilization

  • Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, or related field 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:

  • Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national and/or international level in programme coordination, policy analysis and knowledge management within the UN system is required. 
  • Demonstrated working experience in programme or project management, including technical appraisal, monitoring, and reporting, preferably with exposure to joint UN programming or pooled funding mechanisms is required.
  • Strong track record in knowledge management and communications, with experience in drafting high-quality reports, briefing notes, and communication materials is required 
  • Fluency in the use of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office’s grant management platform, Gateway, is an advantage.
  • Prior experience with working on durable solutions for internal displacement and the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) nexus is an advantage.
  • Familiarity with inter-agency coordination mechanisms and UN frameworks is an advantage.
  • Experience in strong partnership building, advocacy and resource mobilization is an advantage.

Language:

  • Fluency in English is required. 
  • Knowledge of another UN language 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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