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

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

As outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029, UNDP’s work is guided by four strategic objectives that together define our contribution to human development: expanding prosperity for all, strengthening effective governance, safeguarding a healthy planet and building crisis resilience. These objectives are enabled by three accelerators that drive transformative impact across our portfolio: digital and AI innovation, gender equality and sustainable finance. Through this integrated approach, UNDP supports countries to deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives and to advance sustainable development at scale.

UNDP, through its Sustainable Finance Hub (https://sdgfinance.undp.org/), supports partners in promoting financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  As an accelerator of the UNDP Strategic Plan, sustainable finance strengthens countries’ ability to mobilize, align and deploy finance at scale for national priorities. UNDP supports international and country level policy reform as a catalyst for system-wide change, stronger policy environments, better-functioning markets and more coherent financing strategies for sustainable development. 

Based in UNDP, the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) is a partnership of over 80 governments, companies and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth by:

  • Advocating for the transition from cash to responsible digital payments in a way that advances financial inclusion and promotes responsible digital finance.
  • Catalyzing the development of inclusive digital payments ecosystems in member countries to reduce costs, increase transparency, advance financial inclusion-- particularly for women-- and drive inclusive growth; and
  • Conducting action research and sharing the knowledge and experiences of our members to inform strategies for making the transition.

Billions of dollars in cash payments and transfers are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, remittances, etc. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability and security, as well as inefficiency. Individuals who receive cash payments are often part of the 1.7 billion excluded from the formal financial sector.  This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk.

Shifting these payments from cash to digital has the potential to improve the lives of low-income people, particularly women, while giving governments, the development community and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost efficient, and often-safer means of disbursing payments.

From a corporate perspective, payments completed in the value chain of businesses represent some of the most significant payment flows of national economies. To highlight this impact, the Alliance published a report on “The Future of Supply Chains: Why Companies are Digitizing Payments" showcasing how companies in different business sectors have benefited from digital payments in their supply chains and play an important role in building an inclusive digital payment ecosystem. Thus, the Better Than Cash Alliance is committed to supporting digitization of companies' payment flows in different business sectors across the corporate payment grid (B2B, B2P, B2G, and P2B).

The Better Than Cash Alliance Team’s Core Values are the following: 

  • Achieving together
  • Striving for excellence
  • Service oriented 
  • Results oriented

The Government of Ethiopia is advancing an ambitious national agenda to digitalize economic systems, public services, and public financial management, with digital government payments recognized as a critical enabler of this transformation. The National Digital Payment Strategy (NDPS 2.0), the Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy, and the Ten-Year Development Plan all emphasize the digitalization of government payments as a foundational pillar for building an inclusive, efficient, and transparent digital economy. Effective implementation of interoperable digital government payments is therefore central to Ethiopia’s broader public sector reform and digital economy objectives.

Significant progress has been achieved to date. Approximately 99 percent of federal Government-to-Person (G2P) payments are now executed digitally through the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) online platform, with funds credited directly to beneficiary accounts. The Ministry of Finance is leading the Unified Government Payments Initiative, aimed at digitising the whole of government payments (G2P, B2G, P2G) leveraging the foundational infrastructure built over the last 5 years. The new National Digital Payments Strategy II recently launched, prioritises leveraging the foundation laid in the first strategy, to advance and deepen usage of digital channels in mainly cash heavy sectors. Ensuring full Interoperability is at the centre of the new strategy, with EthSwitch identified as a critical player in facilitating seamless transactions across channels. 

One of the key sectors leading government payments is the health sector. The country has made great strides in its health sector, evidenced by results from the implementation of Health Sector Transformation Plan I. These results include the community-based health insurance (CBHI) scheme, and a revised health care financing strategy within the framework of achieving the goal of universal health coverage (UHC) and a significant expansion in primary health care infrastructure with potential coverage reaching more than 90% in 2019. The Health Sector Transformation Plan II now aims to build on the successes of the HSTP I, incorporating the lessons from its implementation. The overall objective of HSTP-II is to improve the health status of the population, by accelerating progress towards universal health coverage, protecting populations during health emergencies, transforming woredas, and improving the health system’s responsiveness. Targets include increasing the UHC index from 0.43 to 0.58, decrease health care workers attrition rate from 6.2% to 4.5%, and increase proportion of eligible households enrolled in community-based health insurance from 49 % to 80%. Digital health technologies have the potential to fast track the attainment of these objectives.

Building on the lessons learned from Ethiopia in implementing a whole of government digital payments initiative, leveraging the national switch, the Alliance will scale the model/approach to its members in Africa. One of the key scale areas is expanding digital health payments in collaboration with the Africa CDC, to all its members on the continent. 

To further strengthen the digitization initiative across the continent, while supporting the implementation of the NDPS 2.0, the Better Than Cash Alliance is collaborating with the Government of Ethiopia  through the Ministry of Finance and National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) to implement the Unified Government Payments Initiative, leveraging the national switch (EthSwitch). This will include unlocking complex high-volume government use-cases that require cross-sector alignment through a systems thinking and portfolio approach. These include health, transport and fuel, non-tax revenues and other use cases. To effectively support the Government of Ethiopia, the Alliance is looking to hire a Government Digital Payments Analyst with hands-on experience working with government payments in Ethiopia to support different ministries to scale from lessons learned from digitizing health sector payments. The Analyst must also have hands on experience working on the digital health payments space in Ethiopia and an understanding of the Africa CDC digital health strategic focus. The assignment includes effectively coordinating different government entities, under the leadership of the Ministry of Finance, while working closely with EthSwitch, (National Switch) to enable interoperable payments. The consultant is expected to focus on advocacy and advisory support to the government working closely with the Ministries of Finance, and Health, and EthSwitch with guidance from the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE). The consultant will also work in scaling the Africa CDC partnership across the continent, while translating lessons learned from government payments to other Alliance members.

Scope of Work

The initiative will focus on:

  1. Scaling Health Sector Payments beyond Pilot in Ethiopia and on the continent in collaboration with Africa CDC;
  2. Digitizing Government Payments leveraging countries’ National Switches.

Support the scaling of digital payments in the health sector:

  • Provide technical and coordination support to the Ministries of Health and relevant stakeholders in reviewing pilot digital health payment initiatives;
  • Synthesize lessons learned and inform the development of scalable approaches for expanding digital payments across health-sector use cases, including services at health facilities, community-based health insurance, health worker payments and pharmaceutical payments.

Support strategic planning and coordination for nationwide scale up:

  • Support government-led processes to define priorities, sequencing, and coordination mechanisms for scaling digital health payments;
  • Convene and facilitate multi-stakeholder discussions and support alignment across institutions; 
  • Contributing technical input to rollout planning and decision-making processes.

Provide technical advisory support for operationalization and ecosystem engagement:

  • Support the operationalization of agreed digital payments scale-up initiatives; 
  • Advise on onboarding of financial service providers and on awareness and capacity-building efforts;
  • Support the monitoring of implementation progress across priority use cases, without assuming responsibility for execution.

Support regional learning, partnerships and advocacy on digital health payments:

  • Contribute to regional and continental learning initiatives by supporting partnerships with institutions such as Africa CDC;
  • Contribute technical inputs to guidance materials, and supporting advocacy efforts through relevant health and digital transformation forums to promote responsible digital payments within digital health initiatives.

Support digitization of government payments through the national switch:

  • Provide technical and coordination support to the Ministry of Finance, EthSwitch, and the National Bank of Ethiopia to advance the digitization of priority cash-heavy government payment flows through the national switch; 
  • Support stakeholder mapping and the coordination mechanisms;
  • Support discussions on value propositions and pathways for leveraging interoperable payment infrastructure.

Contribute to the design, piloting and institutiionalization of switch-based payment frameworks:

  • Support government counterparts in the design and refinement of implementation frameworks, pilot approaches, and monitoring arrangements for switch-based government payments; 
  • Contribute technical input on operational, policy, and system considerations;
  • Contribute to capacity-building initiatives and documentation of lessons learned to inform broader adoption and institutionalization.

Monitoring, learning and knowledge management across government payment initiatives: 

  • Contribute to ongoing monitoring, learning, and reporting processes; 
  • Identify emerging issues and good practices across government payment initiatives;
  • Contribute to internal and external knowledge products related to government digital payments.

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

Institutional Arrangements

The Analyst will be hired by UNDP Better Than Cash Alliance, to be based Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Analyst will be supervised by the Head of Africa Region at the Better Than Cash Alliance.

Competencies

Core Competencies

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pay attention to details, deliver quality work by the deadline;
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is 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 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 Direction 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 Management

  • Results-based Management

    • Ability to manage the implementation of strategies, programs, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results;

    • Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.

  • Knowledge Facilitation

    • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas;

    • Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

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.

Digital

  • Digital Inclusion

    • Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society.

2030 Agenda: Peace

  • Governance

    • Digital Public Infrastructure.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity

  • Inclusive Growth

    • Financial inclusion.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum education requirements

  • An advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in economics, finance, public health, information technology, or related fields; or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience 

  • A minimum of 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in supporting the design, implementation , or advising on digital payment systems or solutions in developing countries.

Required skills

  • Demonstrated experience contributing to the design, advisory support, or implementation of government digital payments initiatives, including hands-on engagement with public-sector stakeholders and payment system actors;
  • Experience supporting or contributing to national-level payment digitization initiatives in developing countries as evidenced through advocacy & advisory roles, technical assistance, or program support.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

  • At least 2  years experience supporting or advising national government digital payments initiatives, particularly in the context of Government-to-Person (G2P) and People-to-Government (P2G) payment use cases, preferably in Ethiopia;
  • Hands-on experience working on or supporting digital health payments, including payments related to health service delivery, community-based health insurance, health worker remuneration, or pharmaceutical supply chains;
  • Experience engaging with or supporting work alongside ministries of finance, ministries of health, central banks, or national payment infrastructure entities, including national switches or interoperable payment platforms;
  • Exposure to or experience supporting the design, scale-up, or coordination of payment digitization initiatives across multiple government entities or sectors;
  • Experience engaging in regional or cross-country initiatives related to digital payments, interoperability, or financial inclusion in Africa;
  • Familiarity with payments interoperability, payment system reforms, or national digital payments strategies, particularly in developing country contexts.

Required Language(s) 

  • Fluency in English is required;
  • Knowledge of Amharic or other local languages e.g. Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali, Afar is an asset.

Professional Certificates

  • Additional training in digital financial services is highly 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.

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. #LI-DNI 

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