Fiscal Policy Coherence Specialist [Open to Tier 0,1 &2 Applicants]

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. 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 (SFH) (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.  SFH work is delivered through three interconnected portfolios: 1) Public Finance for the SDGs; 2) Private Finance for the SDGs; and 3) Global & Country Financing Policy Frameworks.

SFH Public Finance for SDGs (PF4SDGs) portfolio supports governments to strengthen public finance systems for sustainable development. Operating across 99+ countries with a portfolio exceeding $200 million, PF4SDGs provides integrated technical assistance across three core pillars: (1) Fiscal Policy Coherence, (2) Tax Systems for Sustainable Development, and (3) Public Expenditure Management. The portfolio works with Ministries of Finance, Planning, and line ministries to align fiscal policies, tax systems, debt strategies and public expenditure with national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda. UNDP’s comparative advantage in public finance stems from its unique position at the nexus of fiscal policy and development outcomes. Rather than focusing on isolated technical reforms, UNDP empowers governments to adopt whole-of-government and whole-of-society strategies that link fiscal instruments directly to sustainable development impact. This includes facilitating cross-ministerial policy dialogue, building coalitions for reform, integrating governance, climate, gender, health, and resilience priorities into fiscal frameworks, and supporting countries in translating SDG ambitions into fiscally viable implementation pathways.

Position Purpose

The Public Finance Specialist will serve as the lead technical advisor on public financial management  (PFM) within the Public Finance portfolio. The incumbent will guide the design, implementation, and monitoring of PFM-related efforts at country level, including budgeting for the SDGs, inclusive budgeting processes, and broader PFM-ecosystems strengthening, working closely with Country Offices (COs), Regional Bureaus (RBx), and specialists within the PF4SDGs team. The incumbent will also be responsible for leading research, analysis, and learning on PFM and related issues, with a view to strengthen UNDP’s service offer and capacities in this area. 

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead policy advisory support

• Provide strategic and technical leadership in the implementation of country-level PFM- related reforms, with a focus on public expenditure reviews, SDG budgeting, budget tagging/coding, participatory and transparent budgeting processes, and inclusive budget oversight, and working closely with other thematic advisors, regional specialists, RBx, COs, and other teams across the Global Policy Network (GPN) and the SFH to provide integrated support.
• Oversee policy advice to Ministries of Finance, Ministries of Planning, sector ministries, oversight institutions, and others to ensure that public expenditure is equitable, inclusive, and aligned with national, regional and global development goals, as well as to reinforce links between planning, budgeting, and results. 
• Support the Head of Public Finance for SDGs in strengthening linkages between public financial management work and other SFH portfolios, including private finance and Global Financing Policy and Country Frameworks, to ensure coherence and complementarity across SFH initiatives.
• In coordination with the SFH Regional Advisors, engage in the country-level implementation of PFM reforms and their linkages across the P4SDG portfolio and broader SFH portfolios, including preparing proposals; drafting/reviewing Terms of Reference (ToRs), concept notes, etc.; drafting technical reports; monitoring and reporting; and general backstopping/problem solving. 
• Lead/guide the research and analytical work required to guide the identification of PFM reforms as part of the PF4SDGs fiscal policy approach, working closely with the Fiscal Policy Coherence Specialist and drawing on PF4SDGs analytical tools. 
• Facilitate dialogue and coalition building with relevant country-level stakeholders, including government, donors, civil society, and the private sector, to define and implement shared PFM reform agendas.
• Develop new and/or refined frameworks, methodologies, guidance, and tools to facilitate the identification and implementation of the PFM reforms.

Lead knowledge, evidence and learning

• Conduct horizon scanning and original research and analysis on topics related to PFM, ensuring new data and evidence inform the future direction of the fiscal policy coherence approach. 
• Lead the production of policy papers, case studies, and other knowledge products related to public expenditure and SDG budgeting that communicate technical insights to expert and non-expert audiences. 
• Support UNDP and SFH thought leadership and contribute to flagship publications, policy briefs, working papers, and other knowledge products on topics related to PFM. 
• Contribute to global discussions on PFM through participation in UN inter-agency groups, the Financing for Development (FfD) process, and dialogues with technical communities.
• Ensure systematic documentation of lessons learned, innovations, results, and impact from PFM interventions across countries, and promote their uptake globally.
• Support the management of communities of practice, facilitating knowledge exchange among practitioners on topics related to PFM.
• Support the design of training materials, e-learning modules, and capacity-building resources, and deliver related trainings, as required. 
• Facilitate South-South and triangular cooperation, enabling peer learning on PFM across countries and regions.

Advocacy, engagement and partnerships

• Represent UNDP’s PFM support in international conferences, expert meetings, technical workshops, and policy dialogues, articulating UNDP's distinctive value proposition. 
• Support senior leadership in participating in relevant global fora and processes by preparing background papers, briefing notes, talking points etc. 
• Cultivate partnerships with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), UN entities, bilateral donors, technical networks, civil society organizations (CSOs), and research institutions to align approaches and leverage complementary expertise in support of the P4SDGs and broader SFH portfolios.
• Provide technical inputs to resource-mobilization efforts, including funding proposals, donor briefings, and project documents focused on fiscal policy coherence.
• Contribute to the development of communications products, ensuring consistency with the PF4SDGs portfolio and UNDP’s PFM offer.

Ensure programme management and coordination

• Contribute to results-based management for the  PF4SDGs portfolio and broader SFH portfolios, including indicator tracking, performance monitoring and documenting outcomes, working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) focal point.
• Prepare technical inputs on PFM results for donor reports, internal reviews, and portfolio-level analyses, ensuring accuracy and strategic coherence.
• Support recruitment and roster development for public finance expertise, as well as leading/supporting PF4SDGs recruitment and procurement processes, as required. 
• Perform additional tasks required to advance the the PF4SDGs portfolio and broader SFH portfolios and respond to evolving organizational priorities.

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

Competencies

Core 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 & Technical Competencies

Business Direction & Strategy - Strategic Thinking:  Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and  effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
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
Business Management - Portfolio Management:  Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
Business Management - Partnerships Management:  Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
Policy and Programme - SDG Finance:  Public Finance for the SDGs
Policy and Programme - SDG Finance:  Budgeting for the SDGs
Policy and Programme - SDG Finance:  International Financial Institutions

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Social Policy, Public Policy, Politics, Economics, Development Studies, or a related area is required. 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.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven (7) years (with master’s degree) or nine (9) years (wit bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience providing policy advice in the area of PFM, with at least three (3) years at international level is required.
• Demonstrated experience and sound nowledge of issues and trends in the area of sustainable finance for development, including effectively managing public finance for the SDGs is required.
• Demonstrated experience providing policy advice and technical assistance to Ministries of Finance and other government institutions in developing countries on PFM for development outcomes is required.
• Experience in leading consultations with senior government officials and diverse development partners, as well as facilitating dialogue and building reform coalitions among a wide group of stakeholders on PFM is desired. 
• Proven track record of designing and implementing development programmes/projects in developing country contexts, including collaborating with IFIs on country-level public finance reform agendas is desired. 
• Experience in writing research/analytical reports and policy papers is desired. 
• Work experience with the UN, other multilateral organisations and/or IFIs/DFIs is an advantage. 
• Work experience in resource mobilization, donor relations, or partnership development is an advantage.

Language:

• Fluency in English, both written and oral is required.
• Knowledge of any other official UN language 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. 

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

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