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Programme Specialist [Open to all applicants]
Better Than Cash
Remote
Posted on Mar 23, 2026
Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:
- Tier 1: 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) and personnel on regular PSA contracts
- Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Background
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and 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) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes.
The 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development, including 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 the emergence of health threats. The scope and scale of 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), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and others are critical partners for delivering on the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. Stronger Collaboration, Better Health: Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All outlines how a dozen multilateral health, development and humanitarian agencies, including UNDP, the Global Fund, Gavi and others, will collaborate to be more efficient and effective in supporting countries to deliver UHC and achieve the health-related SDG targets.
UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund, in line with UNDP’s HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2022-2025: Connecting the Dots, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029, 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 to deliver health services, drawing on policy and technical support from the broader HIV and Health Group and other UNDP business units (e.g. data, digital, environment, climate, sustainable financing). Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. The portfolio is managed within UNDP’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework and the Risk Review Action Plan approved by UNDP’s Organizational Performance Group (OPG).
In addition, following UNDP’s accreditation to the Pandemic Fund (PF) as Implementing Entity (IE), UNDP is planning to support eligible COs in submitting applications 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.
The PFis a multilateral financing mechanism designed to strengthen global and national capacities for pandemic preparedness and response
Based on demand from Country Offices, and building on the relationships, expertise, systems, partnerships, including across the UN family, and comparative advantage established through the Global Fund partnership, the GPN/BPPS/ HIV and Health Group, Global Fund Team (GF, Global Fund Partnership Team) is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health system strengthening and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNITAID and Smart Facilities. The GF Team provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g., capacity development, finance, monitoring and evaluation, procurement and supply management, programme, Sub-recipient management), coordinating with and leveraging technical and policy support from the HIV and Health Group, other GPN teams and Regional and Central Bureaus and technical partners. The Global Fund Team has a Senior Management Team for the coordination and management of the portfolio, and the portfolio is reviewed annually by the OPG.
Under the overall supervision of the Programme Advisor, GFPHST, the Programme Specialist, will be working as part of the team responsible for strategic partnership with the Global Fund Secretariat and other health partnerships. S/he will be responsible for a country team and will contribute substantive programme and policy advisory services to Country Offices (COs) in their role as the interim Principal Recipient and increasingly as a significant partner to governments and non-governmental organizations implementing Global Funds grants and other health and development partners. S/he will participate in key policy and technical health fora on Global Fund and other health partnerships, including Pandemic Fund, focusing on business opportunities and enhanced collaboration in the Global Fund portfolio and beyond. S/he will complete the management of the day-to-day engagement with technical health partners to ensure UNDP enjoys maximum benefits in the implementation of Global Fund and other health projects. The Programme Specialist promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP rules and regulations, contributing to the country team approach and support to the integration of capacity building activities.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of Programme Advisor GFPHST, the Programme Specialist will undertake the following tasks:
1. Develop and foster the establishment and maintenance of strong technical and strategic partnerships, and support resource mobilization:
- Develop and maintain systematic engagement with health and development partners to ensure UNDP’s effective engagement as a key technical health partner including, on the impact of disease responses at strategic, policy and programme levels in coordination with HH Group and other GPN units.
- Manage day-to-day technical relationships with health partners to ensure UNDP enjoys maximum benefits in the implementation of Global Fund and other health projects, to inform strong implementation and the quality of health services of UNDP health projects.
- Establish and maintain strong technical and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders involved in the Pandemic Fund, including government agencies, multilateral organizations, and technical partners. This includes systematic engagement to ensure effective collaboration and alignment with the Fund’s objectives.
2. Provide technical advice and quality assurance to UNDP Country Offices in management of Global Fund projects and other health projects, including Pandemic Fund:
- Provide technical programme and policy advisory support to ensure linkages of Global Fund projects with other health projects for the effective use of resources, leveraging synergies and avoiding duplication.
- Technical advice and quality assurance to COs in the design, implementation, and monitoring of Pandemic Fund–financed grants, including support to national entities to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response systems.
- Support COs resource mobilization efforts by identifying funding opportunities, preparing high-quality proposals, and coordinating with partners to secure investments from the Pandemic Fund for priority health initiatives in alignment with UNDP’s Smart Health Systems initiative. This support will include technical and operational guidance.
- Facilitate multisectoral collaboration by integrating human, animal, and environmental health perspectives into pandemic preparedness and response initiatives supported by the Pandemic Fund. This includes coordinating with technical partners and government agencies to ensure that grant proposals and implementation strategies reflect the interconnectedness of health threats across sectors.
- Guide the design and implementation of Pandemic Fund–supported projects addressing the links between environmental change, ecosystem health, climate risks, and human health outcomes, and advocate for the integration of climate resilience, sustainable resource management, and biodiversity protection in pandemic preparedness strategies, in alignment with the SDGs.
3. Monitor grants financial and programmatic management for Global Fund-financed programmes and other health projects, including Pandemic Fund, maximizing overall results, quality and delivery within the corporate agreements with the Global Fund and UNDP rules, policies and procedures:
- Provide technical advisory support in the establishment of project implementation units (PMU), recruitment of staff, performance and career management, support to detail assignments and technical rosters to promote organizational excellence.
- Continuous implications assessment of UNDP’s internal policies and procedures on the implementation and oversight of Global Fund programmes, guide in planning of UNDP training with respect to UNDP policies and procedures.
- Support Country Office through each stage of the audit cycle (Country Offices and Sub-recipient audits) and timely implementation of the audit recommendations and support in recovery actions.
4. Ensure knowledge sharing and development of systems and tools for effective management of Global Fund grants and capacity development of national entities focusing on the key responsibilities:
- Promote identification and perform knowledge extraction, codification of results/lessons learned in the partnership with Global Fund and other health partners and verify that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with corporate guidance and tools.
- Provide technical advisory to Country Offices in the development and monitoring of capacity development strategies for national counterparts to assume the Principal Recipient role and implement other health and development projects.
- Contribute to the development technical guidance for COs to enable their access to Pandemic Fund, including development of systems and tools for effective grant management and capacity development, ensuring alignment with corporate guidance.
- Continuous implications assessment of UNDP’s internal policies and procedures on the implementation and oversight of Global Fund programmes, guide in planning of UNDP training with respect to UNDP policies and procedures.
- Establish and maintain a tracking system of Pandemic Fund applications by COs as part of GFPHST’s integrated dashboard.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
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 Development Strategy-Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts, methodologies, instruments, and tools.
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 Direction and Strategy-Negotiation and Influence: Reach a common understanding/ agreement, persuade others, resolve points of difference through a dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and create ‘win-win’ situations.
Business Development-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.
Business Management-Risk Management: Ability to identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
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
2030 Agenda: People-Health: Support to Global Fund and other Health Programmes
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Health is required. Or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned field of study 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 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressive relevant professional experience in leading implementation of complex health programmes.
- Previous experience in developing projects and programme on pandemic preparedness and response.
- Work experience from a developing country.
- Experience in working with HIV, TB or malaria programmes.
- Knowledge of UN or UNDP’s rules, policies and procedures.
- Experience managing development projects in UN or international organizations.
- Experience in resource mobilization.
Languages:
- Fluency in English is required.
- Working knowledge of French is required.
Travel: The Incumbent may be required travel. Travel costs will be covered according to UNDP travel rules and regulations.
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.
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.
Duties and Responsibilities