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Financing Strategy and Private Finance Specialist [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]
Better Than Cash
Accounting & Finance
Madrid, Spain
Posted on May 28, 2026
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. 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.
Integrated national financing frameworks (INFFs) were first introduced by UN Member States in the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda and were reaffirmed in 2025 as the most frequently referenced initiative of the Sevilla Commitment. INFFs are a a country-led approach to strengthen public and private financing for sustainable development. They bring together policymakers and stakeholders across the public and private sectors to shape financing strategies for national development plans, NDCs, NBSAPs, gender equality and social inclusion.
More than 85 countries are using the INFF approach, with 30 having operationalised a financing strategy embedded in the national planning system to date and more expected to do so over 2026 and 2027. Ministries of Finance are using the process to build new capacities, strengthen systems for governing financing policy and deploying new instruments and innovations to boost investment in sustainable development.
Unlocking the potential of the private sector and financial markets to drive sustainable development outcomes is a key priority expressed by governments in their INFFs. Many countries have started delivering reforms, mobilizing transactions in SDG-aligned private investment pipelines, deploying blended instruments, developing the architecture for sustainable bond issuance, reconfiguring incentives for sustainable investment or strengthening sustainability standards in private and financial markets. Looking ahead there is high potential to support countries to take these to scale, moving beyond pilots and building partnerships that can deliver reform across private financing policy.
As demand for support grows the INFF Team is recruiting a Financing Strategy and Private Finance Specialist to lead technical support on financing strategy design and implementation with a focus on private investment and financial markets.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Lead Advisor, INFF Facility in the Sustainable Finance Hub, and working closely with the other team members, the Financing Strategy and Private Finance Specialist will be responsible for the performance of the following functions and duties:
Provide technical support and quality assurance for financing strategies and institutional strengthening within INFFs:
- Provide technical leadership and quality assurance for the development of financing strategies, working closely with UNDP country offices, SFH portfolios and teams across UNDP.
- Provide technical support and quality assurance for development finance assessments and other INFF diagnostics.
- Facilitate the delivery of technical assistance and capacity building designed to strengthen institutional capacities for the delivery of INFFs.
- Manage a portfolio of technical assistance programming at the country level designed to deliver financing strategies and institutional strengthening.
- Provide substantive oversight and quality assurance for the engagement of technical experts.
- Develop and maintain service offers that help governments develop the technical elements of financing strategies and other INFF building blocks.
- Maintain a database and up-to-date information on the content of financing strategies and other elements of INFFs.
Drive private sector and financial market policy reform through INFFs
- Catalyse country-level implementation of private and financial market reforms prioritized through INFFs, working with country offices, regional bureaus, and actively engaging with Financial Centres.
- Deepen integration of private finance services and offers across SFH and BPPS with priorities articulated through INFFs, building alignment with UNDP supported initiatives such as FC4S, the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative, the Sustainability Disclosure Management Hubs or the Finance Against Slavery & Trafficking (FAST) initiative.
- Shapenew services and tools across the global & country financing policy frameworks and private finance portfolios, working with leadership and teams across the SFH portfolios.
- Analyse and drawiout lessons learnt from implementation of private finance reforms at the country level.
- Strengthen engagement by regional and global private and financial sector networks with INFFs and financing dialogues, working closely with the private finance portfolio and UNDP Financial Centers for Sustainability Network.
Facilitate country exchange, delivering training and capacity development:
- Facilitate INFF exchanges between countries to share experiences and lessons, including organizing regional and global workshops and events.
- Develop and deliver training and capacity building activities on INFFs and SFH services, both internally and externally, at the country, regional and global levels, and in connection with the INFF Facility Training Hub.
- Coordinate the development of future financing services within the frame of the INFF.
Manage the annual INFF survey and publications:
- Manage the annual survey to track how countries are using INFFs and country platforms, the progress made and emerging results.
- Develop summary analysis at the global, regional and country levels including reports, briefings and presentations.
- Work with INFF technical team and INFF communications lead to develop knowledge products and case studies.
- Support UNDP and SFH thought leadership and contributing to flagship publications, policy briefs, working papers, and other knowledge products.
- Identify and share innovations within INFF processes.
- Provide substantive inputs into global INFF communications.
Coordinate strategic engagement with partners:
- Lead on operational collaboration with external partners supporting INFF implementation, including leading technical collaboration through the INFF Facility technical coordination unit.
- Manage and develop relationships with other external partners to the INFF Facility, in coordination with SFH and UNDP corporate systems.
- Work with UN DESA to feed country experiences into the updates of INFF methodological guidance.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
For more information on UNDP SDG Finance Sector Hub and INFF activities, please visit https://sdgfinance.undp.org/and inff.org
Institutional Arrangement
The SDG Finance Policy Specialist will work under the supervision of the Lead Advisor, INFF Facility in the Sustainable Finance Hub.
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 - Systems 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 & 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 Development - Knowledge Generation:
- Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
- Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.
- Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
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.
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.
2030 Agenda: Partnerships - SDG Finance: Public Finance for the SDGs
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences or related discipline 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:
- A minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) and 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in private finance policy, sustainable investment, finance policy analysis, capacity building and/or advisory services is required.
- Experience in leading consultations with senior government officials and facilitating policy dialogue among a wide group of stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience in supporting government agencies or development partners in the area of private investment or financial markets.
- Demonstrated experience working with private sector or financial market actors on sustainable finance or related policy areas.
- Demonstrated experience in producing research/analytical reports and policy notes.
- Experience in data management and analysis skills, including prior experience conducting large surveys.
- Experience working on Integrated National Financing Frameworks .
- Previous work experience with UN/UNDP in similar functions.
Language:
- Fluency in English required.
- Working knowledge of another 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.
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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Duties and Responsibilities