Programme Specialist [Open to all applicants]

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 eme