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's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional Hubs and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, 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's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 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.ย BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.ย BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.
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 allย demands innovative partnerships and financing. As affirmed in the Political Declaration of the 2019 High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC),ย 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.ย Stronger Collaboration, Better Health: Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for Allย outlinesย howย a dozen multilateral health, development and humanitarian agencies, including UNDP, the Global Fund, Gavi and others will collaborate to be more efficient and effectiveย in supportingย countries to deliver UHC and achieve the health-related SDG targets.ย ย
UNDPโs partnership with the Global Fund, in line with UNDPโs HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: Connecting the Dots, makes a vital contribution to UNDPโs Strategic Plan 2018-2021, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind.ย ย
As a long-standing partner of the Global Fund, UNDPโs value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 53 countries since 2003, UNDPโs provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDPโs portfolio management approach in supporting countries with significant national capacity constraints to manage large-scale health programmes. By providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management, UNDP is able to deliver results whilst sustainably transitioning to national entities. UNDPโs track record as PR over the last 17 years and capacity to deliver in challenging operating environments has been critical for strengthening its positioning as a health implementation support partner. 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/Global Fund Partnership/Health Implementation Support Team (GFPHST, Global Fund Partnership Team) is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health procurement and supply chain management support, and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi-funded activities and Solar for Health.ย The GFPHST provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g., programmatic, procurement/SCM strengthening, finance, capacity development), leveraging technical assistance and policy support from the HHD Group and other GPN teams.ย
Position Purpose
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.ย S/he will represent UNDP in key policy and technical health fora on Global Fund and other health partnerships 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 theย country team approach and support to the integration of capacity building activities.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Develop and foster the establishment and maintenance of strong technical and strategic partnerships, and support resource mobilization focusing on the key responsibilities:ย
Develop and maintain systematic engagement with the Global Fund, and other health partners ย to ensure UNDPโs 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.ย 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; and Represent UNDP in relevant technical meetings with partners and technical health working groups to inform UNDPโs policies and procedures and guidance to Country Offices and support resource mobilization efforts.ย2. Provide technical advisory and support services, guidance and advocacy to Country Officesย in management of Global Fund projects and other health projects, focusing on the following key responsibilities:
Leading a Country Team provide technical health, programme and policy advisory support, guidance and advocacy to Country Offices in the management and implementation of Global Fund grants and other health projects through each stage of grant life cycle including on feasibility and risk analysis of new initiatives in compliance with UNDP rules, policies and procedures and donor requirements.ย Provide technical programme and policy advisory support to ensure linkages of Global Fund projects with other health projects for the effective use of resources, ensuring synergies and avoiding duplication; andย Represent UNDP in key policy and technical fora on Global Fund and other health partnerships based to increase opportunities for enhanced collaboration in the Global Fund portfolio and beyond to increase overall engagement. Liaise with HHG Regional Advisors to facilitate support to COs in the relevant priority areas agreed for each region.ย3. Monitor grant management of Global Fund grants and other health and development projects, maximizing overall results, quality and delivery within the corporate agreements with the Global Fund and UNDP rules, policies and procedures, focusing on the following key responsibilities:
Monitor UNDPโs commitments within corporate agreements with the Global Fund and other health partners, ensures effective application of Results Based Management and Project and Programme Management tools, monitors donor reporting and financial delivery and performance of the Global Fund grants and other health projects, contributing to global tracking tools to ensure maximized performance and delivery. 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; andย Actively participate with UNDPโs field experience with the Global Fund and other health partners and input into the development of UNDP and Global Fund policies and procedures and apply integrated and holistic approach to the practice area and ensure cross-practice and cross-regional collaboration linking to global experiences.ย4. Ensure advisory and support services on the range of capacity development initiatives to Country Offices, government and national entities focusing on the following key responsibilities:
Provide technical support 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.ย Support Country Office through each stage of the audit cycle (Country Offices and Sub-recipient audits) and timely implementation of the audit recommendations; andย Manage day-to-day technical relationships with partners to ensure UNDP enjoys maximum benefits in capacity building activities with national counterparts.ย ย5. Ensure knowledge sharing and development of systems and tools for effective management of Global Fund grants focusing on the key responsibilities:ย ย ย
Promote identification and performs knowledge extraction, codification of results/lessons learned in partnership with Global Fund and other health partners and verify that knowledge sharing, and content management is in line with corporate guidance and tools.ย Institutionalize best practices and knowledge sharing among Country Offices in the specific thematic area and actively participate in UNDPโs and other relevant networks and contribute to presentations to the Operational Performance Group, prepare briefing notes, and knowledge sharing events and training events.ย Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture across Country Office; and Shares experience/best practices on the UNDPโs and other health and development websites, platforms.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.ย
Competencies
Core
Achieve Results:
Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.ยThink Innovatively:
Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.Learn Continuously:
Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.Adapt with Agility:
Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.ยAct with Determinationย
Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results ยEngage and Partner:
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.Cross-Functional & Technical competenciesย
Business Direction and Strategyย - Negotiate and Influence:
Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create โwin-winโ situations.Business Direction and Strategy-System thinking:
Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelatedelements 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, programmes, and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results. Knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, concepts,methodologies, instruments, and tools.
Business Management - Risk Management:
Ability to identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.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 - 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 (masterโs or equivalent) in Public Health, Public/Business Administration, International Development studies or relevant field is required. ORย A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree) in the areas stated 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 7 years (with masterโs degree) of 9 years (with bachelorโs degree) of progressive professional work experienceย on management of complex health and development programmes. Experience in working with HIV, TB or Malaria programmes is an asset.ย ย ย Demonstrated experience working in a developing country is an asset.ย Knowledge of UNDP and/or UN rules, policies and procedures are an asset. Proven track record of knowledge of Global Fundโs rules, policies and procedures is an asset.ย Experience working on technical working groups, representing international development organizations in the relevant field is required. Demonstrated experience in developing and managing effective partnerships with government, development partners and civil society organizations in health and development programmesย is an asset.Language Requirementsย
Fluency in English and French both written and oral is required.ย Working Knowledge of Spanish 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.ย
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.ย
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.ย 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.
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