Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
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. 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. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.
UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, a signatory of the WHO-led SDG3 Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-Being for All, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s focus/mandate is addressing the development dimensions of health, focusing on systems, inequalities, governance and resilience. UNDP’s work on HIV, health and development leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in sustainable development, governance, poverty reduction and climate. UNDP delivers support to countries in three areas of HIV and health: reducing the inequalities that drive disease, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health and building resilient and sustainable systems for health. UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty, governance, financing, and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals and the pledge to leave no one behind. UNDP works with partners to addressthe interactions between governance, human rights, and health and development responses, especially for those left behind. UNDP also supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multisectoral health projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. The UNDP/Global Fund partnership is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on SDG 3 by countries face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding. UNDP partners with countries, WHO and other partners in responding to health emergencies and HIV and health dimensions of crisis/post-crisis situations.
The partnership with the Government of Japan on innovation, access and delivery of new health technologies is critical to UNDP’s work on health systems strengthening and pandemic preparedness. The Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP) supports LMICs to strengthen the capacities, systems and processes required to effectively access new health technologies and introduce them to the patients in need. Led and coordinated by UNDP, the ADP is a unique collaboration among UNDP, WHO, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization (TDR) and PATH. Working together, the partners leverage the expertise within each organization to provide the full range of technical skills necessary to strengthen capacities in LMICs.
Job Purpose and Organizational ContextUnder the supervision of the Director: HIV and Health Group (HHG), and Regional Team Leader: HHG Asia and the Pacific, the Policy Specialist will contribute to the implementation of the Access and Delivery Partnership, with a particular focus on policy coherence and South-South cooperation on health technology innovation and access. The Policy Specialist will work closely with regional and country office colleagues to implement ADP activities and to support the establishment of partnerships with development partners, government, UN agencies and the civil society organizations on promoting health technology innovation and access.
The incumbent will be primarily responsible for the following functions:
Partnerships Policy Advice and Programme Support Delivery Advocacy Work planning and Results Based ManagementUNDP 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 ResponsibilitiesThink 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.Act with Determination:
Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.Engage and Partner:
Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Management - Results-based management:
Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results.Business Management - Operations Management:
Ability to effectively plan, organise, and oversee the Organisation’s business processes in order to convert its assets into the best results in the most efficient manner. Knowledge of relevant concepts and mechanism.Business Management - Partnerships Management:
Ability to 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 policiesBusiness Management - Monitoring:
Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results2030 Agenda: People:
Health Social Determinants of Health2030 Agenda: People:
Health Access to treatment. Required Skills and Experience Education: Advanced university degree (Masters’ degree) in public health, international law, biomedical innovation, international affairs or a related degree or a first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in a relevant field with two additional years of relevant work experience; Experience: At least seven (7) years of professional experience, providing policy advice and technical support to governments, civil society and other relevant stakeholders on public health, innovation and access issues. Candidates in possession of only a fist-level university degree must possess nine (9) years of relevant work experience to be eligible for consideration. Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in the areas of public health, health technology, research and development and access to treatment is an asset. Proficiency in research, analysis and writing policy documents is required Experience in project management; results reporting, and monitoring and evaluation is an asset Previous experience in advocacy on health technology innovation and access is an asset Language Requirement: Fluency and strong writing and communication skills in English is required; Working knowledge of another UN language is a strong advantage. Note: Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.