Back Policy Specialist, Health Finance & Global Fund STC - Home-Based

Office/Unit/Project Description

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). Supporting countries to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), strengthen health systems resilience, and ensure sustainable health financing is a key priority for the organization, particularly in the context of Global Fund partnership and health security imperatives.

UNDP's Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) draws on a critical mass of UNDP expertise, initiatives, and partnerships to support the mobilization and leveraging of resources for the SDGs, with health financing representing a critical component of sustainable development finance. The Hub works through four service offers: public finance for the SDGs, private finance for the SDGs, integrated national financing frameworks and the SDG Finance Academy.

Within this context, health financing remains critical. The rising burden of non-communicable diseases, unfinished communicable disease agendas and the risk of gains being reversed, pandemic preparedness needs, and climate-health nexus challenges all underscore the imperative of sustainable financing, where strengthened domestic resources and well-aligned external support reinforce each other. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria represents one of the largest sources of external health financing globally, with its Sustainability, Transition & Co-financing (STC) approach requiring sophisticated financial planning, domestic resource mobilization, and innovative financing solutions.

In close coordination with the HIV and Health Group and SFH Lead Advisor for Programme and Partnerships, the Policy Specialist, Health Finance & Global Fund STC will lead UNDP’s engagement with health financing stakeholders to leverage and multiply resources through sustainable finance instruments, ensure Global Fund co-financing compliance, and integrate health financing into coherent policy frameworks across national, subnational, and local levels.

Scope of Work

Under the joint supervision of the Programme Advisor, Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems (GFPHS) Team, within the HIV & Health Group and the Sustainable Finance Hub, GPN Coordination Advisor, working closely with relevant regional bureaux and country offices, the Specialist will perform the following duties:

Lead Global Fund STC Support and Co-financing Strategy

• Serve as UNDP's primary technical advisor on Global Fund Sustainability, Transition & Co-financing (STC), providing strategic guidance on compliance pathways, co-financing tracking systems, and integration into   Global Fund strategies.
• Conduct comprehensive fiscal space diagnostics and Public Financial Management (PFM) assessments to inform Global Fund country dialogues and Grant Cycle 8 (GC8) pipeline development.
• Lead development of country-specific co-financing roadmaps that align domestic resource mobilization with Global Fund requirements and national health priorities.
• Provide technical assistance on Global Fund co-financing methodologies, tracking mechanisms, and reporting frameworks to ensure country compliance and maximize funding access.
• Serve as focal point linking Global Fund STC requirements with UNDP's broader health financing and sustainable finance portfolio in close collaboration with Programme Specialists.

  Design and Structure Innovative Health Finance Instruments

  • Lead hands-on design, structuring, and negotiation of innovative health financing instruments including health bonds, SDG bonds, debt-for-health swaps, smart capital financing for SHS and blended finance vehicles in partnership with Ministries of Finance, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), UNCDF, and private investors. Develop term sheets, investment memoranda, and transaction documentation for health financing instruments that leverage Global Fund resources to crowd-in private capital.
  • Structure co-financing mechanisms that blend domestic public resources, Global Fund grants, development finance, and private investment to maximize health system impact.
  • Work with SFH private sector team and country offices to develop health investment pipelines, matchmaking platforms, and specific financial instruments that strategically deploy health financing resources.

    Convene multi-stakeholder Co-financing Platforms

    • Establish and facilitate national and regional co-financing platforms bring together Ministries of Finance, Ministries of Health, Global Fund representatives, donors, development partners, and private sector stakeholders.
    • Coordinate stakeholder alignment on investment frameworks, co-financing commitments, and integrated health financing strategies at national and subnational levels.
    • Organize high-level policy dialogues and technical working groups to align health financing priorities with broader fiscal and development planning processes.
    • Facilitate South-South and triangular cooperation on health financing innovations and co-financing best practices.

       

      Integrate Health Financing into National Frameworks

      • Support UNDP country offices and government partners to mainstream UHC, health security, and Global Fund priorities into Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs), Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF), and SDG budgeting processes.
      • Provide quality assurance on integration of health financing strategies into broader development finance assessments and national investment opportunities.
      • Advise countries on cross-sectoral financing alignment, linking health investments with climate adaptation, education, social protection, and economic development budgets.
      • Support strengthening of municipal and subnational health financing capacity, particularly in contexts where Global Fund programs operate at decentralized levels.

        Deploy Digital PFM and Accountability Solutions

        • Lead deployment of digital expenditure tracking systems, budget forecasting tools, and transparency platforms specifically designed for Global Fund-linked health budgets.
        • Implement anti-corruption safeguards and financial oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability in health financing flows.
        • Establish parliamentary and civil society oversight interfaces to strengthen democratic accountability in health budget execution
        • Develop data dashboards and analytics platforms for real-time monitoring of co-financing commitments, domestic resource mobilization, and budget execution relevant to Global Fund STC tracking.

          Provide Strategic Advisory for Leadership Engagement

          • Produce strategic briefs, talking points, and options papers for UNDP senior leadership ahead of Global Fund replenishment negotiations, Executive Director meetings, and high-level health financing forums.
          • Map political economic risks and opportunities in health financing contexts, providing deal-level trade-off analysis and strategic recommendations.
          • Support UNDP positioning in global health financing debates and contribute to fiscal policy development on health financing innovation.
          • Represent UNDP in technical advisory groups, expert panels, and global forums on health financing and Global Fund partnership.

             

            Coordinate Internal and External Partnerships

            • Ensure seamless coordination between SFH, HIV and Health Group, regional and country offices to ensure health financing instruments and policy advice are effectively integrated into UNDP programming.
            • Partners with WHO, World Bank, Gavi, Global Fund Secretariat, regional development banks, and other health financing stakeholders on joint initiatives and knowledge exchange, including the SPA 3 by 35 initiative on health taxes launched in Sevilla.
            • Maintain strategic partnerships with academic institutions, think tanks, and civil society organizations working on health financing innovation.

              Lead Capacity Development and Knowledge Management

              • Develop comprehensive guidance, toolkits, and training modules on Global Fund access, co-financing compliance, health financing instrument design, and integrated health financing strategies.
              • Deliver virtual and in-person training, targeting finance ministry officials, health policymakers, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations.
              • Build evidence based on health financing public and private financing innovations, co-financing effectiveness, and integrated approaches to health system strengthening at both national and subnational level.
              • Produce policy briefs, case studies, and analytical reports on emerging trends in health financing, Global Fund STC implementation, and innovative finance applications.

                The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

                Institutional Arrangements

                The Policy Specialist will work under the joint supervision of a primary supervisor, the Programme Advisor, Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team, within the HIV & Health Group, with matrix supervision to the Public Finance Team Lead; where relevant, the Specialist will link up with Regional Health team leaders. Supervisory responsibilities: The Policy Specialist will directly (co-) supervise junior technical specialists and any personnel recruited under health financing projects (Global Fund, Gavi, World Bank, etc.) to support delivery of health financing services and/or the objectives outlined above. Day-to-day coordination will be managed through weekly check-ins, with performance evaluated against an agreed annual workplan tied to Global Fund cycles and health financing deliverables. Competencies Core Achieve Results Level 3 – Set and align challenging objectives for multiple projects, delivering lasting impact Think Innovatively Level 3 – Proactively mitigate risks, pioneer 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 – Champion change and manage multiple competing demands Act with Determination Level 3 – Think beyond immediate tasks/barriers to achieve greater results Engage and Partner Level 3 – Navigate complex landscapes; champion inter‑agency collaboration Enable Diversity & Inclusion Level 3 – Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

                People Management 

                📚 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 🌍🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗖𝗥, 𝗪𝗙𝗣, 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗙, 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦𝗦, 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗣𝗔, 𝗜𝗢𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🌐

                ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰: 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐖!

                UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

                Cross‑Functional & Technical Thematic Area Name Definition 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 & Strategy Negotiation & 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 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. 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 Management Partnerships Management 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 policies 2030 Agenda: People Health Sustainable financing for HIV and Health 2030 Agenda: People Health Support to Global Fund and other Health Programmes

                Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

                Min. Education requirements          

                • Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Public Health, Economics/Finance, Public Policy, International Development, or related discipline is required. OR
                • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned fields of study in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

                  Min. years of relevant work experience   

                  • Minimum 7 years’ (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in in health financing, development finance, or public financial management.

                    Required skills            

                    • Proven track record designing or implementing health financing instruments (e.g. bonds, guarantees, blended finance, debt swaps)
                    • Experience supporting government agencies in health financing implementation and capacity building, including reforms related to health insurance schemes and fiscal measures such as health taxes
                    • Demonstrated ability structuring proposals for health financing and leading consultations with senior officials at international organizations, IFIs, and governments
                    • Exposure to Global Fund processes, co-financing requirements, and STC frameworks 
                    • Proven track record of excellent analytical and writing skills, demonstrated by previous research/policy work on health financing

                      Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section      

                      • Experience with digital PFM systems, expenditure tracking, and data analytics platforms
                      • Prior work within UNDP/UN system in health financing or sustainable finance functions
                      • Experience with cross-sectoral financing integration and subnational health financing
                      • Knowledge of parliamentary processes and civil society engagement in health budget oversight

                        Required Language(s)            

                        • Fluency in English language: excellent verbal, written and editing skills are required. 
                        • Working knowledge of other UN language 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.

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