Public Finance for SDGs Specialist

About the position

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 and programme work, carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office (CO) levels, form a contiguous spectrum of deep, local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. Within this context, UNDP invests in 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. As part of BPPS, the Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) was established in April 2019, aggregating UNDP’s existing work and expertise on financing the SDGs. The Hub is an integral part of both the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) and the Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA), as well as part of the GPN. The Hub serves as a connector, broker and global coordinator among internal and external actors; curates and manages UNDP’s catalogue of service offers on SDG financing to governments, investors and companies, via the COs, to significantly enhance the scale and impact of UNDP’s work. The SFH offers a comprehensive package of methods and tools in support of the organization’s SDG Integration offer to enable governments, the private sector and international financial institutions to accelerate financing for the SDGs. From supporting national strategies that deepens public-private collaboration to developing global Standards for Private Equity funds, SDG Bonds and Enterprises, and investor maps for SDG-enabling investment at global, regional and national levels, the SFH brings the best of UNDP to accelerate progress of the SDGs. The Public Finance for the SDGs Initiative supports governments in transforming their public finance systems to accelerate SDG implementation. It targets key barriers such as inefficient public expenditures, limited domestic resource mobilization, and misaligned fiscal policy frameworks. Public Finance for the SDGs is structured around four interlinked pillars: (1) strengthening domestic resource mobilization; (2) enhancing public expenditure efficiency; (3) ensuring fiscal policy coherence; and (4) advancing digitalization and data-driven solutions for public finance. Building on UNDP Country Office portfolios and already existing engagements with Ministries, the Public Finance for SDGs initiative is scaling up the focus and role of public finance – from the revenue, expenditure and debt perspectives - in achieving Agenda 2030. It adopts a national-to-subnational governance approach and embeds transparency, accountability, and participation throughout its work. The Initiative also promotes alignment with climate, equity, gender, health, and nature goals, enabling countries to de-risk investment environments and unlock both public and private finance for the SDGs.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality technical advisory services to Country Offices and government counterparts on fiscal policy coherence methodologies.
• Develop practical and applied guidance notes, diagnostic tools, and policy briefs to support the identification and resolution of incoherencies in fiscal policy.
• Contribute to the implementation of the joint UNDP-IMF study on fiscal policy coherence in 3-4 pilot countries.
• Lead the implementation of the Fiscal Policy Coherence component of the Public Finance for SDGs initiative.
• Coordinate with regional hubs and regional specialists to ensure context-appropriate application of fiscal policy coherence approaches.
• Facilitate cross-team collaboration with other GPN teams working under the Public Finance for SDGs initiative.
• Promote knowledge exchange and integrated policy approaches by contributing to the development of knowledge products and learning agendas.
• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with key institutions, particularly international financial institutions.
• Support the design and implementation of resource mobilization initiatives for the Fiscal Policy Coherence workstream.
• Actively participate in high-level forums and policy dialogues on fiscal policy coherence.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Development Finance, Applied Social Sciences or closely related field is required.
• Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) and 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional work experience in public finance research and analysis, public finance management, national budgeting, advising on public finance reforms or closely related areas is required.
• Demonstrated work experience in fiscal policy analysis, including revenue, expenditure, and debt policy coherence.
• Demonstrated work experience in economic policy coordination and public finance management reforms.
• Demonstrated experience in providing technical advisory services to governments on fiscal policy issues.
• Demonstrated work experience in developing countries context.
• Expertise in Finance across sectors including gender sensitive public finance, as well as climate finance.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience working on SDG budgeting and Integrated National Financing Frameworks.
• Experience analyzing fiscal policy contradictions and synergies, particularly in climate-related fiscal instruments.
• Experience working with Finance Ministries on Public Financial Management reforms in African and/or Asia-Pacific countries.
• Experience in programme management and cross-team coordination in international organizations.
• Experience in partnership building with international financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.
• Previous work experience with UNDP / UN in similar functions.