Technical Programme Support Specialist (Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants only).

UNDP • New York, NY

4d

About The Position

The UN Global Disability Fund (UN GDF) Multi-Partner Trust Fund, hosted by UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), supports the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) through country programmes and partnerships with governments, UN entities, and organizations of persons with disabilities. Guided by its Strategic Operational Framework 2025–2030, the Fund currently supports over 40 programmes annually, working closely with UN Country Teams to promote disability-inclusive development. Through its Catalyst Hub, the Fund also provides technical support, knowledge resources, and expertise to UN Country Teams and partners to strengthen disability inclusion in policies and programmes. The GDF operates within UNDP corporate systems and procedures; all programme, financial and operational processes are inline with and follow UNDP policies.

Under the direct supervision of the Technical Hub Coordinator, the Technical Programme Support Specialist will be responsible for coordinating capacity-building and technical support to country programmes, with a particular focus on three of the Fund’s priority thematic areas: Urban Development, Climate Change, and Health Equity. The incumbent will ensure quality assurance of programme processes and provide technical guidance to validate outputs related to knowledge generation and capacity-building activities. The Specialist will also regularly report to the Technical Hub Coordinator on emerging technical and capacity gaps at the programme level and propose targeted solutions to address them.

The GDF adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, GDF personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Policy, Public Policy, Political Science, Economics, Urban Development, Development Studies, Human Rights Law, Disability Studies, or a related field is required, OR A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree
• Minimum of 5 years (with master´s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor´s degree) of progressively responsible professional experience in international development cooperation, including experience supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) across different country contexts and thematic areas.
• Demonstrated experience in programme design, development, and implementation related to the rights of persons with disabilities within international cooperation and developing country contexts is required.
• Experience with civil society organizations, particularly organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and underrepresented groups of persons with disabilities is required.
• Fluency in English is required.

Nice To Haves

• Proven experience in capacity development and technical support related to human rights and disability inclusion is desired.
• Experience in applying gender-transformative and intersectional approaches in development programming is desired.
• Experience supporting programmes related to climate action, sustainable cities and urban development, and health equity is desired.
• Experience in quality assurance is desired.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is desired.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to programme design and implementation: Support UN Country Teams and partners in the design and implementation of UN GDF programmes, ensuring alignment with CRPD principles and UN GDF standards. Provide technical inputs during programme design, inception phases, and implementation of joint programmes. Participate in regular programme check-ins to ensure activities are implemented according to UN GDF standards. Identify technical gaps in programme implementation and propose targeted solutions. Liaise with UN GDF member entities and thematic focal points to strengthen technical coherence across programmes.
• Strengthen partner capacity and coordinate capacity-building initiatives: Coordinate capacity-building activities for programme partners, UN entities, and organizations of persons with disabilities. Coordinate induction trainings during programme inception phases, including orientation webinars and guidance sessions. Develop and update training materials, ensuring translation and accessibility standards. Identify capacity gaps across countries and organize thematic webinars and training sessions with relevant experts. Contribute learning resources and materials to UN GDF training and knowledge platforms.
• Monitor programme implementation and ensure quality assurance: Support monitoring of programme implementation and promote the application of UN GDF quality assurance standards. Monitor programme implementation to ensure compliance with UN GDF standards and cross-cutting approaches. Provide guidance to programmes on participatory processes, including engagement with organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs). Support quality assurance of programme outputs, tools, and knowledge products. Provide inputs to programme monitoring reports and internal performance reviews.
• Promote learning, knowledge development, and cross-country exchange: Support the development of knowledge products and facilitate learning across programmes to strengthen disability-inclusive programming. Identify emerging lessons and good practices across programmes and support their documentation. Organize cross-country learning exchanges, communities of practice, and thematic webinars. Develop guidance notes, tools, and knowledge resources addressing common technical gaps. Contribute to UN GDF reporting and knowledge products highlighting programme results and lessons learned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level