Programme Specialist (Planet) [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

- Tier 0 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.

- Tier 1 : Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments

- Tier 2 : UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers

- Tier 3 or no tier indicated : All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' lead development agency working to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, strengthen resilience, and advance sustainable development. Operating in approximately 170 countries and territories, UNDP supports governments and partners to deliver integrated solutions that promote human development while protecting the planet. Under the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029, the organization focuses on four strategic objectives: Prosperity for All, Effective Governance, Crisis Resilience, and Healthy Planet, supported by the accelerators of Digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Transformation, Gender Equality, and Sustainable Finance. These priorities are underpinned by a commitment to human rights and leaving no one behind.

The UNDP Pacific Multi-Country Office (MCO), headquartered in Fiji, serves ten Pacific Island countries: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Republic of Naoero, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, while also supporting regional initiatives. UNDP's Pacific programme is guided by the Multi-Country Programme Document (MCPD) 2023-2027, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SAMOA Pathway, and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The programme promotes integrated approaches to resilience, climate action, inclusive growth, governance, and sustainable development across the Pacific region.

The UNDP Pacific Sub-Office in Pohnpei, established in 2021, serves FSM, Kiribati, Republic of Naoero, Palau, and RMI, working closely with the Fiji MCO to deliver development programmes and support national priorities. Through its programme portfolio, UNDP provides strategic policy advice, technical assistance, programme oversight, partnership development, resource mobilization, and knowledge sharing to governments and development partners across the Northern Pacific.

UNDP has maintained a longstanding presence in Solomon Islands since 1999 and is recognized as a trusted development partner supporting national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. Its programme portfolio spans governance, peacebuilding, access to justice, anti-corruption, gender equality, youth and women's empowerment, climate resilience, disaster risk management, environmental sustainability, and digital transformation. Through these efforts, UNDP contributes to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development outcomes across Solomon Islands and the wider Pacific region.

Within the Pacific MCO, the Programme Team is responsible for the design, implementation, oversight, monitoring, and quality assurance of programmes and projects across the region. The team works closely with governments, civil society organizations, development partners, international financial institutions, the private sector, UN agencies, and UNDP regional and headquarters offices to develop and deliver integrated development solutions that advance the objectives of the MCPD and UNDP Strategic Plan.

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Assistant Resident Representative in Solomon Islands and in matrixed supervision of the Team Leader, Resilience and Climate Change based in Fiji, the Programme Specialist acts as advisor to Senior Management on all aspects of Sub-Office programme in the area of Resilience and Climate Change. S/he works in close collaboration with other policy and programme portfolios and the Operations Team to ensure a collaborative and harmonized joint UNDP programme. Cross-cutting coordination with CO Communications, Gender and other relevant experts will be required to increase the impact of the development interventions. The Programme Specialist leads in policy development, capacity building and strategic planning for new programme areas while ensuring consistency of MCPD priorities together with the advancement of strategic partnerships and resource mobilization and expansion of the country portfolio. The Programme Specialist develops innovative solutions while ensuring oversight and compliance of the vertical funds’ management for partnership building and resource mobilization.

The Programme Specialist ensures effective oversight of programme/ portfolio management, accountability, and achievement of the MCPD results within the assigned outcome, and supervises staff assigned within the unit. The incumbent works in close collaboration with Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP HQ, staff from other UN Agencies and national partners from the Government, civil society, and donors through multilateral and/or bilateral arrangements.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provides strategic direction and effective management of the sub-office programme, focusing on the area of resilience and climate change:

- Leads programme/ project design with development partners, UN Agencies and implementing partners for the portfolio, ensuring robust articulation of Theory of Change and results from framework linking inputs and activities to programme outputs and outcomes, supported with evidence to report on the Strategic Plan and MCPD indicators.

- Contributes to the analysis of the political, social, and economic situation in the country and ensures collaborative and coordinated preparation/revision of CCA, UNSCDF, MCPD, annual business planning, Integrated Work Plan and results reporting, project documents, policy briefs, briefing notes and other programmatic documents.

- Identifies and analyze strategic programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UNDP, country needs and donors’ priorities and operationalization of CPD with the Government and other partners of UNDP.

- Promotes and facilitates innovation as well as identification of innovative development solutions to the delivery of results.

- Leverages innovative approaches, resources, and collaborative efforts to enhance programme and project impact.

- Leads the design of the climate finance strategy, as well as a comprehensive landscape and key stakeholder analysis to determine implementation activities existing in climate financing, and the key stakeholders involved.

- Leads and facilitates sector mapping to inform financing priorities and strategies for nature, climate and energy programming. Ensures the development of green project pipeline generation for development/climate financing.

- Ensures regular monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely adjustment of programme, measuring of the impact of the projects, and that results, and lessons learned to inform analysis, policy and programme, and project work.

- Ensures that women empowerment and gender mainstreaming aspects are integrated and applied in all programmes/projects from the design to implementation, including planning and budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as reporting in line with and using the corporate gender equality commitments, tools and strategies.

- Ensures effective application of results-based management tools and high-quality reporting of results for internal and external audiences.

- Participates and contributes to the CO and Inter-Agency (if applicable) thematic focal teams actively making sure that the responsible activities under the respective plans are delivered successfully.

- Facilitates robust monitoring of key performance indicators and risks of the portfolio and leads the direction and implementation of corrective strategies and management measures based on risk-informed analysis and trends.

- Ensures effective monitoring of pipeline management system, programme delivery and applies appropriate actions for delivery acceleration measures.

- Applies UNDP’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework in the assigned portfolio, including the application of the Social and Environmental Standards in each project and ensures adequate safeguards measures.

- Manages team(s) and ensures that the team-specific enabling actions are included in the annual plans and implemented to meet the set targets contributing to the CO’s performance in corporate and regional KPIs.

- Coordinates UNDP’s support to development institutions working towards addressing national development priorities in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners.

- Contributes to portfolio development and ensures cross-cutting collaboration between projects under the entrusted portfolio, stimulates synergies and aggregates data for portfolio reporting

2. Ensures accountability, quality control and effective oversight of the projects

- Provides strategic planning and oversight of the assigned portfolio of programmes/projects and ensures their compliance with programme and operations policies and procedures (POPP) and quality assurance standards.

- Ensures annual work planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of assigned portfolio in line with requirements (e.g., budget revisions, approval of CDRs, etc.).

- Provides quality assurance of the entire cycle of programming and management of portfolios. Performs project assurance function in projects and serves as Quality Assessors.

- Facilitates and quality assures the project documentation prior to final approval by the Senior Management and ensures proper document management and update in the corporate systems and regional platforms (CPS, Quantum, Vital Signs, etc.)

- Exercises transaction approval for development projects as delegated in line with the established internal control framework, and ensures appropriate separation of duties is in place and maintained throughout the project cycle.

- Implements Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) framework covering micro assessments, assurance plans and assurance activities, carries out programme/monitoring visits, ensuring appropriate remedial actions are implemented; and ensures the establishment of the tracking mechanism for cash transfers to Implementing Partners/Responsible Parties in accordance with UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations and HACT policies.

- Performs clearance measures (incl. tracking of NIM advances/reimbursements, liquidation of NIM advances, clearance of FACE forms, escalating and advising the CO Management on timely remedial actions required).

- Facilitates assessment of barriers and opportunities to enable private sector engagement and participation and quality assures all required capacity and risk assessments, including private sector due diligence.

- Provides strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.

- Ensures compliance with a cost-recovery system for the services provided in close collaboration with the operations colleagues.

- Facilitates and quality assures the completion of the Vertical Funds project development stage and ensures appropriate separation of duties is in place and maintained throughout the project cycle.

- Ensures adherence to the UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) as well as established MCO business processes and internal controls, contributes to design of the Standard Operating Procedures on programme and project management.

3. Ensures establishment and maintenance of strategic partnerships and leads resources mobilization efforts in the area of resilience and climate change:

- Identifies strategic opportunities and leads engagement on potential joint programming with other UN Agencies and entities.

- Ensures development and implementation of MCO partnerships and resource mobilization strategies to achieve country programme outcomes related to resilience and climate change. Contributes to effective pipeline development in the Office. Ensures effective and timely pipeline management through timely and accurate update of the pipeline management module in UNITY (corporate ERP system).

- Supports deployment of partnership strategies and related actions with a focus on programme portfolio development and the identification of sustainable and predictable funding mechanisms for the implementation of the country programme, including but not limited to Environmental Vertical Funds (GCF, GEF and others).

- Leads and maintains strong partnerships with relevant development partners and government, UN Agencies, IFIs, government institutions, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector, and civil society in the designated support areas.

- As part of the overall MCO partnerships and communications strategy and action plans, develops new project concepts to ensure project documents and financing agreements are developed with high quality and in line with UNDP corporate rules and procedures.

- Ensures the preparation of analysis and research of information on partners, donor profiles, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing and initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall MCO efforts in resource mobilization.

- Leads engagement, networking and mobilization of experts of the international development community, government partners, UN Agencies, and prominent think tanks.

- Leads development of strategies for government cost-sharing in the resilience and climate change area.

- Ensures quality and timely donor reporting and adherence to the conditions and requirements of partnership agreements by programme teams and projects.

4. Leads provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitates knowledge building and management:

- Integrates evaluation findings, real-time monitoring data, and applied learning to adaptive programme and project management and policy advisory work.

- Ensures capacity building of national counterparts for effective management and compliance with funding partner’s requirements within UNDP projects.

- Maintains effective network with development partners and Government at the national level and sub-national level and where necessary links up with the corporate Global Policy Network of UNDP and other international development actors.

- Leads the implementation of awareness building and advocacy around UN/UNDP events and supports strategic communications work and knowledge management initiatives.

- Provides sound and proactive contributions to corporate, regional and MCO events, knowledge networks and communities of practice.

- Writes and communicates on best practices and lessons learned linked to programme and policy goals.

- Facilitates knowledge building and management especially between the programme and projects and facilitates trainings for the UNDP staff and personnel and national counterparts on relevant programme issues.

- Contributes to development of training materials and organizes workshops, as required by the supervisor.

Performs other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Programme Specialist will be responsible for supervision, performance management and development of the Programme Associate and relevant project-funded personnel.

Competencies

Core competencies:

- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop 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: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management:

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy

- Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks, and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions; Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight to model what future developments and ways forward look like for UNDP

Business Management

- Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication

- Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus on improved performance and demonstrable results

- 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 policies

- Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks

- Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

2030 Agenda:

- Planet: Nature, Climate and Energy; Climate Change Adaptation: concepts and advancing resilient development

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

- Master's degree in Development Financing, Environmental Economics, Natural Resources Management, Climate Change, International Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Development Economics, Economics, International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field. OR:

- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the above-mentioned fields with additional 2 years relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree.

- Professional Certification in programme or project management (e.g., PRINCE-2, MSP etc.) is a distinct advantage.

Experience:

- Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant working experience at the national or international level in providing policy and/or management advisory services on nature, climate or energy.

- At least 2 years of the above experience should be in providing oversight and advisory services to multiple complex development projects in the area of nature, climate change, energy, development/climate financing or disaster risk reduction.

- Managerial experience in a supervisory role for at least 2 years.

- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

- Understanding of policy development processes is an advantage.

- Demonstrated multi-stakeholder facilitation and coordination skills.

- Demonstrated ability in people management and working with diverse teams is an advantage.

- Prior experience in a UN Agency and/or international organizations is an advantage.

- Experience working with high-ranking officials is an asset.

- Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling web-based management systems is a requirement.

Required Language(s):

- Fluency in English is a requirement, local language (Solomon Islands Pidgin) is an added advantage.

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.

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. 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.

Use of AI by candidates

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