Programme and Engagement Specialist (Home based) [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.

Office/Unit/Project Description 

The Prosperity and Wellbeing team within the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support leads the implementation of UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029 Strategic Objective of Prosperity for All. Through collaborations with other teams across the Global Policy Network (GPN) and other partners from the UN and beyond, the team supports the development and use of new data and analytics to make policies and programmes more responsive to multidimensional and differentiated needs of poor and vulnerable men and women, and to better capture inequalities of opportunity and outcome.

Scope of Work 

Under the overall guidance of the Inclusive Growth Team Leader and supervision of the Global Policy Advisor, the Programme and Engagement Specialist will provide coordination, engagement, event support and strategic narrative for UNDP’s Development Pathways and Prosperity work. The Programme and Engagement Specialist will be responsible for the following:

1. Coordination, Engagement, and Event Support for UNDP’s Development Pathways and Prosperity

• Provide day-to-day coordination support for prosperity and development pathways implementation activities across countries and workstreams. 
• Provide logistics support for UNDP’s work with countries understanding national aspirations and providing solutions to drive development goals of the country.
• Support stakeholder engagement by coordinating inputs, scheduling meetings, preparing briefing materials, and capturing key outcomes. 
• Prepare talking points, presentations, and internal updates for senior team members and partners. 
• Support the planning and delivery of high-level UNDP events and knowledge-sharing sessions. 
• Support pre-event planning (e.g., agendas, concept notes, speaker briefings) and post-event deliverables (e.g., summaries, highlights, media assets). 
• Work with relevant UNDP teams to amplify event outcomes and ensure alignment with broader amplification strategies.

2. Public Engagement and Strategic Outreach for UNDP’s Development Pathways and Prosperity Work

• Spearhead storytelling efforts by translating technical successes into persuasive case studies for use in executive presentations and external reporting.
• Align advocacy campaigns with various UNDP bureaus and the Executive Office to ensure a unified voice and expanded global presence.
• Author and edit clear, professional content that promotes the initiative’s findings and relevance to the international development community.
• Generate diverse written assets, from internal policy summaries to public-facing web features and articles.
• Manage the visual translation of data, converting technical findings into digestible digital products and briefs.
• Maintain the initiative’s digital presence, overseeing website updates to ensure accessibility and brand consistency.

3. Ensure provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

• Identify policy-driven issues; and identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme goals. 
• Establish/strengthen national and international advocacy networks. Implement relevant, high -impact advocacy with key partners.
• Coordinate and ensure integrated support in development of policies and institutions to address country problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners. 
• Support policy advisory services that contribute to inclusive societal digital transformation and take digital technology risks and opportunities or futures signals into account. 
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms. 
• Organize and deliver training for the operations/ projects staff on programme related matters.

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

Institutional Arrangement

• The Programme and Engagement Specialist will report to the Global Policy Advisor.
• The Programme and Engagement Specialist will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Programme and Engagement Specialist will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
• The Programme and Engagement Specialist will engage regularly with the supervisor by email and MS Teams on a weekly and/or as needed daily basis

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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Development

• Human-centered Design: Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process. Knowledge and understanding of human centred design principles and practices.
• Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate acticitiers, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Digital

• Design thinking: Solving problems by putting people at the centre, visualising ideas and making them tangible in order to improve them through and iterative process of developing and testing. Strong empathy skills, being able to put yourself ""in someone else's shoes"", understand needs, abilities, preferences, motivations, (everyday) experiences from different perspectives as well as their cultural, social, economical and political contexts. Ability to identify and challenge assumptions, (cognitive and social) biases and dominant mental models by generating new perspectives and frames that help redefine the problem, solution and opportunity space. Being able to work with incomplete information, ambiguity and opposing views, needs and constraints and synthesise them into solutions that are viable, technically feasible and useful.
• Digital product design: Ability to design digital products which are usercentred, intuitive, functional and achieve desired outcomes

Business Management

• Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

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.
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in International Affairs, Political Science, Development studies, Communications or similar 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. 

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master´s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor´s degree) of experience in development, communications, partnership engagement, programme implementation or related.

Required skills:

• Experience working with a range of stakeholders, incl. coordination with different UN agencies. 
• Experience working on outreach initiatives in government, multi-lateral organizations or the non-profit sector.
• Documented experience creating, leading and implementing engagement and advocacy campaigns/projects.
• Documented experience creating content production and dissemination for online technical audiences; including through social media, external websites and internal channels. 

Desired skills:

• Experience in using graphic design tools, including the Adobe Creative Cloud applications.
• Experience using tools for online publishing, including content management systems and social media publishing tools, such as Hootsuite.
• Experience using design and presentation tools, including Visme and Canva. 
• Previous work experience in UNDP or another UN organisation or other large development organisations. 
• Experience in managing targeted email campaigns on platforms such as Mailchimp.
• Experience in providing sound contributions to knowledge networks, communities of practice, and digital knowledge platforms.
• Experience in planning and delivery of high-level events and knowledge-sharing sessions, incl. pre-event planning (e.g., agendas, concept notes, speaker briefings) and post-event deliverables (e.g., summaries, highlights, media assets).

Required language:

•    Fluency in English is required.
•    Working knowledge of another official 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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

#LI-DNI