Local Finance Specialist [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

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.

As the lead United Nations agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships and institutional capabilities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP’s work is guided by four strategic objectives that together define our contribution to human development: expanding prosperity for all, strengthening effective governance, safeguarding a healthy planet and building crisis resilience. These objectives are enabled by three accelerators that drive transformative impact across our portfolio: digital and AI innovation, gender equality and sustainable finance. Through this integrated approach, UNDP supports countries to deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives and to advance sustainable development at scale. 

UNDP, through its Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH) (https://sdgfinance.undp.org/), supports partners in promoting financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As an accelerator of the UNDP Strategic Plan, sustainable finance strengthens countries’ ability to mobilize, align and deploy finance at scale for national priorities. UNDP supports international and country level policy reform as a catalyst for system-wide change, stronger policy environments, better-functioning markets and more coherent financing strategies for sustainable development. SFH work is delivered through three interconnected portfolios: 1) Public Finance for the SDGs; 2) Private Finance for the SDGs; and 3) Global & Country Financing Policy Frameworks.

SFH Public Finance for SDGs (PF4SDGs) portfolio supports governments to strengthen public finance systems for sustainable development. Operating across 99+ countries with a portfolio exceeding $200 million, the portfolio provides integrated technical assistance across three core pillars: (1) Fiscal Policy Coherence, (2) Tax Systems for Sustainable Development, and (3) Public Expenditure Management. The portfolio works with Ministries of Finance, Planning, and line ministries to align fiscal policies, tax systems, debt strategies and public expenditure with national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda. UNDP’s comparative advantage in public finance stems from its unique position at the nexus of fiscal policy and development outcomes. Rather than focusing on isolated technical reforms, UNDP empowers governments to adopt whole-of-government and whole-of-society strategies that link fiscal instruments directly to sustainable development impact. This includes facilitating cross-ministerial policy dialogue, building coalitions for reform, integrating governance, climate, gender, health, and resilience priorities into fiscal frameworks, and supporting countries in translating SDG ambitions into fiscally viable implementation pathways.

The Local Finance Specialist will serve as the lead technical advisor on subnational public finance within the SFH UNDP’s Public Finance for the SDGs portfolio, working at the intersection of PF4SDGs pillars, the INFFs and UNDP’s leadership of the Local2030 Coalition, playing a strategic integrator role across these agendas, to ensure integrated, whole-of-government fiscal policy support to countries. 

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Public Finance for the SDGs, the incumbent will guide the design, implementation and monitoring of subnational fiscal policy coherence efforts, including leading the application of the “cost of fiscal incoherence” methodology at the local level, and supporting the integration of fiscal redistribution—incorporating work on High-Net-Worth Individual (HNWI) taxation—into coherent fiscal frameworks that translate national reforms into territorial SDG outcomes. The Specialist will also drive thought leadership and knowledge sharing on subnational public finance, represent UNDP in global fora, and build partnerships.The Specialist will work closely with Country Offices (COs), Regional Bureaux (RBx), and specialists across the PF4SDGs team to strengthen UNDP’s integrated offer on local finance for SDG delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This reflects the interconnected nature of development risks and crises and the need for integrated and systemic responses. Accordingly, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance horizontal collaboration and strengthen UNDP’s service offer on public finance for the SDGs at both national and subnational levels.

• Provide strategic and technical leadership in the application of the fiscal policy coherence approach – including the cost of fiscal incoherence methodology – at subnational level, working closely with other thematic advisors, regional specialists, RBx, COs, other teams across the Global Policy Network (particularly with the Local Hub and Prosperity team), and the SFH to provide integrated support.
• Work closely with the Head of Public Finance for the SDGs and the INFF team to act as a technical bridge between PF4SDGs, ILFFs and the Local2030 Coalition, integrating subnational fiscal policy coherence considerations into national financing strategies and territorial implementation in line with the Local2030/SDG Fund Agenda and the Bilbao Blueprint.
• Integrate fiscal redistribution (including the HNWI SPA agenda) into public and subnational finance reforms through a fiscal policy coherence approach, to support equitable, SDG-aligned local investment outcomes.
• In coordination with the Public Finance Specialists and SFH Regional Advisors, lead and support country-level analytical, diagnostic and implementation work on subnational public finance and fiscal policy coherence reforms across the PF4SDGs portfolio, ILFFs and broader SFH initiatives, including technical backstopping and support to programme design, monitoring and reporting.
• In coordination with the SFH Regional Advisors, facilitate policy dialogue and coalition-building with national and subnational governments, UN system entities, International Financial Institutions, development partners, civil society and the private sector to advance shared reform agendas on local public finance, fiscal policy coherence and equitable development..
• Lead the research and analytical work required to guide the identification of local public finance reforms in support of strengthened fiscal policy coherence at subnational level, including fiscal redistribution, drawing on PF4SDGs analytical tools (including the cost of fiscal incoherence methodology).
• Facilitate dialogue and coalition building with relevant country-level stakeholders, including government, donors, civil society, and the private sector, to define and implement shared reform agendas.
• Develop new and/or refined frameworks, methodologies, guidance, and tools to facilitate the implementation of the fiscal policy coherence approach at subnational level, ILLFs, Local 2030 processes and fiscal redistribution.

• Conduct horizon scanning and policy-relevant analysis on subnational public finance and fiscal policy coherence—including the cost of fiscal incoherence—as well as fiscal decentralization, local financing strategies and fiscal redistribution, and assess the application of the ILFF approach to inform PF4SDGs pillars, the INFF portfolio and Local2030 processes.
• Lead the production of policy-oriented knowledge products—including policy papers, technical notes and case studies—on subnational fiscal policy coherence (including the cost of fiscal incoherence), ILLFs, intergovernmental fiscal relations and fiscal redistribution, tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Support UNDP and SFH thought leadership and global policy dialogue on public finance for the SDGs by contributing to flagship publications and participating in UN inter-agency processes, the Financing for Development (FfD) agenda, and Local2030 Coalition platforms, with a focus on territorial finance and equity.
• Ensure systematic documentation of lessons learned, innovations, results, and impact from fiscal policy coherence, ILFF interventions and Local 2030 processes across countries, and promote their uptake globally.
• Support the management of communities of practice, facilitating knowledge exchange among practitioners on topics related to fiscal policy coherence at subnational level, ILFFs, Local 2030 processes and fiscal redistribution.
• Support the design of training materials, e-learning modules, and capacity-building resources that institutionalize the policy coherence approach at the local level, ILFFs, Local 2030 processes and fiscal redistribution connections, and deliver related trainings, as required.
• Facilitate South-South and triangular cooperation, enabling peer learning on fiscal policy coherence, ILLFs, Local 2030 processes and fiscal redistribution across subnational governments and regions.

• Represent UNDP’s work on subnational fiscal policy coherence (including the cost of fiscal incoherence), ILFFs and fiscal redistribution, in international conferences, expert meetings, technical workshops and policy dialogues, articulating UNDP’s value proposition in linking national and subnational finance for SDG delivery.
• Support senior leadership in global and regional engagement—including Local2030 Coalition, Financing for Development (FfD) fora and SPA-related dialogues—by preparing background papers, briefing notes, talking points and technical inputs.
• Contribute to UNDP’s leadership of the Local2030 Coalition Finance Working Group and the collaboration with the SDG Fund, by coordinating analytical inputs, supporting meetings and events, and fostering alignment across UN agencies and partners working on local and territorial finance.
• Build and sustain strategic partnerships with International Financial Institutions, UN entities, bilateral donors, local government networks, civil society and research institutions, including through technical inputs to resource mobilization, donor engagement and communications related to local public finance, fiscal policy coherence at subnational level, ILFFs and redistributive fiscal policy.

• Contribute to results-based management of the PF4SDGs portfolio, those linked to ILFFs and redistributive fiscal policy and related SFH initiatives, through indicator tracking, performance monitoring and systematic documentation of results, in coordination with M&E focal points.
• Prepare technical inputs for reporting, reviews and portfolio analysis related to subnational public finance and fiscal policy coherence, ILFF implementation and redistributive fiscal policy reforms, including contributions to donor reports, internal reviews and corporate reporting processes.
• Support coordination across SFH teams, Regional Bureaux and Country Offices to ensure coherent design and implementation of PF4SDGs, ILFFs and fiscal policy coherence initiatives – including the cost of fiscal incoherence methodology – at national and subnational levels.
• Support operational delivery and programme management, including coordination of consultants and experts, roster development and other implementation tasks required to advance subnational PF4SDGs, ILFFs and redistributive fiscal policy priorities and respond to evolving organizational needs.

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

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: None

• Core Competencies: 

• Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity. 
• Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. 
• Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

• Public Finance for the SDGs
• SDG-aligned Fiscal and Debt Instruments
• International Financial Institutions

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Law, or Public Administration or related discipline 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.
• A PhD or equivalent advanced research qualification in a relevant field (e.g. public finance, political economy, development studies) is an asset.

• Minimum of seven (7) years (with master’s degree) or nine (9) years (with bachelor’s degree)  of relevant professional experience providing policy advice in public finance, fiscal policy or related fields, including at least three (3) years at the international level, is required.
• At least five (5) years of experience supporting Ministries of Finance and/or Parliaments in developing countries on public finance policy and reform processes, is required.
• At least five (5) years of demonstrated experience working on subnational public finance, including fiscal decentralization or local financing strategies for development outcomes, which may include policy advisory roles, analytical work and/or relevant academic teaching experience, is required.
• Demonstrated, applied knowledge and hands-on experience providing policy advice and technical assistance to national and subnational governments, on fiscal policy coherence (including the cost of fiscal incoherence methodology), ILFFs (including in the context of the Local2030 Coalition and Joint SDG Fund), and fiscal redistribution, is required.
• Demonstrated experience in high-level policy engagement with Ministries of Finance and other government institutions on tax, expenditure and/or debt frameworks, including facilitating dialogue with senior officials and development partners, is desired.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with multilateral or UN system initiatives on local finance, including the Local2030 Coalition, with contributions to Working Group 2 and Working Group 1, and experience advising on the design of bankable project pipelines and financing instruments through Joint SDG Fund or similar initiatives, is desired.
• Demonstrated expertise in fiscal redistribution initiatives (such as progressive taxation and fiscal equity), including analysis of distributional impacts and linkages to development outcomes; experience related to High-Net-Worth Individual (HNWI) taxation and engagement with relevant global initiatives (e.g. Seville Platform for Action) is desired.
• Experience working with the UN system, multilateral organizations and/or International Financial Institutions (IFIs), is an asset.
• Experience in programme development, resource mobilization, donor engagement or partnership development related to public finance or SDG financing, is an asset.

• Fluency in English, both written and oral is required.
• Knowledge of any other official UN language is an asset.

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.

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. 

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.

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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