Job Description

Background

The RBEC Sustainability Facility is hosted within the Office of the Chief Economist at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH), Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia (RBEC). The Facility is a regional, modular policy and investment framework designed to operationalize Article 55 of the UN Charter by accelerating sustainable, inclusive, and climate-informed development across the Europe and Central Asia region.

The Sustainability Facility responds to mounting structural challenges facing RBEC economies, including high debt burdens, fiscal constraints, demographic decline, climate risks, and slowing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Facility provides integrated support to UNDP Country Offices through forwardlooking diagnostics, alignment of national planning and financing frameworks, innovative financing instruments, digital and AIenabled monitoring tools, and regional peer learning.

The Regional Bureau is advancing two strategic and interlinked initiatives:

The Regional Human Development Report (HDR), which provides forward-looking, policy-relevant analysis on inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development pathways; and

The Article 55 Facility, a regional analytical and programmatic platform supporting integrated economic, financial, and institutional solutions aligned with sustainable development objectives.

To support these initiatives, the Office of the Chief Economist seeks to engage a Policy Advisor (IPSA-11) to provide high-level policy analysis, advisory support, and quality assurance across regional and country-level engagements.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Chief Economist, the Policy Advisor will support the design, delivery, and quality assurance of analytical outputs related to the Regional HDR and the Article 55 Facility.

Policy Analysis and Advisory Support
•     Provide policy-oriented analysis and advisory inputs for the Regional HDR and Article 55 Facility, translating analytical findings into actionable policy recommendations.
•     Support development of integrated policy frameworks linking macroeconomic policy, labour markets, social protection, financing strategies, and human development outcomes.
•     Contribute to policy narratives, strategic messages, and evidence-based recommendations tailored to country and regional contexts.

Strategic Policy Development and Quality Assurance
•     Review and quality-assure policy notes, analytical papers, and advisory outputs produced by consultants and partners.
•     Ensure policy coherence, analytical rigor, and alignment with UNDP corporate priorities, HDR standards, and RBEC strategic directions.
•     Support consolidation of policy recommendations across thematic areas to ensure consistency and clarity.

Policy Dialogue and Stakeholder Engagement
•     Participate in high-level policy dialogues, consultations, and technical meetings with UNDP Country Offices, government counterparts, development partners, and research institutions.
•     Provide advisory support in politically sensitive or institutionally constrained environments, applying context-aware and conflict-sensitive approaches.
•     Prepare policy briefs, talking points, and summaries to support senior-level engagement.

Institutional Arrangement

The Policy Advisor will work under the direct supervision of the Chief Economist and in close coordination with relevant RBEC teams. The assignment is primarily home-based, with travel within the RBEC region subject to operational requirements and budget availability.

Core Competencies
Achieve Results: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact

Think Innovatively: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems

Learn Continuously: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands

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

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

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

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Business Management

Working with Evidence and Data

Ability to analyze, synthesize, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data to inform policy-relevant conclusions and decision-making.

Business Development

Knowledge Generation

Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.

Collective Intelligence Design

Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information, ideas, and technology to solve problems and design solutions or services. Knowledge and understanding of Collective Intelligence Design principles, methodology and practices.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity

Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility

Local Economic /Socioeconomic Recovery

Finance

Development finance expertise

Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g. social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance, etc.

2030 Agenda: Planet

Inclusive Growth

Trade and Value Chains

2030 Agenda: Prosperity

Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility

Enterprise /Private Sector Recovery

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Development Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences or related field is required,

A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, or a related field.

Experience:

A minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in economic analysis, development policy, or applied research.

Proven experience in reviewing and quality-assuring analytical work produced by consultants or research teams.

Experience

Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to interpret economic data and translate complex analysis into clear, policy-relevant insights.

Demonstrated experience working with economic and development data, including macroeconomic indicators, labour market statistics, household surveys, or administrative datasets.
Excellent drafting, editing, and synthesis skills, with the ability to produce concise, high-quality written outputs.
Ability to work effectively across disciplines and engage with technical and non-technical counterparts.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

Experience working with international organizations, UN agencies, development banks, or similar institutions is an asset.

Experience working with UNDP, UN agencies, international organizations, development banks, or similar institutions.

Familiarity with human development frameworks, including the Human Development Report methodology and related analytical approaches.

Experience contributing to regional or multi-country analytical products.

Experience operating in politically sensitive, fragile, or institutionally constrained environments, applying context-aware and conflict-sensitive analytical approaches.

Experience supporting knowledge management processes, including documentation of methodologies and analytical continuity across reporting cycles.

Familiarity with the regional context is an advantage.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of additional UN languages 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.

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