1. Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) China Country Office is part of UNDP—the United Nations' global development network. UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to end poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, as well as protect the planet, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together, these efforts aim to ensure that improvements in human wellbeing remain within ecological boundaries. We also help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities and institutional capabilities, as well as build resilience, in order to achieve the SDGs.

UNDP China has been working in China over the past four decades, partnering to advance various phases of China’s development outlined in the Government of China’s Five-Year Plans. UNDP assists China in integrating the SDGs into development decisions, promotes the transition to an inclusive, low-carbon economy and a sustainable society, protects biodiversity, and informs China’s international development cooperation engagement to advance global progress on the SDGs and the global climate agendas. In addition, UNDP leverages its global network and South-South Cooperation (SSC) to facilitate mutual knowledge and experience sharing between China and partner countries on best practices and lessons learned to advance the SDGs.

UNDP China’s implementation modalities currently engage more than 15 Ministries and government representatives at the national and sub-national levels in 28 provinces. UNDP China also actively engages the United Nations development system, multilateral and regional institutions, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, academia and think tanks, intergovernmental bodies, and the media to accelerate the SDGs and global climate agendas in China.

From 2026, UNDP China begins implementing its new Country Programme Document: 2026–2030 (CPD) and is fully aligned with national development priorities and the SDGs commitments.

Drawing on UNDP comparative advantages and lessons learned, building on past achievements and leveraging the shared timeline of both the SDGs and the 15th Five Year Plan for China, UNDP will contribute to three United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) in China priorities: (a) accelerating the national transition to “high-quality development”, contributing to shared prosperity, leaving no one behind, and addressing new frontiers of sustainable human development; (b) accelerating its transition towards a nature-positive and low carbon economy, working towards setting a strong basis to advance the Government’s dual carbon goals; and (c) strengthening partnerships with stakeholders to enhance the impact of international development cooperation engagements to accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Pact for the Future.

To support these strategic priorities, specialized professional expertise is highly critical. To ensure the effective implementation and achievement of priority of “Addressing new frontiers of sustainable human development”, UNDP China is now establishing an expert roster to engage seasoned professionals in the areas listed below. Experts admitted to the roster will be engaged to provide strategic and professional advice to various projects.

Interested applicants may apply for one or multiple expertise area listed below should they meet the required qualifications and professional skills listed in Section 5:

Gender Equality/ Women empowerment/ DEI/ PwD/ HIV/ LGBTI
Youth development
AI and digital Development/ Digital economy
Sustainable alternative livelihood/ Rural revitalization/ Urban development/ City Resilience/ Urban poverty/ People-friendly and climate smart rural development
SDG localization/ SDG Demo Zones
VLR/SDG progress assessment
Silver economy and care economy/ Aging Research
ESG of SOEs, POEs, and MSMEs/ Enterprise Development/ Enterprise globalization/ Green transformation
Sustainable procurement/ Sustainable Supply Chains
SDG finance/MSME’s/WOB’s access to finance
TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)
Decent work/ Informal work
Renewable energy access and hydrogen economy
Sustainable/regenerative/circular agriculture
Drinking water safety and water resource management
Disaster risk and reduction/ Early warning and preparedness against natural disasters
Empowerment of CSOs

2. Scope of Work

2.1 Duties and Responsibilities

Provide top quality technical advisory services.

Provide cutting-edge policy advice in the thematic area of the project and facilitate policy dialogues with partners, promoting UNDP thought leadership and advocacy work.
Establish advocacy networks at the country level and linked to international networks. Contribute to relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns that are implemented with key partners.
Contribute to the analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the context of the project and advise the UNDP CO management on issues related to the thematic area of the project.
Contribute to the setting of technical standards based on regional and global best practices in the thematic area of the project.
Deliver leading edge technical advice and thought leadership to sub national counterparts and lead analytical work to identify key policy issues/gaps to improve policies for the thematic area of the project
Develop the frontier development solution based on the local needs and provide strategic guidance on how to implement the proposed solutions

Support effective implementation of programme/project activities aimed at local economic development.

Provide technical support, working in collaboration with the Project Manager, in planning and effectively implementing project activities within the scope of approved budgets, workplans and other project documents and in alignment with UNDP’s programmatic priorities and goals. Coordinate the work of the project team and other consultants.
Provide timely and quality technical advice and guidance for the project implementation in line with UNDP’s rules and regulations, and UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures.
Analyze and identify project risks and other implementation problems. Provide technical guidance on risk mitigation measures to address implementation problems.
Coordinate and participate in quality control mechanisms, seeking to improve the technical quality of the project outputs, products, publications, and policy discussion papers and briefs.

Support strategic partnership building and resource mobilization.

Establish and maintain a strategic understanding of and engagement with all the relevant institutions, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other UN agencies, government institutions, donors, NGOs, IFIs, the private sector, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders and beneficiaries at the national, regional, and local levels.
Implement resource mobilization strategies to achieve project outcomes that include facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions to strengthen relationships and raise funds. Identify new funding opportunities for furthering the project ideas.

Contribute to knowledge management and information sharing in the UNDP country office.

Training for the project personnel to enhance their capacities in the technical matters of the thematic area of the project.
Identify, evaluate, synthesize, and document lessons learned and best practices directly linked to the project goals and activities. Develop knowledge sharing materials and respond to related queries.
Contribute substantively to knowledge networks and communities of practice within the thematic area of the project.

Support project design, monitoring, and evaluation of projects in the above sectors.

Lead or contribute to the identification, formulation, and design of projects and programmes, including conducting needs assessments, stakeholder consultations, feasibility analyses, theory of change development, results framework design, and preparation of project documents in line with UNDP policies and procedures.
Design and implement monitoring, evaluation, learning, and knowledge management processes, including the development of M&E frameworks, indicators, data collection methodologies, baseline and endline assessments, mid-term and final evaluations, lessons learned exercises, and dissemination of good practices to inform policy and programme development.

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

2.2. Typical Tasks:

Typical tasks that may be required of the individual assignment include, but are not limited to:

Technical support on concept note/feasibility studies;
Technical inputs to ProDoc preparation;
Development of Policy research report/ Project study reports;
Conduct of project Evaluation assignments, mid-term evaluation, terminal evaluation, independent assessment/Verification etc.;
Participate in Training/ Capacity building activities;
Engagement in high-impact advocacy and outreach campaigns;
Advisory support on Procurement and Recruitment activities;
Strategic engagement in partnership and cooperation development.

3. Institutional Arrangement

The incumbent liaises closely with the UNDP China office working in the thematic area of the project, and other UNDP programmes and projects in the country. The incumbent works with the other project experts and counterparts of the Government as well as engages with other national institutions, international organizations, and other relevant actors.

Roster validity:

Successful candidates will be included in the UNDP China technical Roster for a period of one (1) year, with possibility of extensions.

However, inclusion on the roster does not guarantee any active assignment and financial commitment during its validity. The actual engagement will be structured on an on-demand basis and remuneration will be calculated based on the actual amount of services rendered as requested by the UNDP China.

When a request for services arises, UNDP China will contact the individuals categorized under the specific area of expertise, providing the assignment description, location, and dates, and seeking confirmation of availability.

4. Competencies

4.1 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

4.2 Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

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.
Business Development - Collective Intelligence Design: Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.
Business Management - Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Business Management - Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
Partnership Management - Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.
Partnership Management - Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
Partnership Management - Strategic Engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives.
2030 Agenda: People - Gender: UNDP's Gender Equality Seal Initiative.

5. Required Skills and Experience

5.1 Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Development studies, or field related to thematic area is required, or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

5.2 Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible relevant experience at the national or international level in providing technical advice, conducting research, formulating policies, and/or developing and managing complex projects in sectors applicable to thematic area(s).

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in the relevant thematic areas from national and international public and private organizations, and at least two representative or outstanding achievements in the relevant field(s).

•    Experience with project designing, implementing, monitoring and consulting, including the effective provision of substantive leadership and guidance to a development project is highly preferred.
•    Experience in providing policy and/or programme advice and leading policy dialogues is an asset.
•    Experience in fostering networks and partnerships and ability to provide coordination with national and subnational government will be an asset.
•    Excellent report writing, supported by a proven academic publication record, preferred at least 3 academic publications (including at least 2 as first author) in reputable journals or academic presses in the relevant area.

5.3 Required Language(s) :

• Fluency in the English and mandarin Chinese is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

5.4 Professional Certificates: A relevant technical certification is a plus.

6. The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

a) Please ensure that all required fields in the system are completed in English, including your personal information and educational/professional background. Otherwise, your application will be deemed invalid.

b) Personal CV or P11, all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

Please clearly indicate your applied Areas of Expertise as mentioned in the background section 1 above, and briefly introduce at least two representative or outstanding achievements in the relevant field(s).

c) A cover letter (maximum length 1 page) highlighting why you are the most suitable for the job.
d) Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.

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.

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National Technical Specialist Roster - Sustainable human development