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

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges. In Bhutan, over the last 50 years, UNDP has been supporting the Royal Government to attain its national priorities. In 2024, UNDP started implementation of the Country Programme Document 2024-2028, aligning to the country’s 13th Five Year Plan (13th FYP).

In 2023, Bhutan graduated from the UN list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Over the past decades, the country has made remarkable progress in reducing income and multidimensional poverty, aligned with its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the impressive progress, the country is grappling with critical socio-economic challenges such as large-scale emigration of the productive and skilled labor force, youth unemployment, declining fertility rate, increasing trade deficit, and shrinking fiscal space. These challenges take place amidst a slow post-pandemic economic recovery and against the broader backdrop of structural challenges, such as limited economic diversification, a still-nascent private sector, absence of robust regulatory and institutional framework.

Bhutan’s 13th FYP (2024-2029) sets out the ambitious target of doubling the size of the country’s economy within the next five years and then doubling it again over the subsequent five years, reaching USD 10 billion by 2034, a target year that Bhutan plans to reach the high-income status. Recognizing the challenges and potential opportunities in Bhutan’s 21st-century economy, the Royal Government of Bhutan aims to accelerate and foster a robust economic recovery and growth. It is in this context that the Royal Government of Bhutan requested UNDP’s policy advisory assistance to support the Prime Minister’s Office in a high-level consultation and the subsequent development of a development roadmap for the realization for the government’s development vision as outlined above.

In June 2025, the Royal Government endorsed the Bhutan 21st Century Economic Roadmap, which sets the ambitious target of growing Bhutan’s economy tenfold (10X) by 2050 or earlier and transforming the country into a high-income, inclusive and sustainable economy. Recognising that achieving this 10X ambition requires a fundamentally different delivery architecture — one centred on performance, execution and accountability — the Royal Government established a dedicated Delivery Unit (DU) under the Prime Minister’s Office, anchored within the Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination (OCASC), to drive the implementation of the 21st Century Economic Roadmap and the 13th Five Year Plan.

The Delivery Unit forms part of a wider 10X Implementation Governance Structure that comprises a National Steering Committee (NSC) chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The DU will serve as the secretariat to the NSC and report directly to the Hon’ble Prime Minister. It will be composed of a multidisciplinary team with expertise in planning, economic and financial analysis, project and performance management, data analytics, investment facilitation and public–private partnerships.

The Delivery Unit’s mandate spans the full delivery cycle: (i) designing and formulating detailed sectoral roadmaps with defined interventions, milestones, KPIs and implementation pathways in close coordination with lead agencies; (ii) developing investment frameworks and financing strategies, structuring bankable projects, and engaging investors and development partners in coordination with the Economic Development Board (EDB); (iii) facilitating and negotiating public–private partnerships and coordinating implementation across ministries and agencies; (iv) rigorously monitoring progress through dashboards, field reviews and structured delivery assessments, and providing regular updates to the NSC and the Hon’ble Prime Minister; and (v) conducting annual evaluations of agencies implementing projects under the 21st Century Economic Roadmap. In doing so, the DU will institutionalize the missing link between strategic ambition and on-the-ground delivery, embedding a culture of performance, foresight and accountability across government and accelerating Bhutan’s journey towards high-income status by 2034.

To support this initiative, UNDP seeks to recruit a Delivery and Performance Specialist to be embedded within the Delivery Unit. The Delivery and Performance Specialist will serve as the core engine of the Delivery Unit’s performance management and analytical functions, translating the 10X ambition into measurable KPIs, real-time dashboards and structured delivery routines that enable evidence-based decision-making by the National Steering Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Director General, Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination and Director, Office of the Prime Minister, and supervision of the Programme Analyst, Governance and Advocacy at UNDP CO, the Delivery and Performance Specialist will lead the design, operation and continuous improvement of the Delivery Unit’s performance management system, data analytics and dashboards for priority projects identified in the Bhutan 21st Century Economic Roadmap and other strategies and projects which are priority for the Delivery Unit. The Delivery and Performance Specialist will also support the Delivery Unit’s work in tracking implementation progress, surfacing bottlenecks, and equipping the National Steering Committee, Technical Steering Committees and lead agencies with the data, evidence and insights required to course-correct in real time.

Design and operationalize the Delivery Unit’s performance management framework

Design and operationalize the Delivery Unit’s performance management framework, including KPIs, milestones, trajectories and delivery scorecards for priority projects under the 21st Century Economic Roadmap.
Support the development of sectoral 10X project blueprints and contribute performance-management inputs to detailed sectoral roadmaps, KPIs and delivery plans.
Work closely with the Bhutan Innovation Lab (BIL) to support the transition of Entry Point Project (EPP) blueprints into implementation, translating strategic recommendations, delivery pathways, milestones and KPIs developed by BIL into operational delivery plans, performance monitoring frameworks and implementation tracking mechanisms.

Develop and maintain dashboards, data pipelines and analytical tools

Build and maintain live dashboards and visualization tools, including Power BI, Tableau or other relevant platforms, to track progress of 10X priority projects, with regular reporting to the National Steering Committee, Technical Steering Committees and the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Establish data pipelines and reporting protocols with line ministries, agencies and lead implementers to ensure timely, accurate and reliable data flow into the Delivery Unit.
Conduct data analysis and diagnostics to identify implementation bottlenecks, delivery risks and early warning signals, and propose evidence-based course corrections.

Support structured delivery routines, reporting and evaluation

Organise and facilitate structured delivery routines, including stock takes, problem-solving sessions and monthly performance reviews between the Delivery Unit, lead agencies and the Hon’ble Prime Minister, and document agreed actions and follow-ups.
Support the annual evaluation of agencies implementing projects under the 21st Century Economic Roadmap, and contribute to the preparation of progress reports, briefing notes and presentations for the National Steering Committee and the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Contribute to the design and facilitation of 10X Labs and stakeholder clinics, providing data-analytics inputs to detailed sectoral roadmaps, KPIs and delivery plans.

Ensure gender-responsive analysis and programming

Ensure the systematic integration of gender perspectives into policy analysis, recommendations, and programming, informed by sound gender analysis that incorporates sex-disaggregated data and addresses differentiated needs, priorities, and impacts across diverse groups.

Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic areas.

Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Delivery and Performance Specialist will report to the Programme Analyst at UNDP and the Director General, Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination, Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Competencies

Core

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 (insert up to 7 competencies)

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
Digital	Team design & management	Ability to create a clear sense of shared purpose while leveraging curiosity, expertise and agency at an individual level. Set up and manage team rituals and rhythms that create a safe space for learning and reflection. Foster a positive culture around failure, encourage exploration, experimentation. Set the conditions and structures for 'fluid' team modelling and distributed leadership enabling the team to continuously develop and renew itself. Ability to create synergy between team members with diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, being able to leverage their broad knowledge and skillsets
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
2030 Agenda: Partnerships	SDG Integration	Economic forecasting
Digital	Portfolio design & management	Ability to identify leverage points in systems and design interventions that address them. The value of the interventions is determined not in isolation, but as part of the overall portfolio and their coherence. Ability to design processes that extract learning on an ongoing basis from existing portfolios, so that learning accrues over time and new options for action are continuously generated. Build a learning ecosystem around a complex development challenge: being able to mobilise a variety of stakeholders and help them learn and work together. Understand key principles of systems and complexity theory.
Business Management	Communication	Ability to 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 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
Business Direction and 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

Min. Education requirements	Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Policy, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, Statistics, Data Analytics, Information Systems, Management, Project Management, or a related area is required. Or A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree)in the areas stated above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Min. years of relevant work experience	Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional work experience in performance management, monitoring and evaluation, data analytics, project management, consulting, or related areas.
Required skills	Proven experience in performance management, KPI design, and building dashboards and data visualizations using tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section	Relevant work experience in delivery units, prime minister’s/president’s offices, performance management offices, or comparable high-performing implementation/strategy teams in government or the private sector would be an asset. Proven experience in strong quantitative and analytical skills, including proficiency in advanced Excel and familiarity with data and statistical tools (e.g. Power BI, Tableau, SQL, STATA, R or Python) is an asset. Proven expertise in designing performance frameworks, KPIs and monitoring systems, and in preparing performance reports, briefing notes and presentations for senior decision-makers in Government or the Private Sector is an asset. Experience in facilitating structured problem-solving sessions, stock takes, or delivery routines with senior officials and lead implementing agencies is desired. Prior experience in working with delivery science methodologies (e.g. PEMANDU-style approaches, UK Delivery Unit methods, Rwanda’s Imihigo, or similar frameworks) would be an advantage.
Required Language(s)	Fluency in English and Dzongkha is required.
Professional Certificates	Professional certification such as PMP (Project Management Professional), Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst, Tableau Desktop Specialist, or equivalent is desirable.

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.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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Delivery and Performance Specialist (Open to internal and external applicants)