Policy Advisor - IPSA-11 (short-term)

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:

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

1. 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,