Research Associate - Blended Finance & PPPs in Global Health

About United Nations University

The United Nations University (UNU) is an international community of scholars engaged in policy-oriented research, capacity development and dissemination of knowledge, furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. UNU’s mission is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu.

About the Institute (UNU-IIGH, Kuala Lumpur)

UNU-International Institute for Global Health is one of 14 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system. UNU-IIGH was established in 2005 with the mission to advance evidence-based policy on key issues related to sustainable development and global health. UNU-IIGH aims to build knowledge and capacity for decision-making by UN agencies, UN programmes and Member States towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Leveraging its position within the UN, UNU-IIGH works with a network of academic, policy and civil society experts to serve as a platform for critical thinking and exchange of knowledge and tools for policy influence and consensus-building. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu/iigh.

UNU-IIGH’s research interrogates power and gender asymmetries that lead to inequitable and unjust health outcomes. Our work is organized around four work packages covering the following themes: (a) power asymmetries and accountability deficits in the system of global health governance (b) gender equality and intersectionality, (c) digital health security and governance, and (d) climate justice and health.

The Opportunity

The UNU-IIGH is seeking a Research Associate to work on a policy research project on an emerging topic of profound importance to global health: the increasing use of blended finance instruments - combining philanthropic and public finance with private capital - to solve healthcare financing gaps. The project will be co-administered by a social policy consultancy company based in Tokyo, who will be the contract holder for this position.

Working closely with a senior research team in UNU-IIGH and a network of external academic experts from across the world, the successful candidate will support the completion of a number of case studies on social impact investment, help coordinate the work of the wider research team and assist with the organization of an international meeting of experts and policy makers in early 2027.

We are looking for a dynamic early to mid-career individual to help expand the evidence base on blended finance in the health sector of low and middle-income countries. The position will allow the successful candidate to learn from leading experts on health financing and be exposed to the process of feeding research and evidence into policy making.

Job Description

Research & Analysis

• Gather, organize and analyze publicly-available data and documentation on blended finance healthcare funds, including legal disclosures, impact reports, investor communications, and academic literature

• Map stated claims, assumptions, and evidence gaps in case study materials.

• Draft annotated research summaries, fact sheets, and analytical memos for the research team

• Contribute to the design of primary research instruments (interview guides, survey tools, documentary analysis frameworks).

• Support preparation for stakeholder engagement.

Project Administration

• Coordinate the scheduling and logistics for research team meetings, stakeholder calls, and project milestones

• Take accurate, structured minutes of core team meetings and circulate action logs

• Maintain a well-organized shared research repository

• Support communication with wider project stakeholders - drafting correspondence, managing information flows, and tracking responses

• Assist in preparing progress reports and briefings for funders and partners

• Assist in organization of webinars and an international meeting in early 2027.

Key performance indicators

• Timely production of high-quality research and research outputs

• Demonstrable improvements in project management competencies

• Successful organization of meetings with external stakeholders
• Development of improved working relationships with research partners, member state governments, donors, and civil society organizations

Competencies
Values:

• Inclusion — take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity
• Integrity — act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behavior, or any other breach of UN standards
• Humility — demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others
• Humanity — act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet

Behaviors:

• Connect and collaborate — build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN
• Analyze and plan — seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action
• Deliver results with positive impact — hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves
• Learn and develop — pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others
• Adapt and innovate — demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways