UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.
Strategic technical development, monitoring and oversight:
Support UNFPA’s strategic shift from Funding to Funding and Financing and help strengthen a conducive policy environment to deliver the UNFPA Strategic Plan, specifically for Output 3 (Leveraging sustainable financing and investments).
Strengthen UNFPA’s engagement with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and others, to identify and leverage financing opportunities in support of the ICPD agenda.
Lead engagement with private sector partners and corporate initiatives to mobilize innovative financing and co-investment opportunities for advancing SRHR and the ICPD Programme of Action.
Provide technical leadership and advice on health financing, universal health coverage and systems within the Asia Pacific region to improve national policy frameworks and equitable and efficient service delivery in areas relevant to UNFPA's mandate with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health.
Support UNFPA's engagement in policy dialogue with respective Governments and Development Partners in the Asia Pacific region in areas of UNFPA's comparative advantage, aiming to strengthening financing architectures, promoting innovative financing modalities, and increase domestic resource allocations to ensure sustainable financing for SRHR to accelerate the ICPD agenda.
Engage with UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) staff to provide strategic and evidence-based advice, in the areas of health economics and health financing analysis, to UNFPA Country Offices and to ensure that UNFPA supported Country Programmes contribute to strengthening health systems in the region, particularly in Middle Income Countries.
Quality control of technical support and capacity development:
Initiate, develop, strengthen and monitor substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in health economics and financing, including for South-South technical support to countries and for the implementation of the Asia Pacific Regional Programme.
Liaise with respective counterparts in Headquarters and other Regional Offices to identify opportunities for South-South cooperation between regions, including for universal health coverage with a focus on the most vulnerable.
Design and implement learning programs, such as the Public Financial Management and Financing for SRHR program, to build staff skills for strategic policy dialogues with key stakeholders.
Coach and manage junior professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams, as required.
Evidence, knowledge development and dissemination and networks:
Play a key role in building up, coordinating and monitoring a regional knowledge platform in health economics such as health financing and costing analysis, investment cases and economic analysis public financial management, reproductive health accounts analysis and health systems strengthening in areas which contribute to achieving the ICPD Programme of Action.
Collect, analyze and synthesize information/data and experience to be used in regional and global advocacy and for resource mobilization efforts to advance the ICPD agenda.
Support the development and implementation of tools for tracking public investments to ensure accountability and adequacy and effectiveness of public spending.
Lead the analysis and synthesis of substantive trends, emerging needs and research findings in the region in order to produce and disseminate cutting edge technical knowledge, based on most up-to-date methodology and tools including for financing gaps and performance-based financing.
Collaborate on substantive issues with UN agencies and multilateral partners, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centers of excellence and professional societies in the region.
Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership:
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Advanced university degree in economics, public finance, public policy, or related disciplines (including health economics).
Knowledge and Experience:
At least 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the substantive area, of which 7 years at the international level.
Proven experience in a senior economist role, preferably with exposure to health or social sector financing, public financial management, and health systems strengthening.
Demonstrated experience or familiarity with the operational modalities and financing instruments of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and other major global financing partners.
Understanding of areas relevant to UNFPA's mandate such as Family Planning, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Gender-based violence, Population dynamics.
Demonstrated expertise in policy engagement within developing countries, including Middle Income Countries.
Established global and regional professional networks related to health economics.
Strong track record of producing demonstrable results.
Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with national counterparts, academia and development partners.
Field experience is required, preferably within the Asia and Pacific region.
Experience in engaging with private sector entities, including corporate social responsibility or blended finance initiatives, will be an asset.
