Head, Finance for Planet [Open to All Applicants]

UNDP Careers; Madrid; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

UNDP in Madrid invites applications for Head of Finance for Planet. This senior leadership role will oversee the Finance for Planet pillar, guiding strategy, oversight of budgets, and coordination across regional bureaux and country offices.

You will drive fundraising, partnerships and performance across the Planet Hub in line with UNDP's Strategic Plan. Based in Madrid, the Head will report to the Planet Hub Director and work with BPPS, GPN, and external partners including donors and

Job description

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.

Job Description

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

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 knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter‑agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results‑based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

The newly established UNDP Planet Hub will drive UNDP’s vision of a world where economies and ecosystems thrive together — where energy systems are clean and accessible, nature is protected and restored, communities are resilient to climate impacts, and pollution is minimized. By 2030, the Hub seeks to help countries achieve this vision through systemic change that aligns policy, finance, integrated solutions, and societal ownership to advance sustainable human development. Backed by diverse partnerships and funding sources, the Planet Hub combines thought leadership, technical expertise, and strategic collaboration to help countries advance their environmental and economic goals.

The Planet Hub Will Build On UNDP’s Existing Portfolio Of Over USD 5 Billion In Over 140 Countries, As Well As On Key Offers Across UNDP. The Planet Hub’s Theory Of Change Rests On Five Mutually Reinforcing Service Lines That Together Enable Systemic Transformation

• Intergovernmental and UN System Coherence and Support
• National Policies, Strategies, and Planning
• Innovative and Integrated Solutions
• Scaled‑up Finance
• Insights, Modeling, and Data

The Planet Hub will be made up of eight interconnected pillars, covering strategic areas of work to deliver its core objective, as well as a set of integrated functions and support that cut across pillars and help ensure cohesive offers and delivery of the Planet Hub. One critical component of the Planet Hub is the portfolio of support to countries on Finance for Planet. The Finance for Planet Pillar serves as the Planet Hub’s cross‑cutting platform for mobilizing, aligning, and scaling public and private finance in support of climate, biodiversity, sustainable energy, pollution prevention, and broader environmental objectives. The Pillar brings together expertise on environmental finance solutions, nature and carbon markets, innovative financing instruments, capital mobilization, results‑based financing, and environmental finance implementation. Working across all Planet Hub pillars and in close collaboration with Sustainable Finance Hub, it supports countries in developing financing strategies, structuring and deploying financial solutions, mobilizing investments, strengthening implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and advancing monitoring, reporting, and verification of environmental finance results. The Pillar also provides leadership on knowledge sharing, advocacy, capacity development, and coordination of finance‑related initiatives across global, regional, and country‑level portfolios.

The Head of Finance for Planet will be based in Madrid, Spain and will report to the Director of the Planet Hub.

Position Purpose

To help support UNDP’s Strategic Plan, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) established the post of Head of Finance for Planet in the Planet Hub. As the leader of this portfolio, the incumbent will directly support Planet Hub’s goals by playing a leading role in coordinating the delivery of the Hub’s strategy across different areas of policy and programming. This includes overseeing the Finance for Planet portfolio.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Substantive Leadership and Management
• Provide substantive leadership of UNDP’s Finance for Planet pillar, ensuring coherent and effective support to Regional Bureaux and Country Offices.
• Ensure effective coordination and integrated ways of working across the Planet Hub, including with other pillars and functional teams.
• Substantively guide the Finance for Planet pillar to achieve and maintain coherent development policies and programming frameworks in support of the implementation of the Strategic Plan;
• Exercise overall responsibility and accountability for planning, implementation, management, monitoring, and coordination and ensure appropriate tracking and substantive reporting of the Finance for Planet portfolio for timely and efficient delivery of portfolio outputs and products leading to the achievement of expected results.
• Provide supervision and guidance to Finance for Planet teams leads and other other senior advisors in leading their teams to provide substantive services to country offices related to Finance for Planet and Planet more broadly.
• Promote collaboration and establishes effective working relationships with internal stakeholders (project teams, Regional Bureaux, Country Offices, GPN, etc.) and external stakeholders (donors, partners, civils society); and
• Establish and oversees a monitoring system of the global impacts and achievements of the Finance for Planet across projects and programme.
• Provide substantive and managerial oversight of relevant Hub staff at the global and regional levels.
• Participate as part of the Planet Hub Leadership Team, sharing information across pillars and informing strategic direction and decisions for the Hub.
• Integrated Policy Formulation and Programme Support
• Oversee and coordinate the corporate UNDP policy positions in relation to Finance for Planet, drawing on expertise within the pillar, across the Planet Hub and across the organization;
• Promote collaboration across the GPN on Finance for Planet, including across the new BPPS (e.g. Governance and Rule of Law Hub, Prosperity Hub, Sustainable Finance Hub, Hub, Gender Team, Digital, AI and Innovation Hub, Quality and Impact Hub) as well as Crisis Bureau (e.g. Crisis Readiness, Response and Recovery Team, Research, Analytics, Learning and Innovation Team, and Strategic Partnerships and Communications Team).
• Lead integrated technical support related to Finance for Planet, by activating the broad network of UNDP expertise related to this thematic area so as to ensure relevant and timely support to Country Offices and partners;
• Oversee the implementation of programming and operational management of the Finance for Planet portfolio, including being custodian of quality assurance and second tier oversight (delegated as appropriate), in accordance with UNDP Programme Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP), UN Frameworks and project strategy document;
• Support integrated pipeline development in coordination with the other teams and thematic hubs, including the Sustainable Finance Hub and the Quality and Impact Hub, based on consultations with Senior Technical Advisors, Regional Team Leads;
• Collaborate with other thematic team leads within and beyond the Planet Hub and the Strategic Innovation Unit on the design of integrated portfolios to address complex issues at the country, regional and global levels.
• Manage efficiently the financial resources of the Finance for Planet portfolio, including budgeting and budget revisions, as well as expenditure tracking and reporting as needed including in support of the Planet Hub.
• Thought Leadership and Positioning and Lead Cross-Organization Knowledge and Learning
• Keep abreast of the impact and effectiveness of UNDP’s portfolios related to Finance for Planet and connect that knowledge and lessons learned to future development and improvement.
• Liaise closely with Regional Bureaux, BERA and other parts of the GPN to identify regional/global priorities, opportunities and needs that could be supported/engaged by the Planet Hub, with a focus on Finance for Planet.
• Lead cross-organization knowledge and learning in Finance for Planet related domains, grounded in the UNDP knowledge strategy, with a view to leveraging all-of-house knowledge in UNDP and in external networks. Meaningful south-south exchange should be a priority.
• Lead and promote capturing knowledge emerging from the development and implementation of programmes at global, regional and country level; and
• Identify and develops ways of integrating and analysing data and intelligence from both internal and external sources that connect UNDP’s partnership performance with larger political, economic and development cooperation trends; and
• Participate in knowledge management and practice networks to showcase UNDP’s work on Finance for Planet, as appropriate.
• Analyse global economic and political trends and provide strategic forward-looking analysis of UNDP’s positioning related to Finance for Planet with key partners and advise on how best to leverage its external relations opportunities and minimize risks for the organization.
• Scan the horizon, particularly from a political and economic perspective, and assess implications for UNDP’s role as a major multilateral development partner. Monitor the strategic positioning of UNDP with bilateral, UN, and other multilateral institutions, to identify key risks and opportunities.
• Resource Mobilization, Advocacy and Communications
• Support the Planet Hub Director on hub-wide resource mobilization, strategic communication and partnership and programme development to enable delivery of the Planet Hub strategy
• Develop strategies and carry out mobilization of resources related to Finance for Planet, in coordination with other teams across the Planet Hub, and ensure effective utilization of resources in the context of meeting the Hub’s objectives;
• Coordinate and work closely with units within the Planet Hub, the Sustainable Finance Hub, and across the GPN to develop innovative financing approaches, partnership models, and resource mobilization strategies that support the implementation and scaling of Finance for Planet priorities.
• Communicate the value and results of UNDP’s work to contributors and constituents to advocate for meeting the needs of SDGs and national development priorities.
• Coordinate with BERA and Regional Bureaus to leverage expertise, networks, and communications channels around Finance for Planet and broader Planet Hub priorities, including promoting strategic results, and sharing information, while also developing external branding, and inspiring people into action.
• Develop Strategic Partnerships, Representation and Engagement
• Develop strategic partnerships, working with the Planet pillars and Sustainable Finance Hub, the Regional and Central Bureaux, to ensure the development of a global portfolio on Finance for Planet, that draws on all available sources of funding;
• Maintain and develop strong partnerships with key donors of UNDP’s work on Planet, to ensure continued support and explore opportunities for future support.
• Mobilize, foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with UN Agencies and Funds, particularly UNEP, FAO, WMO, SE4ALL, IFAD, ILO, UN-HABITAT, and the secretariats of GEF, GCF, UNFCCC, UN CBD, UNCCD; and other agencies within the UN;
• Forge key partnerships with governments and CSOs; encourage South-South partnerships;
• Expand partnerships with IFIs, Multilateral development Banks, OECD/DAC, Impact Investors and the Private Sector;
• Oversee partnerships relevant to Finance for Planet, with strategic external partners, such as World Bank, Multilateral Development Banks, research institutions and Foundations, and other partnerships
• Represent UNDP in interagency coordination and in other fora to engage partners in advancing the strategic agenda of Finance for Planet and sustainable development; and
• Represent UNDP at international conferences and seminars, contribute to research, communications and op-eds to advocate the importance of Finance for Planet in contributing to the sustainable development goals;
• Identify and spearhead opportunities for large-scale innovation in UNDP's partnership and financing strategies related to Finance for Planet, including engagement with governments, international financial institutions, multilateral development banks, impact investors, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector, to mobilize capital and scale solutions that advance the Planet Hub agenda and the UNDP Strategic Plan.
• Lead corporate discussions on identifying strategic opportunities for engagement and advocacy around Finance for Planet and be accountable for distilling key messages through consultative processes.

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

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities

Supervision, management, performance management, and development of global staff and consultants will be required.

The Head of Finance for Planet Pillar will supervise a globally distributed team of personnel across Bonn, New York, and other locations, including direct reports at the global level and secondary reporting personnel, including Regional Specialists embedded across UNDP Regional Bureaux.

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

People Management

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site .

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

2030 Agenda - planet Climate and Environmental Finance

Climate Change Adaptation: Climate Information and Early Warning

Systems (CI & EWS)

Portfolio Management System Thinking

Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity

Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment.

Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Business Direction and Strategy Monitoring & Evaluation

Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively;

Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results.

Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming.

Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools.

Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks.

Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management Portfolio Management

Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizations programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity;

Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.