Programme and Strategy Specialist
Pubblicato il 26-08-2026 - United Nations Development Programme in Roma
**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. The UNDP Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition (the “UNDP Rome Centre”) is the key platform for the strategic engagement between UNDP and the Italian Government. It focuses on the critical policy areas of climate finance, youth engagement in climate action, and energy for development. These objectives are pursued through the effective implementation of its three main programmes: - PISTA (Platform for Investment Support and Technical Assistance) is a climate finance mobilization facility based at the UNDP Rome Centre. Its overarching objective is to narrow the gap between the climate finance available and what is needed in developing economies, thus supporting their decarbonization efforts and transition to climate-resilient economies. PISTA provides technical assistance grants to prepare large, impactful climate change mitigation and adaptation Projects in developing economies and make them bankable and ready for investment. PISTA further connects such projects with interested financiers and aims to unlock blended finance from national and international financing instruments.
- Youth4Climate promotes youth engagement in climate action,
contributing to SDG13. Youth4Climate supports the implementation of youth-led and youth-inclusive solutions to environmental and climate challenges, both financially and through capacity development. It also gives young people around the world who are committed to fighting climate change a platform to engage with policymakers and global leaders.
- Energy For Growth (“E4G”) aims to promote access to sustainable energy in developing countries, contributing to SDG7. The goal of the initiative is to assist partner countries in unlocking finance to scale up the diffusion of clean energy solutions, increase access to energy and boost the energy transition. E4G aims to foster the mobilization of public and private capital toward projects aligned with the international policy agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. It does so by connecting UNDP's capacity and connections in emerging economies and developing countries with the public-private ecosystem of Italy and other G7 countries, in the crucial sector of energy. **Scope of Work**:
The UNDP Rome Centre requires an additional team member to work on the PISTA projects as a Programme and Strategy Specialist. The Specialist will play a pivotal role in overseeing and managing the post-origination phase of projects in the field of climate change and development finance to deliver on the activities described below.
The scope of work over the course of the period may vary depending on the specific assignment and region. **Duties and Responsibilities** The key duties and accountabilities to be undertaken by the Specialist are:
**Ensure the formulation and implementation of programme strategies and policies**: - Ensure effective execution of operational and programmatic functions in support of PISTA’s strategic priorities;
- Ensure support for the implementation of the projects selected as part of the first Call for Applications;
- Support in the strategic development of future project origination modalities including the second round of Call For Applications;
- Contribute to refining PISTA’s functionalities and processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness;
- Report on project effectiveness and impact, contribute to the development of the PISTA’s annual report by providing data and insights on performance of assigned projects;
- Support the Climate Finance and Private Sector Specialist and work with the PISTA team in the continuous operationalization and scale up of PISTA;
- Support the Sustainable Finance and Investment Specialist in expanding PISTA’s network of international and national financiers;
- Proactively contribute to donor engagement, relationship management, and PISTA’s overall visibility and outreach as required, and ensure timely publication and dissemination of reports in accordance with PITSA milestones and KPIs. **Project Scoping and Selection**: - Collaborate with project origination teams to assess financial, climate and sustainability aspects of identified projects;
- Evaluate project eligibility based on defined criteria, ensuring alignment with sustainable finance principles and climate objectives;
- Monitor activities to track pr