Economist (Open to all applicants)

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 Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply. Background Political and socioeconomic conditions for a two-State solution deteriorated through 2025. Internationally, support for a two-State solution grew, including the UN General Assembly’s endorsement in September 2025 of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, with the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution tasked to carry it forward. The AHLC — the principal strategic policy-level mechanism for coordinating development assistance to the Occupied Palestinian Territory — reinforced political commitments and financial pledges in support of the Palestinian Authority. UNSCR 2803 (2025) endorsed the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict and provided for a transitional Board of Peace and an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to stabilize Gaza and lead recovery and reconstruction until full governance transitions to the Palestinian Authority. Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator (UNSCO) is recruiting dedicated economic and analytical support to: (i) inform and support the development of a transitional programming framework and its sub-elements including the identification of strategic initiatives relating to economic, financial, and private sector; (ii) strengthen the risk framework, political economy and conflict analysis underpinning strategic planning and the implementation of UN mandates; and (iii) contribute to AHLC research, reporting and engagement on socio-economic and financial issues including the administrative relationship between Israel and Palestine. Across all three areas, the Economist will pioneer the use of generative AI and related digital tools to accelerate data analysis, foresight, costing, and reporting, and strengthen the evidence base for transitional planning and senior leadership decision-making in areas related to economic and fiscal matters. Position Purpose The position is located in the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator (UNSCO) in Jerusalem and reports to the Chief of Coordination Unit / Head of RCO. The Economist will conduct political economy and related risk analysis and support UNSCO and the UNCT to develop a strategic planning framework to contribute towards the implementation of UNSCO and the UNCT’s development mandate. As part of this role, the Economist will apply advanced AI analytical tools. 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 Lead development of programming framework including the Common Country Analysis (CCA), results framework, financing framework, and monitoring and impact reporting framework. Conduct socioeconomic analysis, foresight and horizon scanning, and coordinates the development of transitional strategic planning. Establishes analytical workflows — for data collection, scenario modeling, foresight, costing, and drafting using AI— to accelerate the design and continuous updating of the CCA, results framework, financing framework, and M&E framework, while ensuring data integrity and confidentiality. Provide substantive economic and analytical support using relevant analytical tools, for the design of a transitional programming framework, monitoring and impact reporting framework. Lead development of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for a revised programming framework, including the results chain, baselines, data sources and reporting, and key indicators including institutional strengthening and capacity building benchmarks. Advise and support the design of a financing framework; maps financing needs, flows and instruments across humanitarian, recovery and development efforts and public, private and blended sources; and aligns with the United Nations Horizon Fund and related recovery frameworks. Advise and support the development and review of UN joint programmes for recovery related to economic and financing issues. Research, develop and present policy papers, guidance notes, briefing materials and analytical inputs, to advance policy dialogue on political economy, employment and livelihoods, and financial issues. Develop and maintain a risk framework, political economy and conflict analysis to inform UN engagement, recovery planning and senior leadership decision-making. Use generative AI and related tools to maintain and update damage assessments and damage and recovery and reconstruction needs analysis – including detailed costing and sequencing. Serves as the UNSCO lead for EU-WB-UN joint crisis assessment (i.e. RDNA) work. Develop and maintain a risk framework for identifying, categorizing and assessing risks with associated mitigation measures and early-warning indicators. Conduct political economy, financial, and employment analysis including mapping key actors and by conducting horizon scanning using open source, KII and related sources. Assesses and highlights development trade-offs, risk factors and early-warning indicators that may undermine the achievement of SDG targets, and the UN’s programming, and proposes appropriate measures to address them; Provide risk and political-economy inputs to senior leadership decision-making, to system-wide reporting on the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and to inform planning. Manage Adhoc Liaison Committee (AHLC ) issues, research and engagement Coordinate the drafting of the biannual UNSCO report to the AHLC, including the analysis of data and provision of evidence to build the case for related policies and interventions. Lead research and analysis on priority AHLC issues linked to political economic developments and the administrative relationship between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Provide substantive support to the formulation of strategic programmes and initiatives that address AHLC issues with a strong investment orientation, ensuring alignment with national priorities and Palestinian institutions. Advice and support UNSCO’s engagement with international and local financial institutions, economic institutions, civil society, member states, on AHLC related issues. Oversee the implementation, planning, and reporting of Norway’s extra-budgetary support to UNSCO including annual planning, reporting, and coordination of implementation. Lead policy advice to counterparts and knowledge management on economic and development issues. Facilitate policy dialogue on economic issues with the partners, civil society, private sector; and contribute to development of policies as relevant. Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice. Assess the country’s economic policies and strategies for their impact on poverty reduction, and inclusive and sustainable growth, etc. Provide training and capacity building support for UNSCO staff, Government officials and pu