UNDP: Digital Economies Analyst [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants] – New York

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

Within the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, expertise on digital transformation, digital finance, innovation, and frontier technologies is delivered through complementary teams, including the Sustainable Finance Hub (hosting the Better than Cash Alliance and the Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IIPCSD) digital finance team) and the Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab). Together, these teams contribute to UNDP’s broader digital economy agenda by advancing policy, innovation, partnerships, and country implementation.

Since 2015, UNDP has been pioneering blockchain and frontier technologies for sustainable development through AltFinLab, a flagship initiative that designs innovative financing mechanisms blending public, private, and commercial capital to accelerate progress toward the SDGs. The Lab manages key programmes such as the SDG Blockchain Accelerator (supporting more than 40 blockchain use cases), the Government Blockchain Academy (launching country programmes in 2026), and the UNDP Blockchain Academy (training more than 500 UN personnel globally). These initiatives generate practical evidence and scalable solutions that contribute to UNDP’s wider work on digital finance, financial inclusion, and digital economies across the organization.

In partnership with the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), UNDP is advancing a blockchain-based digital payments solution tailored for economies facing structural challenges. Through research across 17 countries, stakeholder consultations, workshops, and the identification and implementation of pilot projects in five countries Haiti, Syria, Kenya, Guatemala, and Gambia UNDP address critical issues such as financial inclusion, transparency, and economic resilience. By providing access to secure and transparent digital payment systems, UNDP and SDF aim to empower individuals and businesses in these regions to participate more fully in the formal economy, thereby promoting financial inclusion and enhancing economic stability. Moreover, the versatility of this solution extends beyond traditional payment methods, offering promising applications in various sectors. From aiding agencies’ provision of assistance to internally displaced persons, refugees, and other beneficiaries, to empowering diaspora communities in facilitating increased remittances and support to their home countries, the potential impact of this solution is vast and far-reaching. The initiative also explores applications ranging from humanitarian cash assistance for internally displaced persons and refugees to facilitating remittances and diaspora engagement, contributing lessons that complement the work of the Better than Cash Alliance and SFH digital finance portfolio.

In parallel, SDG Blockchain Accelerator acts as a lab for experimentation, where teams can test solutions on remittances, humanitarian aid, or climate action, ensuring scalability and alignment with development priorities.

Based at the Istanbul Regional Hub, the Digital Economies Analyst supports the implementation and coordination of this portfolio by connecting country pilots with UNDP’s broader regional and global digital economy agenda. The role works closely with colleagues across AltFinLab, the Sustainable Finance Hub, the Better than Cash Alliance, IIPCSD, Europe and CIS region, and country offices to ensure that blockchain-enabled digital payments and frontier finance initiatives are aligned with UNDP’s strategic priorities, including the recommendations of the UNDP Blockchain Advisory Group on digital financial inclusion.

In this context, UNDP is seeking a Digital Economies Analyst to work under the guidance of the Project Manager and support the implementation, coordination, and scale-up of digital payments initiatives and broader blockchain-enabled development solutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of Digital Economies Analyst:

Support to UNDP Country Offices on implementation of blockchain based digital payment solutions:

• Provide operational support to at least 5 UNDP Country Offices across the Europe and CIS region, and 8 UNDP country office globally on digital payment pilots from proof‑of‑concept to institutional deployment;
• Coordinate with at least 15 solution makers, at least 10 country office teams, and at least 3 government actors to resolve implementation barriers and sustain deployment momentum;
• Track at least 5 pilot projects progress against milestones, identifying risks and escalating issues requiring strategic or managerial intervention;
• Identify a minimum of 10 additional UNDP Country Offices globally facing similar payment challenges and assess suitability for replication of validated models;
• Develop 3 replication packages (one for each payment category not limited to: cross border remittences, stablecoin payment rails, and SME miniloans support) and enable knowledge exchange by documenting technical designs, operational procedures, lessons learned, and connecting implementing and potential replication countries.

Coordinate applied research on blockchain-enabled digital economies and digital payment solutions to support programme implementation by:

• Facilitate access to government counterparts, local institutions, and civil society, so the research stays aligned with national development frameworks and host country priorities;
• Oversee research ethics, including informed consent developed with local communities and compliance with UNDP data governance standards;
• Provide datasets from completed SDG Blockchain Accelerator pilots as the starting point for the research;
• Lead the impact assessment, measuring outputs against SDG targets;
• Identify at least 5 UN programmes or country initiatives that can pilot blockchain solutions.

Support the implementation of SDG Blockchain Accelerator

• Contribute to the co-creation of the curriculum for Cohort 3, ensuring content is practical, relevant, and aligned with innovation and sustainable development priorities;
• Support the participant selection process by reviewing applications, and helping identify high-potential country office;
• Support matchmaking between country offices and blockchain solution makers, ensuring strong alignment between development challenges, technical expertise, and programme objectives;
• Serve as the main focal point for matched teams, providing ongoing guidance, troubleshooting support, and coordination throughout the accelerator journey;
• Support in collecting lessons learned, best practices, and recommendations to strengthen future cohorts and improve programme design and delivery.

Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

• Identify and promote different systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge management and sharing, and information provision;
• Organize training for on ICT issues;
• Synthesize lessons learned and best practices directly linked to ICT management;
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

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

Institutional Arrangement

Analyst will work under the coordination of a Project Manager.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

Digital & Innovation

• Blockchain Advice
• Knowledge of how blockchain works, and ability to advise on the opportunities and challenges for governments and society
• Co-creation
• Ability to design and facilitate a process that enables a diverse group of stakeholders to solve a common problem, develop a practice, or create knowledge together;
• Ability to embrace diversity, work with a diverse group of stakeholders understand their interests, perspectives and views and tap into to them as a source for creativity;
• Ability to facilitate processes and create conditions that are open for diverse inputs, stimulate collaboration and sharing.
• Creative facilitation
• Ability to design workshops that considers and addresses multiple interests, agendas, worldviews; set out clear objectives and engaging activities; select appropriate tools, materials, resources that are needed to enable or support the activities;
• Ability to swiftly build rapport with participants and create a safe space (on- and offline) where they feel comfortable to share their views, concerns, experiences and reflections; supporting this with a range of tools to stimulate active participation;
• Ability to facilitate inclusive conversations, ability to work with a diverse set of people with different backgrounds, seniority and expert levels, using different approaches tailored to fit the people in the room, drawing out the perspectives and ideas of each individual and making decisions through deliberation and discussion across a group;
• Ability to pace a session, adjust to the abilities and energy levels of attendees and the nature or purpose of an exercise. Being flexible and able to improvise; adapting and changing approaches in response to the needs, while staying true to the intent and objectives of the session.
• Digital thought leadership
• Ongoing research into emerging technologies and digital trends and the applications, risks, and opportunities associated with digital adoption, combined with the ability to communicate this synthesis with a broad audience.

Data:

• Data analysis
• Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data to form meaningful insights and aid effective business decision making

Business Development:

• Knowledge Facilitation
• Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Science or related field is required, or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience

• Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in Financial technologies.

Desired Skills

• Experience working with financial technologies;
• Experience with digital transformation on a national level;
• Experience in working with UNDP or UN organizations;
• Experience in partnership or stakeholder engagement with multiple blockchain ecosystems and familiarity with their applications (e.g., digital payment, supply chain, financial inclusion);
• Experience implementing hackathons or capacity building in collaboration with diverse actors across the innovation ecosystem, addressing development issues.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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