The Position:

The Programme Specialist, Social Policy & Health Financing, is located in the UNFPA Philippines Country Office. Working under the direct supervision of the UNFPA Representative, the incumbent provides high-level strategic, technical and policy guidance on social policy and health financing, specifically health & protection sectors, Universal Health Care (UHC) reforms, and sustainable financing for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The Social Policy & Health Financing Specialist leads UNFPA’s engagement with national government agencies – particularly the Department of Health, PhilHealth, and the Department of Finance – on policy dialogue, evidence generation, and innovative financing mechanisms that advance equitable access to SRHR and gender-responsive health services across the humanitarian–development continuum.

How you can make a difference:

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.

Job Purpose:

The Social Policy & Health Financing Specialist strengthens the CO’s capacity to advocate, design, and implement sustainable financing strategies for SRHR and related population and gender priorities within the UHC framework.

The Specialist provides technical leadership for policy and systems analysis, public expenditure tracking, results-based financing design, and partnership building for domestic and blended financing. He/she will contribute to ensuring that financial sustainability, equity, and rights-based approaches are embedded in health and social protection systems.

You would be responsible for:

Policy Analysis, Knowledge Generation, and Innovation

• Lead policy analysis on national and sub-national financing trends, fiscal space, and health and social sector expenditure to identify opportunities to increase domestic investments in SRHR, GBV prevention, and adolescent health at national and local level, and especially in BARMM.
• Provide technical advice to government partners on integrating SRHR and gender-responsive services into national UHC and PhilHealth benefit packages.
• Generate and disseminate evidence on cost-effectiveness, investment cases, and public-private partnership models that inform policy advocacy and decision-making.
• Identify and promote innovative financing mechanisms (e.g., blended finance, outcome-based grants, social impact investments) to expand access to quality SRH and GBV services.
• Contribute to regional and global knowledge sharing by documenting lessons learned and best practices from the Philippines context.

Programme Planning, Management, and Coordination

• Provide strategic oversight for projects focused on social policy, health financing, and systems strengthening in collaboration with the Programme Team at the national and local level, especially for the BARMM region.
• Coordinate the Demographic Intelligence and Data team.
• Lead formulation of results-based annual work plans, ensuring coherence with CPD9 outcomes and the UNSDCF.
• Oversee project implementation, budget utilization, and partner performance, ensuring compliance with UNFPA procedures and timely delivery of results.
• Coordinate technical assistance and high-level policy dialogues with government, development partners, and private sector stakeholders on financing for SRHR and health systems resilience.
• Ensure integration of financial sustainability considerations into humanitarian and sub-national programmes.

Partnerships, Advocacy, and Resource Mobilization

• Engage strategically with ministries of health, finance, social welfare and PhilHealth to strengthen alignment of SRHR financing with national and local investment priorities and also to support t co-financing and domestic resource mobilization initiative.
• Lead policy advocacy for increased public financing for women’s, adolescents’, and marginalized groups’ health.
• Support UNFPA’s resource-mobilization efforts by preparing high-quality concept notes, proposals, and donor briefs on innovative financing and system-strengthening initiatives, in close collaboration with the Partnership & Advocacy Team.
• Foster partnerships with development banks, private sector, and philanthropic actors to co-finance SRHR and gender equality and adolescent and youth investments.
• Represent UNFPA in inter-agency coordination mechanisms on UHC, health financing, and SDG financing, promoting a coherent UN approach.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Establish indicators and frameworks to monitor financial flows, efficiency, and equity in SRHR and social protection spending.
• Oversee financial and programmatic reviews, mid-term and end-of-project evaluations, and contribute to evidence-based reporting.
• Ensure that knowledge products, policy briefs, and investment cases are disseminated for advocacy and learning purposes.
• Strengthen national and local partners’ capacity in results-based budgeting and health-financing data use.

Technical and Strategic Leadership

• Provide policy advice to senior management and national counterparts on emerging financing trends, fiscal reforms, and implications for UNFPA programming.
• Serve as UNFPA’s focal point on health financing within the UN Country Team, contributing to joint policy advocacy, financing for development, and SDG localization efforts.
• Contribute to UNFPA regional and global technical networks, ensuring that Philippine experiences inform corporate guidance on health financing and social policy.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in economics, health and/or development economics, health financing, public policy, public health, development studies, or related social sciences.
• Professional certification or advanced training in health economics or financing is an asset.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in health financing, social policy, or health economics, including at least three years at the international level, required.
• Proven expertise in designing or implementing financing reforms, health insurance schemes, or results-based financing in developing or middle-income contexts.
• Experience in policy dialogue and partnership building with ministries of health and finance, development partners, and the private sector.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including familiarity with fiscal modeling and national health accounts.
• Demonstrated capacity to translate complex economic analysis into policy and programmatic recommendations.
• Prior UN or international development experience.
• Experience on data generation and analysis.
• Experience in SRHR or gender-responsive budgeting is a strong advantage.

Languages:

• Fluency in English required; knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy and advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Results-based programme development and management
• Financial resource management and strategic budgeting
• Building strategic alliances and partnerships

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgment.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA”s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants” bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.