The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy and programme work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office (CO) levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep, local knowledge, cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. Within this context, UNDP invests in 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 UNDP’s Strategic Plan.

The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative is managed by the Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH), with resource persons embedded in the SDG Finance Teams in Amman, Bangkok, Istanbul, Panama, and Pretoria. The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative places particular emphasis on linking tax administrations, tax and fiscal policies with the broader SDGs. Building on UNDP Country Office portfolios and already existing engagements with Ministries, the UNDP is bringing a stronger focus on the role of tax and fiscal policy in achieving the Agenda 2030. The Initiative focuses on reducing gender and social inequalities in tax and fiscal policy as well as taking forward climate action and environmental goals, and health outcomes.

The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative works with national tax administrations, ministries of finance, auxiliary institutions and stakeholders to strengthen their capacities in thematic areas, functional topics and cross-cutting issues, particularly emphasizing the tax and SDGs lens and the importance of data for policy making as well as tax administration.

Representing the views of developing countries in the global normative tax discussions is critical. The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative supports developing countries to generate evidence and perspectives from their contexts to contribute to regional and international discussions on taxation.

To address the growing demand from developing countries for support to strengthen their tax systems and include a tax for SDGs lens in public finance management, the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative is augmenting the Roster of Tax for SDGs Experts. This roster is part of the SDG Finance Roster and will be established within the Global Policy Network Experts Roster for Rapid Response (GPN ExpRes Roster), a recruitment and deployment mechanism that maintains pre-vetted consultants on a roster and offers the ability to contract them quickly for support.  

The rostered experts can be deployed on demand as individual contractors for short-term assignments on a national, regional and international level. Specific terms of reference with assignment specific responsibilities and deliverables will be developed for each assignment.

Tax for SDGs Roster Experts may be deployed for assignments in the following thematic areas:

1. Political Economy of Taxation
2. Progressive Taxation/Tax and Wealth
3. Tax Expenditures
4. Tax and Energy
5. Tax and Environment / Carbon Taxation
6. Tax and Extractive Industries
7. Tax and Gender
8. Tax and Health
9. Tax and Trade
10. Tax and Social Protection Measures
11. Fiscal Decentralisation
12. Subnational Taxation / Property Taxation
13. Tax and Informal Sector
14. Tax Gap Analysis
15. Knowledge of MTRS procedures
16. Other

Applicants are requested to apply for the thematic area where they have the strongest expertise. It is recommended to also indicate expertise in other areas and themes that may apply in their CV.

Responsibilities of Tax for SDGs Roster Experts may include:

• Technical Assistance
• Capacity Building
• Institutional Development
• Knowledge Creation
• Advocacy and Regional Dialogues
• Partnerships
• Supporting Access to Capital

Based on the assignment, tasks of the Experts may include, yet are not restricted to, the following functions:

• Development of tax policy reform proposals, incl. formulation of strategies and targets
• Tax and fiscal policy analysis, incl. revenue forecasting, tax expenditure analysis, tax incidence analysis, distributional analysis, economic impact analysis, cost-benefit analysis, microsimulation modelling
• Legal drafting, incl. tax policy drafting, correcting drafting deficiencies
• Consultations, incl. advocacy and communications, engaging with legislators and parliamentarians, engaging with private sector, tax debate guidance, reporting on data
• Balancing of policy choices and trade-offs by comparing sets of tax and fiscal policies
• Advising on establishing and strengthening interinstitutional relations for tax systems strengthening
• Other

Successful applicants will join the UNDP Roster of Tax for SDGs Experts and be contacted based on arising needs.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards. 
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and displays zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies

• Strategic vision, strong technical and analytical capabilities on domestic resource mobilization and financing sustainable development.
• Strong research, reporting, written and verbal communication abilities. Ability to effectively summarize and present information.
• Experience in tax and selected thematic area.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, tact, and negotiating skills, and the ability to cope with situations which may pose conflict.
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
• Ability to accommodate additional demands on short notice. 
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.
• Ability to manage heavy workload and solve complex problems.

Education:

• A Master’s degree or higher in the field of Economics, Law, Political Economy, Taxation, Statistics, International Development, or related field is required. A PhD is desirable.

Work experience:

• Minimum five years of experience in tax / fiscal policy analysis, policy development, research, or other policy-related fields in one or more of the thematic areas listed above, preferably within a government, a bilateral or an international organization or a research organization.
• Three years of work experience in a developing country context is desirable.
• Field experience with UNDP or other development organizations is an asset.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. Fluency in any other language will be an asset. (Please indicate in your proposal your fluency level in other languages).