Added value to the portfolio
Onsite UN Volunteers:
- Diversity of experiences: In some cases, international UN Specialist (3+ years of work experience) or Expert (7+ years of work experience) Volunteers, including retired professionals, may prove a cost-effective option of complementing PMU teams comprised mainly of national staff. In one UNDP Country Office, the PMU noted that bringing on board an international staff as an international UN Volunteer contributed to enhanced managerial and oversight experience within a key function for the team. Additionally, PMUs can engage national or international Associate UN Volunteers (entry-level profiles with at least one month of experience), who bring valuable skills and fresh perspectives to health programmes. As of April 2026, volunteers across all categories can also be recruited remotely, helping to reduce both costs and relocation timelines.
- Local capacity: National UN Volunteers add value with their knowledge of local languages, cultural, social, and economic characteristics. National UN Volunteers are particularly well-placed to nurture capacities at the community level, fostering local ownership and sustainability.
- Support with community integration: UN Community Volunteers can play a significant role in health service delivery, raising awareness, or debunking myths and misconceptions around critical health issues at scale and on short notice.
Online volunteers: Online Volunteers provide remote support free of charge, contributing to tasks carried out by UN entities. Typical assignments include designing and creating communication materials, translating documents, and preparing reports. UNDP can manage the recruitment process independently through the Unified Volunteering Platform (UVP). Online Volunteers usually engage on short-term, task-based assignments of up to 20 hours per week, for a maximum duration of 12 weeks.
On-screen step-by-step guide: How to create a new online Description of Assignment
Practice PointerUN Volunteer categories:
- UN Expert Volunteers: People with critical skills, including specialized in-demand knowledge, professional expertise and technological acumen, often cultivated over many years
- UN Specialist Volunteers:
- International UN Specialist Volunteers: Professionals with specialized knowledge and a wide range of cultures and professional backgrounds
- National UN Specialist Volunteers: Nationals of the host country (or refugees and stateless persons physically present in the country of the duty station) who are recruited nationally
Cost:
The Online Volunteering service is free of charge.
For more information, please check the Proforma calculator on the Unified Volunteer Platform UVP website.
Practice
Pointer
Several PMUs have engaged UN Volunteers across a range of functions, with notable benefits:
“I think UNV is an excellent modality. It adds cultural diversity to the team and gives a chance to the local staff to be exposed to experiences from other countries. We also receive a lot of appreciation from host countries, as UN Volunteers are usually highly educated and experienced people bringing a lot of added value.”
“The UNV modality works well in contexts when specific expertise is required that is missing in the host country or host agency, including in ministries of health. Low income and remote countries will find UNV help particularly beneficial.”
– Programme Manager, Western Pacific Grant
“I knew I could get a competent international UN Volunteer for this assignment. In contexts such as Afghanistan where the cost of operation is high and in the current context of declining funding, engaging international UN Volunteers results in cost efficiency, especially for the PMU budget. This is well received by both the Global Fund and Country Coordinating Mechanism.”
“The assignment required key technical skills and expertise. I already had three national staff in the section so having an international within the team brought on board added experience, including a managerial and oversight function.”
– Programme Manager, Afghanistan
To be put in touch with another PMU that has recruited a UN Volunteer for a specific assignment, please contact the UNDP Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST).
Find the latest article on UNDP-UNV support to Bolivia’s HIV response: UN Volunteers support Bolivia’s HIV response by UN Volunteers – Exposure
Resources
Functional Area: Human Resources Project Stage: PR Start-up Author: UNV Language: English Type: Policies, Procedures and guidance Topic: UNV Assignment Details, Talent Solutions Resource File Format: PDF Resource Accessibility: Publicly accessible
Functional Area: Human Resources Project Stage: PR Start-up Author: UNV Language: English Type: Policies, Procedures and guidance Topic: UNV Assignment Details Resource File Format: PDF Resource Accessibility: Publicly accessible
Functional Area: Human Resources Project Stage: PR Start-up Author: UNV Language: English Type: Policies, Procedures and guidance Topic: UNV Assignment Details Resource File Format: PDF Resource Accessibility: Publicly accessible
Functional Area: Human Resources Project Stage: PR Start-up Author: UNV Language: English Type: Policies, Procedures and guidance Topic: UNV Assignment Details Resource File Format: PDF Resource Accessibility: Publicly accessible