UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), 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 Strategic Plan.
Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS's staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data-driven including in its programme support efforts.
UNDP has achieved significant progress in making gender equality and women’s empowerment integral to its work on human development. The new UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 builds on the lessons of the previous strategies it has established as the main goal to help governments to shift systems and power structures that generate gender inequalities and women’s disempowerment. It will work through its six signature solutions on poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy and gender equality; and promote integrated approaches in each thematic area, stronger investments in data and analysis, and the implementation of innovative solutions to transform social norms, and stronger partnerships with UN agencies and with civil society.
The Gender Team (BPPS) has the leading role in the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025, including through the implementation of Gender Equality Global Program 2023-2025.
Position Purpose:
- Reporting to the Director of the Gender Team (New York), the Gender Specialist, will be responsible for:
- Leading the area on inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women.
- Partnerships and Resource Mobilization.
- Knowledge Management, Learning and Innovation.
- Strategic advice and support for the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025.
Leading the area on Inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women:
- Lead the area on inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women, in line with the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025, and in collaboration with other relevant UNDP GPN Teams, including the Inclusive Growth Team, the Sustainable Finance Hub and the Chief Digital Office, among others.
- Liaise with Regional Hub/Gender Teams to identify their needs and priorities related to inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women, to ensure ownership and contribute to strengthening their capacities.
- Provide guidance and technical advice to strengthen the programmatic portfolios, including on social protection and public care systems; decent jobs for women through digital technologies and policy reforms; public and private finances for gender equality; and data for rapid gender-responsive measures to overcome global socio-economic crisis.
- Provide overall guidance and oversee the work of staff linked to this area, including work plans and budget implementation.
Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:
- Represent UNDP and the Gender Team in UN interagency coordination spaces, as well as in other fora, to advance UNDP strategic agenda on Inclusive Economies and women’s Economic Empowerment.
- Provide substantive advice and support to foster/strengthen strategic partnerships with UN entities, International Financial Institutions-IFIs, governments, civil society and businesses, to advance UNDP strategic agenda on Inclusive Economies and women’s Economic Empowerment.
- Lead resource mobilization efforts for the expansion of this area, including identifying funding opportunities, preparing funding proposals, donor briefings, etc.
- Attend meetings, prepare concept notes, presentations, briefs and talking points for senior management as needed.
Knowledge Management, Learning and Innovation:
- Support knowledge management for gender equality aligned to the new global Knowledge Management Strategy and Framework for Action (e.g., CoPs, knowledge platforms, high-quality knowledge products, evidence-based good practices, among others).
- Keep the Gender Team and the GPN abreast of main advances on data and cutting-edge knowledge and academic feminist research on inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women.
- Design and coordinate the implementation of learning initiatives under this thematic area in line with the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025, including a Global Learning Lab and a Network of Feminist Economists.
- Collaborate with country offices and innovation labs to foster innovation for the advancement of gender equality in UNDP programming on inclusive Economies and the Economic Empowermentof Women.
Strategic advice and support for the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025:
- Provide substantive advice for the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2023 and the Gender Equality Global Programme 2023-2025.
- Support dissemination of the GES 2022-2025; and liaise with Regional Hubs/Gender Teams to identify opportunities and challenges for its implementation, ensuring ownership and strengthening of capacities.
- Attend management meetings, prepare Agendas, follow up of workplans.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: TA, IPSA and IC as applicable.
Core:
Achieve Results:
- Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
Think Innovatively:
- Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
Learn Continuously:
- Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
Adapt with Agility:
- Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
Act with Determination:
- Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
Engage and Partner:
- Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
- Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical:
2030 Agenda: People - Gender:
- Gender and Institutional Development
2030 Agenda: People - Gender:
- Gender Mainstreaming
2030 Agenda: People - Gender:
- Gender Issues and Analysis
2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness - Effectiveness:
- RBM standards and practices for programming
Business Development - Knowledge Facilitation:
- Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Business Management - System thinking:
- Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Management - Portfolio Management:
- Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment
- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in gender in development, economics, social/political sciences or related fields. Or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Minimum of 7 years (with Master’s degree) and 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in gender and development, with a specific focus on Inclusive Economies and women’s Economic Empowerment.
- At least 5 years of working experience on gender equality in multilateral organizations, including UNDP and/or other UN Agency at the global, regional, or national level is desirable.
- Proven experience in partnerships and resource mobilization is desirable.
- Proven experience in learning and knowledge management is an asset.
- Proven experience in supporting the development and/or implementation of strategies/actions plans to advance gender equality at the global, regional or local level is desirable.
Language:
- Fluency in English, both written and oral, is required.
- Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset.