Office/Unit/Project Description

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.

The Gender Team within UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) serves as the institutional anchor for UNDP’s work on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The team provides policy advice, technical support, and leadership to all UNDP Bureaus and Country Offices on integrating gender across all areas of work, guided by UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy. The strategy outlines UNDP’s commitment to addressing gender inequalities in development processes and accelerating progress toward sustainable development for all.

The EQUANOMICS program, managed by the BPPS Gender Team in close cooperation with the Sustainable Finance Hub and the Inclusive Growth team, operates at the intersection of gender equality and economic development. It takes a transformative approach to economic systems by addressing structural inequalities that perpetuate gender gaps. The program focuses on three interconnected pillars:

1. Making Fiscal Policy Work for Gender Equality: Promoting gender-responsive economic policies, budgeting processes, and fiscal measures that address women’s priorities and reduce gender inequalities in economic outcomes.
2. Expanding Care Systems: Recognizing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care work through policy advocacy, investment in care infrastructure, and promoting shared responsibility for care work within households and society.
3. Building Evidence to Influence Policy: Generating knowledge products, research, and data to inform gender-responsive economic policies. This includes ongoing research on the gendered impacts of debt distress on development outcomes, as well as the EQUANOMICS Global Learning Lab on Gender Equal Economies, which builds capacity among UNDP economists to integrate gender perspectives into economic analysis and policy advice.

Through these strategic areas of work, EQUANOMICS aims to support transformative changes in economic systems that contribute to the achievement of SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment, while advancing progress across all the Sustainable Development Goals.

Scope of Work
The Specialist on Inclusive Economies – EQUANOMICS, under the direct supervision of the Gender Specialist on Inclusive Economies (New York), will:

1. Lead the coordination and implementation of the EQUANOMICS Program

• Lead the coordination of the EQUANOMICS initiative components, including The Global Learning Lab on Gender Equal Economies; Portfolio on care economics and unpaid care work; research activities on gender dimensions of debt, fiscal policy, economic recovery and related; Financing for Development (FfD) process and engagement; communications and advocacy activities.
• Liaising on a day-to-day basis with regional and country offices to ensure effective implementation.
• Providing technical support to Country Offices on gender analysis of economic policies, such as on gender-responsive tax systems and budgeting, or gender-responsive economic planning.
• Monitoring program progress, identifying challenges, and proposing solutions, as well as to assessing impact on the ground.
• Managing relationships with the Gender Equality Seal team, partners, donors, and external specialists.
• Develop frameworks, toolkits, and guidance materials to support gender-responsive economic policy design, implementation and impact assessment at country level.
• Organize and facilitate capacity building workshops, webinars, and knowledge exchange events for government partners, UNDP staff, and other stakeholders.
• In coordination with the communications specialist, support the documentation and dissemination of good practices, lessons learned, and successful approaches from program implementation.

2. Ensure effective knowledge sharing and learning.

• Contribute technical inputs to policy briefs, research papers, and publications on gender-responsive economic policies, fiscal reforms, and gender equality.
• Design and maintain knowledge management systems to capture, organize, and share insights from program implementation and research. Provide technical support to the implementing partners and act as a liaison between UNDP and the partners.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends, research, and best practices in gender-responsive economics, fiscal policy and major global forum discussions (e.g. FfD, financial architecture reform, debt distress, etc).

3. Build and maintain strategic partnerships and strengthen resource mobilization.

• Identify and engage in resource mobilization opportunities to expand the EQUANOMICS program.
• Develop concept notes, proposals, and funding applications to secure additional resources.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with UN agencies, international financial institutions, research centers, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Actively engage at international forums, conferences, and events related to gender equality, economic development, and fiscal policy as needed.
• Support the organization of donor meetings, partner consultations, and other strategic events to strengthen collaboration and mobilize resources.

4. Provide strategic guidance and support for the implementation of the Gender Team’s priorities related to inclusive development and gender equality.

• Contribute to the Gender Team’s annual work planning and reporting processes.
• Support the preparation of progress reports, donor reports, and other documentation as required.
• Provide inputs to UNDP’s strategic positioning on inclusive economic development and gender equality.
• Perform any additional tasks related to this assignment as required by the supervisor.
• Draft briefing notes, talking points, presentations, and other materials as requested to support corporate requests and events related to gender equality and economics.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The Specialist on Inclusive Economies – EQUANOMICS works under the direct supervision of the Gender Specialist on Inclusive Economies

Competencies Core

• Achieve Results:                                  LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively:                              LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously:                            LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility:                              LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination:                     LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner:                           LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:           LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area                                                Name                                                                                  Definition

• 2030 Agenda: Partnerships                        SDG Finance                                                         Public Finance for the SDG
• 2030 Agenda: Peace                                    Governance                                                          Public Administration Reform
• 2030 Agenda: People                                   Gender                                                       Gender Equality and Institutional Transformation
• 2030 Agenda: People                                   Gender                                                          Gender and Intersectional Analysis
• 2030 Agenda: Prosperity                        Inclusive Growth                                                              Fiscal Sustainability
• Business Management                   Working with Evidence and Data                 Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful                                                                                                                                      information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
• Business Direction and Strategy          System Thinking                                                        EQUANOMICS Program.

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Development Economics, Public Policy, International Development, Gender Studies, or closely related field. 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.

Min. years of relevant work experience

• Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in economic policy, gender and economics, international development, or related fields showing progression to senior positions.

Required skills

• At least 7 years’ experience in gender analysis and mainstreaming in economic policies.
• Demonstrated experience in fiscal policy, gender-responsive budgeting, or macroeconomic policy.
• Demonstrated Strong project management skills, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
• Proven experience of Excellent writing skills and ability to produce high-quality knowledge products.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Experience with the intersection of care economics, gender equality, and fiscal policy.
• Proven experience and knowledge of gender equality certification schemes and standards.
• Experience working in different world regions, including developing countries.
• Previous work experience with UN agencies, international financial institutions, or development partners.
• Experience in resource mobilization and partnership building.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills with ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English, both written and oral is required.
• Working knowledge of a second UN language is an asset.

Professional Certificates

• N/A

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.

Scam alert

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