ABOUT THE COMPANY:

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

JOB SUMMARY

UNDP is on the ground in more than 170 countries provides a global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

Across Asia and the Pacific, UNDP helps countries build and share their own solutions to urgent development challenges, supporting coalitions for change and connecting individuals and institutions so they can share knowledge, experience, and resources.

In the Asia and Pacific region, UNDP drives one of the largest youth movement for empowerment, equality, social inclusion, and social justice (Youth Co:Lab).

The programme empowers and invests in youth, so that they can accelerate the implementation of the SDGs through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Working with partners in government and the private sector, UNDP is co-creating national and regional programmes positioning young people front and center to solve the region’s pressing problems. Through our country offices, we are working with young people to build entrepreneurial skills and capacity, help governments increase engagement with young people by creating supportive policy and regulatory environments; and working with private sector, academia and other partners to create an enabling ecosystem for young social entrepreneurs.

UNDP’s Youth Empowerment Portfolio in Asia and the Pacific (YEP-AP) aims to invest in and empower young people across the region to accelerate the implementation of SDGs.

YEP-AP believes that youth can be leaders, who create inclusive and equitable societies free of discrimination.

They can make a positive difference by taking on the challenges through social innovation, mobilizing their peers and communities, and creating adaptive and innovative solutions.

Gender and Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) is a key underlying programming approach of the youth portfolio which is highlighted as a cross-cutting output of the portfolio. This is building on the successful groundwork laid out by the Youth Co:Lab initiative and building a strong nexus with other portfolio outputs.

Aligned with UNDP Strategic Action Plan 2022-2025, UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2-2025 and LNOB principles, the youth portfolio aims to integrate an intersectional lens to dismantle discrimination, exclusion and inequality faced by young people in Asia and the Pacific in accelerating the SDGs.

The Specialist  will work with the different projects under the portfolio to integrate an inclusive and transformative approach to ensure no one is left behind while working with the portfolio team to strengthen their skills and knowledge on operationalizing the LNOB approach.  This role is also expected to work closely with relevant GPN teams to ensure that UNDP strategies, guidelines and initiatives related to Gender and LNOB are aligned with the youth portfolio.

Safeguarding is closely connected to the Regional Youth Project’s risk management and stakeholder engagement approaches, which ensures support and addressing grievances with external stakeholders including project partners and beneficiaries.

With this context, UNDP is seeking the services of a Specialist to support with developing and coordinating Gender, LNOB and Safeguarding activities of the Regional Youth Project.

The Gender, LNOB and Safeguarding Specialist will report to the Regional Youth and Civil Society Specialist with close collaboration with BRH Programme Management Unit and with the Global Policy Network, UNDP country offices, and other key parties.

The success of the project depends on the timely delivery of each component. The Project Manager should ensure timely identification of potential risks and signal any delays in deliverables.

The contract will be effective immediately upon signature by UNDP.

UNDP BRH will have the following responsibilities: (i) Provide relevant documents; (ii) Discuss and agree on the methodologies of the assignment; and (iii) Monitor and evaluate the progress of the assignment. The contract and payments will be performance-based and regularly assessed by UNDP BRH.

The present ToR may be subject to modification, without changing the overall objective and the scope of work, on the basis of mutual consultations.

UNDP will hold the copyright of the assignment deliverables.

Advise and provide technical support to YEP-AP focusing on developing gender and LNOB strategies and programmatic activities for transformative impact:

• Develop, coordinate and update YEP-AP Gender Action Plan including the annual work plan;
• Develop, coordinate and update the YEP-AP LNOB Strategy including the annual workplace;
• Support portfolio projects in operationalizing the LNOB approach and mainstreaming Gender perspectives including support on  scale up Gender transformative actions.

Lead effective implementation of YEP- AP Gender Action Plan (GAP)

• Provide technical support, working in collaboration with the Programme Specialist, in planning and effectively implementing activities under YEP-AP GAP within the scope of approved budgets, workplans and other project documents and in alignment with UNDP’s programmatic priorities and goals.

Supervise and coordinate the work of the Leaving No One Behing Experts.

Provide guidance and support in the identification and sourcing of technical expertise, including preparation of TORs and evaluation of experts.

• Provide timely and quality technical advice and guidance for the YEP-AP GAP implementation in line with UNDP’s rules and regulations, and UNDP Project Operational Policies and Procedures.
• Ensure timely collection of data for reporting on YEP-AP GAP activities, outputs, and outcomes; and substantially contribute to the preparation of narrative reports, including donor reports.

Provide technical guidance on risk mitigation measures to address implementation problems.

Update risk logs.

• Coordinate and participate in quality control mechanisms, seeking to improve the technical quality of the YEP-AP GAP outputs, products, publications, and policy discussion papers and briefs.

Lead the establishment of strategic partnerships to advance the gender and LNOB agenda and resource mobilization.

• Coordinate and develop curated dedicated offers on LNOB and gender equality.
• Establish and maintain a strategic understanding of and engagement with all the relevant institutions for advancing LNOB and gender equality agenda, including establishing contact and developing strategic partnerships with other UN agencies, government institutions, donors, NGOs, IFIs, the private sector, academia, civil society, and other stakeholders and beneficiaries at the national, regional, and local levels.
• Participate in meetings with donors, prepare and deliver presentations of project results, and follow up with relevant counterparts if requested by the supervisor.
• Implement resource mobilization strategies to achieve project outcomes that include facilitating liaisons with potential financing agencies and institutions to strengthen relationships and raise funds.

Identify new funding opportunities for furthering the project ideas.  

Facilitate knowledge management, capacity building and coordination across YEP-AP outputs for inclusive results:

• Provide technical support to strengthen the integration of gender and LNOB perspectives into the YEP-AP knowledge products;
• Provide technical support to reports, evaluations through a gender inclusivity and LNOB lens;
• Organize capacity building trainings for the Programme team on operationalizing a gender transformative approach for YEP-AP;
• Guide teams to co-design LNOB capacity building trainings for the Programme team and young leaders engaged in the different projects;
• Organize trainings for Programme team and RBAP COs on effective safeguarding of youth portfolio;
• Building on Project Risk Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement strategy, update project safeguarding channels including communication, dispute resolution and support system.

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

• Gender: Gender and Institutional Development & Gender Mainstreaming

• Governance: Youth Socio Economic Empowerment

Or

• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) or equivalent) in the areas stated above, in combination of 2 years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of master’s degree

REQUIRED EDUCATION: Bachelor Degree

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 60