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
Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Over the past decades, Bangladesh made remarkable human development progress, despite frequent intensive and extensive disasters, the impact of climate change, and, more recently, the Rohingya refugee crisis. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, the country is scheduled to graduate from LDC in 2026. It has the aspiration to become a developed nation by 2041. However, its development gains have not been distributed equitably, resulting in widening inequality despite making good progress on women economic empowerment. Its economic reliance on foreign remittances and RMG have increasingly been exposed to the 4th Industrial Revolution and, more recently COVID-19. While urbanization and industrialization continue to offer an economic dividend, they have a compound negative impact on eco-system health. Besides, climate and disaster remain major fault-line in the economy and society.
In addressing the challenges, the country maintained a forward-facing policy environment. As a result, reducing poverty and inequality and becoming a resilient nation remain the GoB’s top priority. In support of the country’s ambition, UNDP has been a strong partner of the government in co-designing policy solutions, strengthening democratic institutions, capacity building, and promoting innovations. Bangladesh has fully committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that recognize human rights as a foundation to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that everyone lives in a just, dignified, progressive, peaceful, and prosperous society. The expectation from UNDP to play an SDG integrator role is growing in the context of the post-UN reform.
UNDP Bangladesh’s Country Programme Document seeks to assist the Government of Bangladesh and its development partners in implementing the SDGs by 2030. In the context of the Bangladesh’s 8th Five Year Plan (8FYP) and the government’s vision to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, UNDP aim to ensure a more resilient, green, and inclusive society that shares its increasing prosperity with all. UNDP will leverage its unique position and experience to deliver tactical policy and program expertise that supports implementation of the 8FYP and cements UNDP as a strategic partner of the government on the sustainable development agenda. To realize this vision, UNDP is working within the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF:2022-2026) to deliver a country program focusing on five Strategic Priority Areas for engagement: (i) inclusive and sustainable economic development; (ii) equitable human development and well-being; (iii) sustainable, resilient and healthy environment; (iv) transformative, participatory and inclusive governance; and (v) gender equality and eliminating gender-based violence.
As part of its Development Effectiveness efforts, UNDP is committed to making gender equality, a basic human right and a necessity for a sustainable world, a reality. Women’s empowerment and gender equality are vital to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which envisions a world “of universal respect for human rights and human dignity” in which “every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality and all legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment have been removed.”
Addressing the priority of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 requires sustained action and investment over decades. UNDP will combine shorter-term incremental changes that reach individuals and communities with longer-term reductions in structural barriers that generate changes across social, economic, and other systems.
Therefore, UNDP Bangladesh is hiring three Gender analysts to support gender-related issues of project implementation in three different Projects. They are:
- Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office (Duty station-Cox’s Bazar)
- “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity” Project (Duty Station – Dhaka)
- Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Development in Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT) Project (Duty Station- Rangamati)
Duties and Responsibilities
These positions will directly report to the Project or Programme Manager. Impact results are evidence-based, well-reasoned and innovative approaches to gender transformation are integrated within UNDP projects; implementation of projects ensured gender transformative approaches with clear time-bound benchmarks; Project is recognized by other agencies in the region as an example for its gender initiatives; UNDP Staff, Partner organizations’ staff, vendors and other contractors are well versed on gender mainstreaming principles and actively contributing to PSEA and PSHAA; quality knowledge and advocacy products are developed and used; and communication campaigns are organized ensuring participation of networking and external stakeholders.
The overall function of the Gender Analyst is to look after the needs of the office and its projects to ensure gender transformation in its policies and practices. Key functions are as follows:
Substantive Support to Programme Development and implementation:
- Develop guidance notes for project staff in the specific thematic area of gender, and explore crosscutting opportunities with projects areas.
- Coordinate and conduct gender analysis, case studies and research to ensure better gender-responsive project design and distill relevant lessons from projects and programs to inform policy advocacy in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
- Guide the program team in applying UNDP corporate policies, guidelines and tools on gender equality.
- Conduct Gender Marker assessment for all projects and programmes implemented in the Project areas.
- In coordination with the Gender Team Leader of the country office, develop a gender equality vision, strategy, and action plan.
- Review all pipeline projects and help in the proper integration of gender in the project documents.
- Provide technical support and guidance for developing gender-responsive and transformative indicators to measure progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment across the projects and programmes.
- Support projects during the development and implementation of Annual gender equality action plans.
Technical Support to the Project:
- Assess the capacity of the staff of project regarding gender equality, identify gaps and prepare a learning plan for the office.
- Arrange and conduct trainings on gender equality and women’s empowerment for the staff based on the findings of the capacity need assessment.
- Support the office for CO and donor field missions.
- Develop communication materials and campaigns for addressing complex problems regarding gender equality.
- Compile knowledge products on gender equality as well as ensure integration of gender in any knowledge product developed by different projects.
- Support projects in compiling the Gender Equality section of the ToRs for evaluation of projects, donor reports, etc.
- Provide training on gender equality and, mainstreaming and inclusiveness to the project participants and stakeholders.
- Arrange training for implementing partners to improve their understanding of UNDP corporate guidelines on gender and capacity for implementing gender equality works designed within the project document.
- Support the Country Office by sharing required information on gender equality.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Monitor progress and prepare reports on the implementation of the gender equality components of projects and programmes.
- Contribute to the compilation of regular Gender Alerts as well as compile reports on gender equality and women’s empowerment situation in the project area on a need basis;
- Document good practices of different projects regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- Participate and contribute to the ROAR and the Integrated Workplan.
- Review Quantum input regarding gender equality by Projects & Programmes.
Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH)
- Compile and implement an annual action plan for projects and programmes to prevent SEAH.
- Arrange training and regular dialogue for project and programme staff on PSEAH.
- Conduct training for implementing partners on UNDP’s corporate guidelines on PSEAH;.
- Conduct a SEA risk assessment for all ongoing and pipeline projects.
- Attend regular meetings of the Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) for PSEA and coordinate with development partners to implement joint action for PSEA at project office
- Share required information/data on the issue of SEAH with the Country Office PSEAH Focal Point when needed.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-functional & Technical competencies
Business Direction & Strategy
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions; Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP
Business Development
- Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Business Management
- Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
- Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
- Evaluation: Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks – Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns
Communications
- Campaign Management: Ability to produce and implement communications and advocacy campaigns which lead to impactful change
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in any social discipline from a recognized university, preferably in Gender Studies/Anthropology/Sociology/ Development Studies or related field is required. OR
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above, combined with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Experience:
- Up to 2 years (with a Master´s degree) or a minimum of 2 years (with a Bachelor´s degree) of professional work experience providing support to policy advice and program support in the general area of gender equality and women’s empowerment in different development contexts.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other relevant software.
- Experience imparting internal and/or external gender training to mainstream gender programming and sensitivities across institutional practices and programming.
- Experience developing and tracking gender-related indicators for government-funded programs.
- Experience working to develop and implement programming that supports women and members of marginalized communities in participating in civil society.
- Experience in high-quality report writing (both in English and Bangla).
- Excellent coordination and communications skills, including the ability to convince, convey and advocate;
- Experience working to promote and develop gender-sensitive policies, procedures, and practices.
- Experience with at least 3 years in a similar position
- Experience working with government bodies would be preferable.
- Further education or training on gender, communication, and research will be an added advantage.
- Excellent time management and ability/experience to produce outputs as per agreed deadlines
- Experience in working with international organizations, research institutes, or think tanks or development organizations is desirable;
- Demonstrated expertise in managing development projects with a focus on capacity building;
- Demonstrable knowledge of social protection, gender transformation, communication, social norm change, and working with donors and development agencies.
- Proven experience in running communication and advocacy campaigns independently
- Certificate in PSEA will be added as an advantage.
Language Requirement:
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in English and Bangla.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: 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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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