UN Women: Communications, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist (WEE), Bangkok, Thailand, N-PPSA11, National Partner Personnel Service Agreement

This position is open to Thai nationals only.

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Placing women's rights at the center of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. UN Women is mandated to lead, coordinate, and promote accountability for the implementation of gender equality commitments across the UN System.
Across Asia and the Pacific, UN Women advances gender equality and women’s empowerment through normative, programmatic and advocacy initiatives. Within this mandate, the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Unit leads regional efforts to advance women’s participation and leadership in the economy through initiatives focused on women in the world of work, gender-responsive procurement, entrepreneurship, care systems transformation, and sustainable finance.
The WEE portfolio includes a range of flagship programmes, partnerships, advocacy campaigns and knowledge initiatives, including the Gender Action Lab (GAL), inclusive of the Sustainable Finance Systems Lab, WeRise Together (Gender Responsive Procurement), the Care and Climate Entrepreneurship Accelerator and a regional TransformCare Programme. These initiatives engage a diverse range of stakeholders, including governments, private sector partners, civil society organizations, women’s rights organizations, development partners and UN entities.
As the WEE portfolio continues to expand, there is a growing need for strategic, integrated and results-oriented communications, advocacy and stakeholder engagement to strengthen the visibility, influence and impact of WEE initiatives across the region.
Reporting to the Regional Women’s Economic Empowerment Lead and Specialist, the Communications, Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Specialist provides strategic leadership for communications, advocacy, digital engagement and stakeholder outreach across the WEE portfolio. The incumbent serves as the focal point for WEE communications and works closely with the Regional Communications Unit, Headquarters teams, Country Offices, programme personnel and external partners to strengthen the visibility, influence and impact of WEE programmes, advocacy initiatives and partnerships across Asia and the Pacific.
Scope of Work:

1. Strategic Leadership and Quality Assurance
• Lead and guide the overall WEE communications strategy and implementation of the annual communications workplan across the WEE portfolio, ensuring its alignment with the central ROAP Communications Strategy and global organizational priorities.
• Mentor and strengthen the capacity of the WEE communications team by establishing streamlined workflows, fostering professional development, and promoting a cohesive, high-performing work environment.
• Act as the strategic advisor to the WEE leadership team on all communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement matters, including proactive positioning, reputational risk management, and high-visibility issues.
• Provide quality assurance across all communication related products, strategies and assets to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with WEE communications strategy and workplan.
• Accelerate WEE digital transformation by deploying AI-powered workflows, utilizing custom AI workspaces, curated knowledge hubs, and advanced prompting across communications and advocacy functions to optimize narrative and stakeholder engagement strategies, scale editorial and content output, and help the team work faster and more agile.
• Lead the development of WEE social media and digital advocacy strategies across thematic areas, providing strategic direction on narrative positioning, emerging trends, growth metrics, and stakeholder engagement to strengthen the visibility and impact of WEE advocacy priorities across digital platforms and key advocacy moments.
• Provide strategic direction for WEE web platforms, pivoting to AI-driven Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), expanding the visibility and strategic reach while maintaining top-tier quality and alignment.
• Lead the strategic positioning of UN Women’s Women’s Economic Empowerment portfolio across Asia and the Pacific, ensuring coherent narratives, thought leadership, and advocacy messaging that strengthen UN Women’s visibility and influence on WEE issues among key stakeholders, donors, partners and decision-makers.

2. Regional Coordination and Strategic Alignment
• Serve as the primary strategic focal point and liaison with the ROAP Communications unit and HQ, representing the WEE team in regional planning processes to ensure strategic alignment and effective prioritization of communications opportunities and resources.
• Provide strategic guidance, technical support and quality assurance to Country Offices to strengthen narrative coherence, advocacy positioning and branding across the region, ensuring WEE communications and storytelling are aligned with UN Women corporate standards and WEE strategic priorities.
• Drive the conceptualization and strategic direction of regional campaigns, coordinating with Country Office leads to ensure strategic visibility and impact for WEE-led programmes, particularly through digital and social media strategies.
• Convene and lead regular regional communications coordination meetings with WEE communications focal points across UN Women country offices, and additional engagements as needed, to facilitate collaboration, narrative alignment, and knowledge exchange.

3. Strategic oversight and Implementation Lead for Key Programmes (Communication, Advocacy and Partnership)
• Lead communication, advocacy and partnership support across the WEE portfolio with a strong focus on priority programmes, including but not limited to the Gender Action Lab (GAL) – Innovation for Impact, a strategic programme intended to grow into a long-term innovation platform for UN Women and WE RISE Together
• Lead the identification, cultivation, and management of high-level strategic communications partnerships with media organizations, private sector partners (e.g., Unstereotype Alliance model), foundations, and specialized agencies to advance programme objectives, advocacy priorities and stakeholder engagement.
• Provide strategic communications leadership for key donor-funded projects, ensuring high-level partner engagement and fulfillment visibility, communications and reporting requirements.
• Lead the development of impactful communications, advocacy and behavioural change campaigns, positioning communications as a strategic vehicle for programme influence, stakeholder engagement and impact delivery.
• Establish strategic measurement, organizational positioning and storytelling approaches on WEE impacts and results to strengthen stakeholder engagement, organizational positioning and partnership-building.
• Lead the development of strategic communications approaches and stakeholder engagement plans for flagship WEE initiatives, ensuring communications and advocacy efforts contribute to programme objectives, partnership development, resource mobilization opportunities and long-term sustainability.

4. Lead strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement
• Lead and maintain strategic communications partnerships with media, private sector, foundations and other stakeholders to advance WEE advocacy and programme objectives.
• Support stakeholder engagement strategies that strengthen visibility, influence and partnership development across the WEE portfolio.
• Ensure donor visibility and communications commitments are delivered in accordance with partnership agreements.

5. Monitor communications performance and promote knowledge sharing
• Establish and monitor communications performance indicators across the WEE portfolio.
• Analyze audience engagement, campaign performance and communications results to inform strategic decision-making.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, innovations and good practices across WEE initiatives.

6. 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: The incumbent provides day-to-day technical supervision and guidance to Communications, Advocacy and Partnership personnel, consultants, interns and affiliate personnel supporting the WEE portfolio. The incumbent may supervise personnel directly as determined by organizational requirements.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to develop and implement strategic communications and advocacy approaches aligned with organizational priorities and programme objectives.
• Strong understanding of reputational risk management and ability to provide sound judgement and advice in sensitive communications situations.
• Strong knowledge of digital communications, including social media strategy, audience engagement and moderation approaches across multiple platforms.
• Strong knowledge of current and emerging trends, best practices and innovations in digital communications and social media engagement in diverse contexts.
• Ability to leverage artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to enhance communications effectiveness, efficiency and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong oral and written communication, editing and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Strong communication, networking and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective partnerships across a wide range of constituencies.
• Ability to provide strategic advice, exercise sound analytical judgement, and translate insights into practical recommendations and action.
• Ability to coordinate and guide teams and foster effective collaboration in a pragmatic and results-oriented manner.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently and deliver high-quality outputs under tight deadlines and changing circumstances.
• Knowledge of gender equality, women's economic empowerment and human rights issues is desirable.

Minimum Qualifications:
Education and Certification:
• Master’s degree or equivalent in communications, journalism, international relations, public policy, political science, digital media, development studies, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, advocacy, public information, digital communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic communications advice to senior leadership and leading communications, advocacy, or stakeholder engagement initiatives at regional, multi-country, or international levels.
• Experience working with international organizations, development institutions, governments, the United Nations system, and/or private sector partners is desirable.
• Experience applying AI-enabled tools and innovative digital approaches within strategic communications and advocacy functions is desirable.
• Knowledge of gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, women’s rights, or related UN Women mandate areas is desirable.

Languages:
• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in Thai is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, advocacy, and editorial skills in English are required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.