UN Women: International Consultant-Women’s Economic Empowerment, Bangkok, Thailand

Background:

UN Women is committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women globally, working to eliminate discrimination and achieve equality between women and men in all areas of life. The organization leads and coordinates efforts within the United Nations system to ensure that gender equality commitments are realized, providing strong leadership and fostering partnerships with civil society and other stakeholders.

Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) is central to UN Women’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on gender equality, decent work, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth. In the Asia-Pacific region, aligned to UN Women’s Strategic Note for Asia and the Pacific (2023 -2025), the Women’s Economic Empowerment unit focuses around three core thematic pillars: 1) Transforming the Care Economy 2) Advancing Gender Equality in the World of Work (inclusive of Advancing gender-responsive business conduct, Entrepreneurship, and Migration) and 3) Sustainable Finance.

One of the major private sector initiatives in the WEE unit under the ‘Women in the World of Work’ pillar is the Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific, powered by the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Established by UN Women in partnership with the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL) aims to foster private sector innovations and concrete actions that advance gender equality and women’s empowerment and build more inclusive economies across the region. In collaboration with the private sector, GAL identifies, pilots and scales up multi-stakeholder partnership initiatives aligned with, and harnessing the WEPs. This includes thematic ‘WEPs Corporate Action Labs,’ on country and regional level, incubators and accelerators, policy labs, applied research initiatives and other partnership support initiatives. GAL also generates new data and evidence and provides technical assistance to advance policy, investment and ecosystem development for gender transformative innovations. Implemented in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, with additional activities across the Asia-Pacific for an initial period of 2024-2028, GAL is envisioned to grow in a long-term, multi-stakeholder and multi-donor platform.

The UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific’s Women’s Economic Empowerment team is seeking to hire an International Consultant on Women’s Economic Empowerment. Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist for Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Technical Guidance from the Regional Lead, WEE and Migration, the consultant will perform a variety of tasks to support the implementation of the Gender Action Lab, as well as contribute to research, multi-stakeholder events, and other programming initiatives as part of the WEE unit’s wider Women in the World of Work (WWW) pillar to advance women’s full and equitable participation and leadership in the world of work.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

The Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Support the Programme Management Specialist, WEE and wider GAL team at the Regional Office in implementing the Gender Action Lab as follows:

1. Technical Support to WEE programming (especially the Gender Action Lab)
   • Provide technical support on GAL programme design, planning and implementation, such as drafting of TORs, briefing notes, concept notes, and talking points, and support to programme coordination between the regional and country levels.
   • Substantive support for the 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, including: a) review, verification, and scoring of applications b) Judging panel recruitment, briefing, and application package preparation c) concept development, coordination, communications, and execution of Regional Ceremony in early December 2026.
2. Technical Support to WEPs Asia-Pacific Secretariat
   • Support consolidating, updating and/or developing WEPs outreach and onboarding materials, providing quality assurance for UN Women focal points in processing WEPs applications, and supporting coordination and information exchange between the WEPs Secretariat at UN Women HQ and Country Offices.
3. Communications and Knowledge Production
   • Provide research, writing and analysis for knowledge products, research reports, trends analysis and/or policy briefs related to the GAL, WEPs and Women in the World of Work in the context of WEE in the region, with a particular focus on private sector action for gender equality.
   • Engage in developing innovative and strategic communication materials and campaign initiatives related to GAL and WWW, including creation of social media content, web stories and articles, PPTs, event collateral, and/or infographics that promote awareness of gender-responsive business conduct and WWW.
4. Resource Mobilization and Partnerships:
   • Support efforts to expand GAL, including conducting stakeholder mapping for potential new partnerships, contributing to the development of RM strategies, support with partnership building and relationship management, and assisting in outreach and coordination with key private sector stakeholders (including governments, business regulators, investors, corporates, and entrepreneurs). Work with the Programme Specialist and Regional WEE Lead on innovation projects, resource mobilization and forward-looking strategies for the WEE Portfolio, including sustainable finance and others.
5. Multi-stakeholder events and forums:
   • Assist with planning, organizing and managing events, workshops, advocacy initiatives and training sessions as part of GAL and the WWW pillar, especially the 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Forum and 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards.
6. Monitoring and Reporting:
   • Assist with GAL activity monitoring, evaluation and reporting, including collection and analysis of data, results monitoring, and contribute to drafting of event reports and annual programme reports.
7. Coordination Support for WEE APAC Community of Practice:
   • Assist with coordinating, building capacity, and developing activities and resources to support the WEE Asia-Pacific Community of Practice, comprised of WEE Focal Points from country offices across the region.

Expected Deliverables

Provide monthly progress report on the following activities:

• Technical Support to WEE Programming & the WEPs Asia-Pacific Secretariat
• Communications and Knowledge Production
• Contributions to Resource Mobilization & Partnerships, Multi-stakeholder events, Monitoring & Reporting, and the WEE APAC COP

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is an office-based consultancy in Bangkok, Thailand.

• One Round trip air ticket from consultant original country to Bangkok, Thailand will be financially covered by UN Women, and will be processed separately, following the relevant policy.
• As part of the official duty of this consultancy, the consultant may be expected to travel, which will be processed by UN Women, following the duty travel policy.

Schedule of Payments

A monthly rate will be paid upon submission of a monthly update reports with an approval of the supervisor.

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:

• Strong understanding and knowledge of women’s economic empowerment
• Strong understanding and knowledge of current trends, gaps, and opportunities for the private sector (inclusive of MSMEs, corporates, business associations, and capital market stakeholders) to advance gender equality across the organizational value chain (board and leadership level, workplace, marketplace and supply chains, community)
• Strong understanding and knowledge of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent skills in written English, with capacity to draft analytical reports, briefs, and concept notes
• Excellent digital literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and basic design tools (i.e. Canva)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with cultural sensitivity and ability to work inclusively and collaboratively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel and a range of stakeholders
• Self-motivated, ability to work independently but as part of a team, and ability to manage time and work with tight deadlines

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in international development studies, Gender/Women’s Studies, Economics or related fields.
• A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 1 year of relevant experience in programme support, in the context of international development projects, particularly on gender and women’s economic empowerment.
• Strong knowledge of women’s economic empowerment in the context of private sector employment and/or private sector action for gender equality is required.
• Proven experience supporting conceptualization, coordination, and delivery of multi-stakeholder regional events.
• Experience developing tailored communications assets (including social media posts, newsletters, reports) for a private sector audience.
• Experience with UN Women and other UN agencies is an asset.
• Experience supporting programming supported by international donors e.g. but not limited to EU or Australian DFAT or Canada is an asset.
• Experience working in the Asia-Pacific region is an asset.
• Knowledge of and/or experience working with the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) is an asset.
• Proficiency in using digital design tools (i.e. Canva or other) is an asset.

Language and writing requirements

• Strong proficiency in English. Other UN languages an asset.
• Strong analytical writing skills for diverse audiences including the private sector, development partners and government partners (such as donor reports, concept notes, analytical papers) to be assessed through a writing sample.

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.