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.

The Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division develops and implements the UN Women program of work on normative, analysis, research, operational and knowledge management that supports the advice and guidance UN Women provides to the intergovernmental process, the UN system, and to UN Women country and regional offices. The Division is organized in thematic sections, which undertake policy research; analyze data on country, regional or global trends; and propose evidence-based options for global policy, norms and standards and for UN Women global programme strategies, policy advocacy, and flagship programmes. In support of UN Women’s normative and coordination mandates, the Division also undertakes substantive preparations for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and drafts reports on behalf of the Secretary-General on multiple topics. With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN Women is supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards achieving gender equality and women’s economic empowerment by 2030 to benefit all women in the world, leaving no woman behind. UN Women works in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, the UN System, civil society organizations and the private sector.

Economic empowerment is one of the priority areas of UN Women. UN Women works with governments and partners to promote women’s economic empowerment and increase their access to economic opportunities and outcomes, especially for those who are most excluded, including women migrant workers. In 2018, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was adopted by UN Member States. And as the blueprint for the governance and coordination of international migration, it is critical that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are central in its implementation. UN Women works to help ensure that migrant women’s human and labour rights are effectively promoted and protected at all stages of migration, and that the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration is human rights -based and gender- responsive.

Since 2023, UN Women has been implementing the second phase of the Germany-funded Making Migration Safe for Women programme in Ethiopia and at the global level with the goal of ensuring that the development and implementation of national migration policies and laws in Ethiopia are gender-responsive, and that international norms and standards for protecting and promoting migrant women’s rights are strengthened. The programme has also aimed to improve the use and collection of sex- disaggregated data and provide robust evidence and research on migrant women to inform national policy making. In January 2025, UN Women will expand implementation of the Making Migration Safe for Women programme in South Africa.

Under the supervision of the Global Coordinator, the Programme and Knowledge Management Specialist supports the overall implementation of the Making Migration Safe programme at both global and country levels and is responsible for ensuring knowledge creation and exchange.

The Programme and Knowledge Management Specialist works in close collaboration with the Policy Specialist, Gender and Migration and the National Coordinators to ensure successful implementation of the Making Migration Safe for Women programme.

Key Functions and Accountabilities:

1. Support the implementation of the Making Migration Safe for Women (MMSfW) programme

• Provide coordination and technical support to the implementation of the MMSfW programme, including at global level and in Ethiopia and South Africa;
• Support the organization of and represent UN Women in side events during key intergovernmental and events and processes related to migration, including through the development of concept notes, talking points, summary reports and engagement through speaking roles;
• Support UN Women’s engagement with the UN Network on Migration, including by leading on UN Women’s participation in workstream six on supporting Member States and UN in implementation for the GCM, including through the delivery of trainings;
• Support in the process of monitoring the programme implementation of activities and finances using results-based management tools.

2. Oversee knowledge creation and exchange for the MMSfW programme 

• Develop and oversee a knowledge management and evidence uptake strategy for the MMSfW programme to support the effective exchange of best practices, learning and approaches and the translation of research and evidence into policies and practice;
• Define and implement the knowledge management strategy for the MMSfW programme aimed at enhancing knowledge sharing and delivery of results, including with external partners;
• Collaborate with the UN Women Communication Team to enhance, update, and assist in the external dissemination of the results/events of the MMSfW programme.

3. Conduct research and analysis

• Conduct research and analysis on gender and migration at global and regional/country level;
• Source and carry out research on articles, books, and case studies to produce useful data and material to assist in producing knowledge products;
• Lead the preparation of knowledge products for various programmatic and policy advocacy purposes, including policy briefs, case studies, blogs, briefings to leadership, policy papers, in coordination with the Policy Specialist on Gender and Migration;
• Establish and nurture relationship with academia, research institutes, civil society, and experts to expand and share knowledge, exchange views on latest findings and incorporate cutting-edge thinking on gender and migration based on the results of the MMSfW programme.

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

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:

• Substantive knowledge of gender equality and women’s rights issues in the area of migration.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to draft knowledge management and dissemination strategies and plans.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively to different audiences.
• Ability to draft policy papers, speeches, briefings etc.
• Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities.
• Ability to handle a large volume of work possibly under time constraints.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in establishing and fostering good relations with representatives of government, UN entities, donors, academia and civil society.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in migration, social sciences, human rights, gender/women’s studies, international development, 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 5 years of progressively responsible work experience supporting programmes on gender equality and women’s economic empowerment, with specific thematic knowledge and experience in migration.
• Experience in research and/or policy analysis and writing reports/publications on gender and migration is required.
• Experience in organizing workshops, meetings, and side events is required.
• Experience working within the UN system highly desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is 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.)