UNDP multi-country office in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam provides technical assistance, policy and technical advisory services to the Governments of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam in their efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); in partnership with development partners, financial institutions, private sector and civil society.

In Malaysia, UNDP’s programme priorities and partnerships are defined and operationalized through the Country Programme between Government of Malaysia and UNDP to support and contribute to the development priorities and results envisioned in the 5-year Malaysia Plan. Malaysia is currently implementing the 12th Malaysia Plan, which is anchored around three key themes namely resetting economy, strengthening security, wellbeing and inclusivity; and advancing sustainability to achieve economic growth and transform Malaysia into a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable country.

In close alignment with UNSDCF 2021-2025, UNDP Malaysia country programme 2022-2025 will lead efforts in People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace pillars focusing on multi-dimensional poverty, inequalities and gender mainstreaming; environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation; transition to a green, inclusive and resilient economy; and improved governance. Gender is a cross cutting theme across all pillars including operations and human resources.  UNDP Malaysia was awarded the Silver Certification in 2017, and the Bronze Certification in 2022/2023, under UNDP’s corporate Gender Seal Certification process, which involves a rigorous and time-bound series of actions to be taken to mainstream gender into all aspects of the programming and operations of the Country office.

In order to help ensure adequate impact of gender mainstreaming programming and social inclusivity throughout the country programme and consolidate an enabling environment for institutional effectiveness to deliver gender-responsive and sustainable higher end gender transformative results, as well as to assist the Country Office meet the expected benchmarks to receive the UNDP Gender Seal Certification, UNDP Malaysia is inviting suitable candidates to fill the vacancy of the  Gender and Social Inclusivity Analyst.

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative and Head of IGP, the Gender and Social Inclusivity Analyst will provide strategic direction and advice on gender and inclusion across the work of the CO to ensure that gender equality and social inclusivity are effectively mainstreamed within all projects and operational areas in line with UNDP standards and the criteria outlined in the UNDP Gender Seal Certification criteria, and that the gender focus of the new CPD achieves maximum impact.

The Gender and Social Inclusivity Analyst will also work closely with all relevant stakeholders (i.e Economic Planning Unit, Ministry of Women, Family Planning & Community Development, Ministry of Finance) within the UNDP CO and Members of the Gender Focal Team, in the identification, design and implementation of critical gender and inclusivity interventions for UNDP in Malaysia, while maintaining a strong contribution to resource mobilization. Additionally, the position will also require extensive engagement, networking and partnership building with international and national partners, including other UN agencies, government counterparts, civil society and non-governmental organizations, women’s organizations and networks, bilateral and multilateral donors, and private sector actors.

Summary of key functions:

• Strategic Advice, Technical Lead and Coordination of the Gender Seal Certification process
• Programme/Project Development and Management including the Gender and Inclusivity portfolio
• Advocacy and Partnership building
• Resource Mobilization
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing especially on gender inequalities/dimension in the local context and key partners under the Gender and Inclusivity portfolio
• Focal point for Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

Provides Strategic Advice, Technical Lead and Coordination of the Gender Seal process, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of CO Gender Equality Strategy and the annual Gender Action Plan for UNDP Malaysia (which is formulated annually) and consultative update in 2022 of the current CO Gender Strategy taking into consideration UNDP corporate recommendations as well as comparative best practices.
• Advice and support the CO Senior Management to build strong institutional commitment and leadership to implement UNDP’s Gender Seal Silver Certification criteria while bridging for the Seal Certification.
• Ensure that the gender and social inclusivity focus within the country office is clearly articulated, communicated, and supported by all spheres of operations and programming.
• Advocate and promote a more gender-balanced and inclusive composition of CO; with special focus on attracting, retaining, and promoting qualified candidates irrespective of gender in UNDP, especially at the field operations level.
• Provide strategic advice to CO’s communication and advocacy activities with a view to achieving broader recognition of UNDP’s contribution to gender equality and social inclusivity results in Malaysia by national stakeholders and development partners.

Provides Programme/Project Development and Management advice, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Identify opportunities and lead in the conceptualization of strategic project interventions that respond to the needs and concerns of  all genders, including those from marginalised communities, in line with UNDP’s Country Programme Strategy.
• Provide guidance to UNDP programming to ensure that a sound gender analysis informs programme/project design and management; identify strategic actions to be undertaken to improve the quality of implementation, support achievement of related results, and manage the effective application of the Gender Marker.
• Provide advice on appropriate gender-sensitive indicators across projects, and support colleagues in the monitoring and reporting of results/outputs and objectives against agreed indicators.
• Monitor political, economic, and social developments trends and issues affecting the rights of people and communities, from a gendered lens, in Malaysia, producing analytic reports, and informing a strategic response to opportunities and challenges within the context of UNDP’s projects and gender and social inclusivity portfolio in Malaysia including close partnership with the relevant ministries and agencies
• Support knowledge building and sharing at the country office on gender equality and social inclusivity focusing on achievements, lessons learned, and methodologies utilized in gender equality implementation and mainstreaming.
• Provide technical leadership to CO-led gender and social inclusivity-related knowledge documents and action plans in Malaysia.
• Work closely with UNCT, UNFPA and other UN agencies working in support of gender equality, inclusivity and women’s empowerment to ensure complementarity and avoid overlap.

Provides Advocacy and Partnership building support, focusing on the achievement of the following results;

• Ensure leading role of UNDP in fora and meetings related to gender equality and social inclusivity [e.g. Gender Theme Group (GTG)], Development Partners Working Group and the Forum against Gender-based Violence  among others.
• Participate in and represent UNDP in activities to highlight key gender equality and women’s, as well marginalised communities’ human rights issues, and advocate for integration of gender equality and social inclusivity issues into the development agenda.
• Maintain relationships with UNDP’s partners including other UN agencies, donors, government agencies, and NGOs, on matters related to the promotion of national commitments to gender equality and social inclusivity with a view of ensuring strategic partnerships and strengthening collaboration.
• Initiate and coordinate strategic advocacy activities to maximize support of the UN system, government and civil society partners on gender equality and social inclusivity in line with international commitments to CEDAW, gender targets of SDGs especially  SDG 5.

Support to Resource Mobilization, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Develop a Resource Mobilization Plan for gender mainstreaming/gender empowerment which is in-line with the CO Gender Strategy,  Gender Action Plan and Gender Portfolio.
• Identify and follow-up on strategic opportunities for resource mobilization for implementation of UNDP Malaysia’s Gender Portfolio programmes/projects guided by the Gender Strategy across all programmatic interventions.
• Build strong partnerships with donor agencies, including private sectors in Malaysia focusing on gender issues, to ensure coordination and alignment with national action plans and policies.

Facilitates knowledge building and knowledge sharing as required by the organization, focusing on the following results:

• Organization and conduct of trainings on gender advancement, gender equality and social inclusivity, women’s empowerment, women’s issues, and social development thematic areas related to UNDP’s Gender Strategic Plan in the Country Office.
• Collate and document lessons learned and recommendations for policy dialogue, public advocacy and future programming, and organize dissemination of learning within the CO and with partners.
• Monitor and report on the implementation of the CO Gender Equality Strategy and action plan.
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Monitor and document CO’s contribution to gender equality results for reporting and further communication purposes.
• Ensure that all staff are equipped to mainstream gender equality objectives/goals in their respective areas of work in operations/programming.

Focal point for Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

• Assist RR and DRR in terms of conducting relevant activities to prevent and protect against sexual exploitation and abuse, both internally and externally where it relates to UNDP’s work and operations, in line with UN standards of conduct.
• Represent CO at the UN country team level, providing inputs, responses and feedback related to PSEA issues, where appropriate.
• Receives cases, conducts investigation and recommend solutions for PSEA issues, and reports directly to RR/DRR for this specific role

Impact of Results

Key impact of results will include maintaining gender and social inclusivity mainstreaming, achievement and advancing the gender and social inclusivity portfolio further with effective and measurable  gender and social inclusivity mainstreaming across all aspects of UNDP Malaysia’s operations and programming, in accordance with UNDP’s corporate guidelines and standards (including bridging for the Gender Seal Certification requirements); positioning of UNDP Malaysia as a key player in helping Malaysia to achieve SDG 5; ensuring adequate funds to support gender and social inclusivity mainstreaming actions are planned and mobilized in a timely manner by the Country Office, and overall ensuring UNDP Malaysia maximizes its contribution to  improving the enjoyment of equal socio-economic, environmental and political rights by all men, women, girls and boys and others in Malaysia.

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

People Management competencies:

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender: UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal Initiative; Gender and Institutional Development; Gender Corporate Reporting; Gender Issues & Analysis; Gender Mainstreaming.

2030 Agenda: Prosperity

• Inclusive Growth: Social inclusion

Audit & Investigation

• Audit    Results-based Management key concepts and techniques: Ability to apply key RBM concepts and other techniques to assess programme/project design, implementation, and monitoring.  Ability to apply the concept of Theory of Change from actions to outputs and from outputs to outcomes.

Business direction and 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.
• Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create “win-win” situations.

Business management

• Partnership 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.
• Communication: Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.