Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation (WPP)

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is an entity of the United Nations established in July 2010, with the mission to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve gender equality. It operates globally, with a focus on women's leadership and political participation as a primary area of work. The organization is committed to ensuring women's equal participation in decision-making processes, which is essential for stable democratic processes and inclusive societies. UN Women has a regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ACRO) based in Panama City, Panama, and works alongside over 20 locations, including 10 country offices and a multi-country office in Barbados, covering 21 islands and territories in the Caribbean. The organization collaborates with various stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and multilateral institutions, to promote women's rights and leadership.

Job Overview:
The Regional Policy Specialist on Women’s Political Participation (WPP) will oversee the development and implementation of WPP programs in the Latin America and Caribbean region. This role involves providing capacity building to Country Offices (COs), establishing and strengthening partnerships, developing knowledge products, and supporting the implementation, monitoring, and reporting on global and regional norms and standards. The incumbent will lead a team of three, including one junior staff and two affiliate personnel, and will report to the Deputy Regional Director. The position requires a strong understanding of women's leadership and political participation, as well as the ability to engage with various stakeholders to ensure effective program delivery and advocacy for women's rights.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee the development of programs on women’s leadership and political participation to support Country Office (CO)/ Multi Country Office (MCO) teams. This includes developing regional program documents, providing technical inputs to program proposals, and coordinating monitoring and reporting efforts.
• Provide capacity building support to CO/MCO teams and partners, including thematic assessments, in-country missions, and developing capacity building initiatives on key priority topics.
• Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with national stakeholders, regional/international actors, and development partners to advance women’s leadership and political participation.
• Support the Regional Office’s coordination mandate on Women’s Political Participation by engaging in joint programming on electoral assistance and providing substantive support to country offices.
• Manage advocacy, knowledge building, and sharing for WPP, including thematic support for high-level advocacy efforts and managing thematic research.
• Develop and implement a resource mobilization strategy for women’s leadership and political participation, including managing donor relations and programmatic expectations.
• Perform other duties as necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master’s degree or equivalent in law, political science, public administration, gender equality, human rights, international relations, or other social science fields. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Candidates should have at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in designing and managing programs advocating for gender equality and women’s rights, ideally with experience in developing countries. Experience in political issues, particularly with at least five years of field experience in gender-responsive governance and women’s leadership, is required. Additionally, candidates should have experience in strategic planning, policy analysis, capacity building, and knowledge management, as well as experience working with governments, donors, and civil society organizations.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as law, political science, public administration, gender equality, human rights, international relations, or other social science disciplines. A first-level university degree may be accepted in combination with additional qualifying experience.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in design" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">program design and management, with a focus on gender equality and women's rights. This includes experience in political issues, particularly in gender-responsive governance and women's leadership, with at least five years of field experience. Experience in strategic planning, policy analysis, capacity building, and knowledge management is also required, along with a proven track record of building partnerships with governments, donors, and civil society organizations.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Spanish is required for this position. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is considered an asset, as well as knowledge of other UN official working languages.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and may involve international recruitment. UN Women is committed to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination.