Strategic Support Officer

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is an organization established in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly, with a mission to promote gender equality and empower women globally. It operates with the vision of eliminating discrimination against women and girls, ensuring their empowerment, and achieving equality between genders as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. UN Women has a significant presence in the Americas and Caribbean Region, with a Regional Office located in Panama City, 10 Country Offices, and a Multi-Country Office that covers 22 islands and territories in the Caribbean based in Barbados. The organization also has programmatic presence in 9 countries throughout the region and provides support to governments, civil society, and the UN system as a nonresident agency in countries without a UN Women presence. The organization is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, promoting mutual respect, and ensuring that all employment decisions are based on qualifications and competence.

Job Overview:
The Strategic Support Officer position is designed to provide substantive, coordination, and operational support to the Executive Office of UN Women’s Regional Office in Panama City. The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the Regional Director and closely with the Special Assistant. This role is pivotal in strengthening strategic management, knowledge sharing, innovation, and partnerships in alignment with the Regional Office's mandate. The officer will be responsible for providing strategic analysis, synthesizing information, and offering actionable recommendations to inform the Regional Director’s decision-making process. The position requires a proven ability to work under pressure and maintain discretion in a sensitive environment. The officer will also play a crucial role in enhancing internal communications, supporting resource mobilization efforts, and managing knowledge within the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide advice and support to strengthen internal communications by designing and coordinating an integrated internal communications strategy for the Regional Office. This includes ensuring effective information flows between the Regional Director, senior leadership, regional teams, and Country Offices. The officer will coordinate the preparation and dissemination of internal communications products, such as newsletters and corporate bulletins, and prepare internal messages and announcements on behalf of the Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director.
• Support resource mobilization efforts by identifying and monitoring opportunities for funding, participating in the Regional Resource Mobilization Task Force, and contributing to the development of high-quality proposals and donor communication materials.
• Enhance internal knowledge management by supporting the design and implementation of the Regional Office’s Knowledge Management strategy, maintaining a repository of key documents, and developing analytical dashboards for decision-making.
• Serve as secretariat for internal mechanisms and meetings, ensuring documentation of decisions and action points, and follow-up on implementation.
• Periodically assess the effectiveness of internal communication and management mechanisms, proposing improvements to enhance governance and decision-making efficiency.
• Perform other duties as necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in fields such as international relations, development, communications, public affairs, social sciences, public administration, business administration, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Candidates must demonstrate strong analytical skills, knowledge of Results Based Management, and the ability to synthesize program performance data into analytical reports. Familiarity with UN programme management systems and administrative rules is essential, along with the ability to manage confidential information and create clear presentations using IT tools.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in relevant fields such as international relations, development, communications, public affairs, social sciences, public administration, business administration, or a related field. A first-level university degree may be accepted with additional qualifying experience.

Experience:
At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience at national and/or international levels in areas such as knowledge management, strategic communications, organizational learning, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, or resource mobilization is required. Experience supporting senior leadership and high-level decision-making is essential, with a preference for candidates who have worked in international organizations, particularly within the UN System, embassies, or NGOs. Familiarity with the Latin America and Caribbean region is considered an asset, along with proficiency in office software and web-based management systems.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Spanish is mandatory for this position. A working knowledge of French or Portuguese is advantageous, and knowledge of another UN official language is considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and may involve working in a challenging environment that requires discretion and the ability to manage sensitive issues. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including discrimination and harassment. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, including verification of academic credentials and employment history. Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form are completed to avoid disqualification from the recruitment process.