Senior Expert Consultant on Gender-Responsive Climate Change and Environmental Governance

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women is an organization grounded in the vision of equality as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Its mission is to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. Established to lead and coordinate efforts across the UN system, UN Women works in 41 Member States across Asia and the Pacific, promoting gender equality and women's empowerment through various programs and partnerships. The organization is committed to ensuring that gender equality commitments translate into action globally, providing leadership and support to Member States and civil society.

Job Overview:
The position of Senior Expert Consultant on Gender-Responsive Climate Change and Environmental Governance is designed to provide specialized normative, coordination, and technical advisory support to strengthen gender-responsive climate and environmental governance in Asia and the Pacific. The consultant will assist UN Women, Member States, and regional institutions in operationalizing gender mandates embedded in various climate frameworks, including NDC 3.0 and the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan (2025–2035). The role involves advancing gender equality and women's leadership in climate policy development, enhancing institutional capacity for gender-responsive actions, and supporting regional coordination and partnerships. The consultant will serve as an on-call technical resource, providing expertise as needed through a retainer contract, which allows for flexible engagement based on availability and expertise.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a range of duties, including providing technical inputs to integrate gender equality into regional climate frameworks, supporting Member States in formulating and implementing gender-responsive climate commitments, developing policy guidance and technical recommendations, and assisting governments in translating policy commitments into actionable plans. Additionally, the consultant will support UN Women’s coordination role across UN system entities, organize regional policy dialogues, and provide analysis" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">technical analysis on UNFCCC negotiation tracks. The consultant will also develop knowledge products, conduct capacity-building activities, and document lessons learned to support institutional learning and cross-country exchange.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in Gender and Development, Climate Change, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Public Policy, Sustainable Development, or related fields. A first-level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. The position requires a minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in climate change, environmental governance, disaster risk reduction, or related fields, with a focus on integrating gender equality and women's empowerment into policy and programmatic work. Experience providing normative and policy advisory support to governments and regional institutions is essential, as is proven experience in engaging with UNFCCC processes and organizing capacity development initiatives.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Master’s degree in relevant fields such as Gender and Development, Climate Change, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Public Policy, or Sustainable Development. Alternatively, a first-level university degree along with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree, emphasizing the importance of both formal education and practical experience in the field.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in areas related to climate change, environmental governance, and disaster risk reduction. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in integrating gender equality into policy frameworks and programmatic work, particularly within the Asia and Pacific region. Proven experience in providing normative and policy advisory support to governments and regional institutions, as well as engagement with UNFCCC processes, is highly desirable. Experience in organizing capacity development initiatives, such as workshops and training sessions, is also required.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of other languages spoken in the Asia-Pacific region or any UN official language is considered an asset, enhancing the consultant's ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and contribute to regional initiatives effectively.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is home-based, with potential travel within the Asia-Pacific region as required. The retainer contract allows UN Women to request technical support on an as-needed basis, with no guarantee of a minimum volume of work. Selected consultants retain the right to decline assignments based on their availability and expertise. The position emphasizes the importance of flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of UN Women and its partners.