Due Diligence Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance the impact of gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives. The organization merges the resources and mandates of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, namely DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment. UN Women operates globally, with a mission 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. The organization is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, employing individuals regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its aims and objectives, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. The organization emphasizes the importance of integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity in its operations.

Job Overview:
The Due Diligence Consultant will play a crucial role within the Private Sector Partnerships Section (PSP) of UN Women, which is part of the Strategic Partnerships Division (SPD). This position is responsible for supporting the Due Diligence review and analysis of prospective private sector partners across UN Women’s various offices, including HQ, Regional Offices, and Country Offices. The consultant will ensure that engagements with current and prospective private sector partners align with the principles guiding UN Women and the UN System, thereby protecting the organization’s integrity and credibility while enabling effective collaboration and managing risk. The consultant will provide targeted analysis of Due Diligence data and trends to inform progress updates and reporting, maintain comprehensive Due Diligence records for institutional memory, and contribute to capacity-building efforts for UN Women business units to implement the Private Sector Engagement Policy and Procedure. This role requires a proactive approach to risk management and collaboration with various stakeholders to foster high-impact partnerships that support UN Women’s mission.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Service daily requests for Due Diligence assessments, supporting all UN Women business units engaging with the private sector. This includes processing Due Diligence requests using third-party ESG providers to benchmark risk levels against UN Women’s standardized risk tolerance boundaries for private sector engagement. The consultant will coordinate data collection, review, and analysis to determine the risk profile of specific private sector entities, guide requesting offices on next steps for developing engagements, and monitor risk for specific partners through third-party incident alert systems.
• Provide advice and support across PSP and UN Women to help build, maintain, and coordinate holistic private sector partnerships through high-quality Due Diligence. This involves identifying and managing private sector accounts, using centralized ESG research tools, and coordinating internal connections between relevant offices to inform due diligence reviews. The consultant will also provide targeted analysis of Due Diligence data to inform progress updates and enhance communication of results and impact.
• Coordinate and provide technical support to build the capacity of UN Women teams for developing engagements with the private sector. This includes assisting in the global implementation of the Private Sector Engagement Policy and Procedure, contributing to updates of key due diligence resources, and providing technical input for knowledge sharing and organizational learning. The consultant will manage due diligence records and central library to strengthen institutional memory.
• Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced higher degree (Master’s or equivalent) in research, public policy, business management, 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 should possess excellent research and analysis skills, strong knowledge of gender equality and women's rights issues, familiarity with corporate engagement dimensions within the UN, and strong multi-tasking and analytical skills. Additionally, strong written and oral communication skills, IT literacy in standard applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and the ability to participate effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment are essential.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold an advanced higher degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field such as research, public policy, or business management. A first-level university degree may be accepted in combination with additional qualifying experience, demonstrating the flexibility of educational requirements based on practical experience.

Experience:
At least 2 years of experience in risk management, knowledge management, and policy analysis with private sector partners, preferably related to gender equality, is required. Experience conducting Due Diligence assessments for partners and prospects, particularly in high-risk/high-value contexts, is essential. Familiarity with database research and benchmarking reports is also required, while experience in coordinating capacity-building webinars and meetings is desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory for this position. Knowledge of another UN language, such as Russian, French, Spanish, Chinese, or Arabic, is considered desirable and would enhance a candidate's profile.

Additional Notes:
This consultancy is based at UN Women’s New York HQ and is office-based. The position may involve additional responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor to ensure the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization. UN Women emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in its recruitment process and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to support participation in the recruitment and selection process.