Project Management Specialist – Women’s Economic Empowerment (Private Sector and Light Industry)

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women (UNW) is an entity of the United Nations dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Established in 2010, UN Women works globally to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, promote women's rights, and achieve gender equality. The organization operates in multiple countries, including the State of Palestine, where it has been active since 199

• UN Women focuses on various strategic goals, including mainstreaming gender in governance, supporting women's economic security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and promoting women's rights and protection against violence. The organization collaborates with civil society and other stakeholders to ensure that commitments to gender equality translate into action.

Job Overview:
The Project Management Specialist for Women’s Economic Empowerment will lead the management and implementation of projects funded by Horizon in Gaza, focusing on enhancing women's economic empowerment through private sector engagement and light industry. This role involves overseeing project planning, execution, and monitoring, ensuring that all activities align with approved work plans and budgets. The specialist will coordinate with various stakeholders, including implementing partners and businesses, to track deliverables and manage risks. The position requires a strong technical background in women's economic empowerment and the ability to provide guidance on market linkages, entrepreneurship, and employment in light industry sectors. The specialist will also be responsible for field monitoring, quality assurance, and reporting on project outcomes, ensuring that lessons learned are documented and shared.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead project planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring adherence to approved work plans, budgets, indicators, and timelines.
• Coordinate with implementing partners, service providers, businesses, and relevant stakeholders to track deliverables, manage risks, and implement corrective measures.
• Collaborate with participating UN agencies in Gaza for early recovery joint programming.
• Prepare and maintain work plans, results frameworks, implementation schedules, budgets, risk logs, and progress reports.
• Conduct field monitoring and quality assurance to validate implementation progress and identify operational or programmatic issues.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and evidence-based reporting and documentation of results, lessons learned, and scalable approaches.
• Provide technical guidance on women's economic empowerment through private sector development, market linkages, entrepreneurship, value chains, and employment in light industry sectors.
• Support assessment and data collection on market opportunities and barriers affecting women's participation, translating findings into practical project activities.
• Build partnerships with businesses, chambers, producer groups, women-led enterprises, and financial or business-development service providers. 1
• Promote decent work, safe working conditions, disability inclusion, and safeguarding principles throughout project implementation. 1
• Perform other related duties as required by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess a strong understanding of project management principles and practices, particularly in the context of women's economic empowerment. They should have experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects and a proven track record of delivering results in challenging environments. The candidate must demonstrate strong analytical skills, the ability to work independently, and excellent interpersonal skills to build effective partnerships. Familiarity with the Palestinian context and gender issues is essential, along with a commitment to the principles of gender equality and women's empowerment.

Educational Background:
A master's degree in social sciences, development studies, gender studies, or a related field is required. Additional certifications in project management or related areas would be an advantage. The educational background should reflect a strong foundation in gender issues and development practices.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 5 years of relevant professional experience in project management, particularly in women's economic empowerment, private sector engagement, or related fields. Experience working with international organizations, NGOs, or UN agencies is highly desirable. The candidate should also have a demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and work effectively in a multicultural environment.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, both spoken and written. Knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable, as it will facilitate communication with local stakeholders and partners. Additional languages may be considered an asset, depending on the context of the projects.

Additional Notes:
This position is a national UN Volunteer assignment, and the selected candidate will be responsible for arranging their own housing and living essentials. The contract duration is 6 months, with the possibility of extensions based on funding availability and performance. A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of 9,417 ILS is provided monthly, which includes a danger and hardship differential payment. The position also includes life, health, and permanent disability insurance, covering health insurance for up to three dependents, as well as an exit allowance for satisfactory service.