Chief, Political Analysis and Programme Development Unit (PAPDU)

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Political Analysis and Programme Development Unit (PAPDU) is part of the Policy, Programme and Inter-Governmental Affairs Division (PPID). PAPDU provides gender-responsive political and contextual country and regional analysis to inform strategic decision-making and advance UN Women's triple mandate. Under the supervision of the Deputy Director of PPID, the Chief is responsible for overseeing the work of the section and is part of the PPID leadership team.

Key Functions and Accountabilities:

1. Lead the development of gender-responsive political analysis and strategic advice, providing insights on key issues, trends and crisis situations to support executive leadership and decision-making, and serving as a resource hub for Country and Regional Offices throughout the programme cycle.

2. Build and maintain partnerships with Member States, including regular communication with Permanent Missions, support for intergovernmental processes such as CSW, and coordination of South-South and Triangular Cooperation on gender equality.

3. Lead cross-regional collaboration and knowledge management, facilitating communication and feedback between headquarters, regional, and country teams.

4. Team management and oversight, including performance reviews, work plans, and budget allocations. The incumbent leads a team of 5, including 4 direct reports and 1 affiliate personnel.

Recruitment Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree (or equivalent) in development related disciplines, political science, economics, public policy or other social science fields. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience: At least 10 years of extensive development programme experience, including in gender equality and women's rights at the international level, preferably within the UN system. Technical expertise in one or more thematic areas covered by the UN Women Strategic Plan is required. Experience in inter-agency processes and political/context analysis is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Arabic, Chinese or Russian) is desirable.

Job Schedule: Full time | Grade: P5 | Vacancy Type: Fixed Term | Initial Contract Duration: 1 year | Apply Before: 08/24/2026