The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

The incumbent under this position will work within the Programme Team and in close collaboration with the M&E team to advance the programmatic portfolio. The Senior Officer will provide practical, hands-on support to the Program Officers and MEL team in their efforts to ensure gender mainstreaming and integration of the WPS approach across the programme’s portfolio. 

Gender and WPS Operational Support with an inclusion focus

• Provide context-sensitive, operationally focused analysis and technical support to the program team on an intersectional approach to gender mainstreaming, WPS programming and the inclusion of intersecting identity groups.

• Together with the program team, ensure that gender mainstreaming, WPS and inclusion are operationalised in a conflict-sensitive, politically attuned manner, tailored to the operational context.

• Apply a hands-on approach to ensure gender and WPS commitments - specifically as they relate to inclusion and intersectionality - are reflected in project planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting across the Fund’s portfolio.

• Conduct direct reviews of proposals, workplans, and reports and collaborate with the program/MEL team to identify gaps and provide concrete, actionable feedback for gender mainstreaming and the integration of WPS and intersectional inclusion.

• Participate in MEL activities, partner meetings, and programme discussions to ensure gender, WPS, and inclusion aspects are measured, and can be addressed in real time.

Stakeholder Engagement and analysis

• Support the SPM in engaging directly with women leaders, networks, and organisations to build strategic relationships and identify opportunities to create and strengthen women’s meaningful participation and influence in peacebuilding processes.

• Building on the relations and engagements with the stakeholders and knowledge of the political landscape, conduct gender focused mappings, and context analysis that incorporate intersectional dimensions to support portfolio development, program design and implementation.

• In partnership with the program team, engage with implementing partners and stakeholders supported by the Fund to identify and leverage opportunities for effective gender mainstreaming that actively addresses intersecting forms of exclusion in peace-related projects.

• Maintain regular communication with stakeholders and implementing partners to systematically document  and share lessons learned, promote synergies, and identify challenges affecting gender and WPS integration at the field level.

Capacity Development and Backstopping

• Support the program team and implementing partners with demand-driven and continuous technical support, on-the-job accompaniment and coaching on integrating intersectional inclusion into gender and WPS work.

• Provide practical guidance, tools, templates, and examples to support colleagues and partners in applying an intersectional approach to gender-sensitivity and WPS in their daily work. Ensure through coordination with programme team colleagues that these are conflict and partner sensitive.

• Contribute to building an internal culture of gender and inclusion sensitivity and collective ownership within the Programme Team through informal peer learning, knowledge sharing and facilitated reflections and reviews.

Required

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field, preferably gender studies, peace and conflict studies, international development, political science, sociology, anthropology, law, or other related disciplines, is required.

• A first-level University Degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, combined with an additional two (2) years of relevant professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

• Specialized training or certifications in gender mainstreaming, Women, Peace and Security (WPS), human rights, or conflict sensitivity are considered an asset.

Required

• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in gender equality, peacebuilding, or related thematic fields is required.

• Demonstrated experience in the design and implementation of WPS programming and/or in gender and inclusion on peacebuilding programming in conflict or post-conflict contexts is required.

• At least 2 years of experience working in Myanmar or on Myanmar-related programming is required

Desired

• Experience contributing to gender and inclusion analysis, public policy, political research, or regional peace and conflict monitoring is highly desirable.

• Professional experience within an NGO/INGO, international organisation, donor agency, or comparable institution is highly desirable

• Experience engaging men on gender mainstreaming in a partnership approach is highly desirable.

• Sound understanding of the regional conflict and political context, including the associated stakeholder landscape, is considered an asset.

• Experience contributing to programme design, monitoring frameworks, or donor reporting with an intersectional lens on gender, WPS or inclusion is highly desirable.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.