Background
UNDP Viet Nam is looking for an experienced governance and development specialist to serve as a Project Specialist in its Governance and Participation Team. The incumbent will lead the implementation of UNDPโs new, 5-year Womenโs Political Participation Project funded by Global Affairs Canada. The project aims to enhance the meaningful participation of women in Viet Namโs elected bodies. In addition, the Project Specialist will provide substantive, technical support to the Assistant Resident Representative (ARR) for Governance and Participation on inclusive governance trends, challenges, and opportunities, with a focus on gender equality and womenโs empowerment. The Specialist will also provide substantive, technical guidance to Project Managers in the Inclusive Governance Portfolio, namely those leading work on women, youth, and LGBTI inclusion. In so doing, the Project Specialist will support the ARR in quality assurance of the portfolio. The Project Specialist reports directly to the ARR and will serve as the Gender Focal Point for UNDP Viet Nam.ย
ย
UNDP Viet Nam plays a lead role in implementing the Good Governance and Access to Justice Pillar of the One Strategic Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the United Nations for the period 2022โ2026. Through its Inclusive Governance Portfolio under UNDP Viet Namโs Governance and Participation Team, UNDP Viet Nam works to enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness, and accountability of key institutions to deliver people-centered services. It also promotes inclusive and participatory policy-making processes, ensuring that peopleโs voices are heard in matters that affect them. This portfolio contributes to the achievement of SDG 16, SDG 10 and SDG 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
ย
Specific thematic areas of the Inclusive Governance Portfolio include:
ย
Womenโs political participationย
For over two decades, UNDP Viet Nam has positioned itself as a trusted partner in promoting womenโs political participation, collaborating with key governmental institutions such as the National Assembly, the former Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Viet Namโs Women Union, and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, among others. These strategic partnerships have been instrumental in advancing womenโs leadership within elected bodies, the Party, and executive agencies. In addition, UNDP has worked closely with the Viet Nam Department of Peacekeeping Operations under the Ministry of Defense to enhance women participation in international peacekeeping missions. Today, UNDP is preparing to launch a new, five-year programme on Womenโs Political Participation, focused on empowering women representatives in Viet Namโs elected bodies.
Youth empowermentย
Youth are key agents of social change at all levels. Recognizing their immense potential as positive catalysts, UNDP actively supports governments, civil society actors, and youth-led networks in creating an enabling environment for their engagement. UNDP is committed to fostering greater youth involvement in Inclusive Governance, ensuring young peopleโs right to influence decisions impacting their lives. Through meaningful participation at local, national, and global levels, UNDP empowers young voices to contribute effectively to policy-making processes.
LGBTI Inclusionย
UNDP supports Viet Namโs efforts to promote inclusive, data driven, and evidence-based policymaking on LGBTI matters, ensuring that policies translate into tangible practices. This commitment aims to ensure that LGBTI individuals can fully participate and equally benefit in economic, educational, political, community and social spheres at all stages of life. UNDP's strong working relationships with both government and civil society partners in Viet Nam, combined with its national and international experience in LGBTI rights and technical expertise in data collection, position it as a key organization driving forward inclusive policymaking processes on LGBTI issues.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Specialist works under direct supervision and reports to the Assistant Resident Representative for Governance and Participation. For support to the GESI Task Force, the Specialist reports to the Deputy Resident Representative.
The Project Specialist has four main functions:
Policy advisory, knowledge management and partner outreach on Inclusive Governance, with a focus on womenโs political participation, youth and LGBTI inclusion
Provide thought leadership and technical guidance on inclusive governance issues including womenโs political participation, youth empowerment and LGBTI inclusionย Advise the ARR and Senior UNDP Management on policy advocacy and engagement opportunities to advance SDG 16 in relation to inclusive governance. Support evidence-based policy development through the generation and dissemination of knowledge products, policy briefs, and guidance notes on inclusive governance.ย Participate in in key policy dialogues and inter-agency working groups on inclusive governance themes, contributing to the realization of SDG 16 and related goals. Engage in national and regional knowledge networks to share best practices and lessons learned in inclusive governance and contribute to global knowledge platforms.Effective Management and Coordination of Projects and Activities
Serve as Project Manager and lead the implementation of the Womenโs Political Participation 5-year project, to be launched in 2025 to support women in Viet Namโs ย ย ย elected bodies.ย Provide strategic and operational guidance to projects under the Inclusive Governance Portfolio related to the inclusion of women, LGBTI, and youth, ensuring timely and quality implementation.ย Apply results-based management tools for planning, monitoring, and evaluation, including setting and tracking performance indicators, ensuring alignment with UNDP and donor reporting requirements.ย Manage budgets, risks, procurement processes, and recruitment within projects to ensure accountability and effectiveness.ย Ensure alignment and synergies between projects within the Inclusive Governance Portfolio and other related initiatives within UNDP Viet Nam.Project Formulation, Development and Resource Mobilization
Identify opportunities for project development aligned with Viet Namโs inclusive governance needs and priorities.ย Support the design and formulation of new project proposals in areas such as political participation, civic engagement, and inclusive decision-making, ensuring gender-responsiveness and intersectionality.ย Collaborate with government counterparts, non-state actors, and donors to build strategic partnerships and mobilize resources for inclusive governance.ย Ensure all project proposals align with the UNSDCF and UNDP Country Programme Document and contribute to broader development cooperation efforts.Serve as the Country Officeโs Gender Focal Pointย
Support the DRR in leading the Country Officeโs Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Task Force and in implementing out and tracking the Officeโs Gender Equality, Womenโs Empowerment and Social Inclusion (GEWESI) Strategy and Action Planย Identify training needs and provide technical support to integrate gender and social inclusion across programmes and operations.ย Track progress on gender KPIs, ensure proper use of the Gender Marker, and contribute to corporate and donor reporting.ย Ensure gender and inclusion considerations are reflected in the COโs policy engagement, project design, and partnerships.ย Support gender parity, anti-discrimination, and work-life balance through collaboration with HR and advocacy across the office.ย The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.Competencies
Core competencies:
Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impactย Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problemsย Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demandsย Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivityPeople Managementย
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
2030 Agenda: Peopleย ย ย ย
Gender. Monitoring and Evaluation on Gender Equality and Womenโs Empowerment2030 Agenda: Peaceย ย ย ย
Governance. Parliamentary developmentBusiness Direction & Strategyย ย ย ย
Strategic Thinking. Develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDPโs mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight. System Thinking. Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.ยBusiness Developmentย ย ย ย
Knowledge Generation. Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. Ability to applyexisting concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
Business Managementย ย ย ย
Portfolio Management. Ability to select, prioritize and control the organizationโs programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio managementPartnership Managementย ย ย ย
Relationship management. Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understandingย
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (masterโs degree or equivalent) in Political Science, Sociology, Gender Studies, Public Policy or a related field is required or A first-level university degree (bachelorโs degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.Experience:
A minimum of 5 years (with masterโs degree) or 7 years (with Bachelorโs Degree) of relevant experience implementing projects in inclusive governance and womenโs empowerment is required.ย Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems. Experience working with Government counterparts to advance policy formulation and implementation in the areas of inclusive governance, womenโs political participation and gender equality. Experience in the management of development projects. Experience and sound knowledge of international best practices, national policies, legal and institutional frameworks in gender equality and womenโs empowerment. Experience as a team leader or manager.ยRequired languages:
Fluency in English and Vietnamese is required.ยEqual opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
ย