UN Women: Elections and Inclusive Governance Specialist, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, International Consultant

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. 

Papua New Guinea has one of the lowest levels of women’s political representation globally. Women hold only three of the 118 seats in the National Parliament, despite constituting approximately 52 per cent of registered voters and 53 per cent of voters in the 2022 National General Election. Discriminatory social norms, unequal access to political and campaign resources, limited support from political parties, and violence against women in elections and politics (VAWIE/P) continue to constrain women’s equal and meaningful participation as voters, candidates, elected representatives, election officials, observers, and peacebuilders. 

UN Women supports women’s political leadership, gender-responsive governance, and safer and more inclusive elections through three complementary programmes: Women Make the Change: Increased Voice for Women in Political Processes (Phase 2), convened by UN Women in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Support to Peaceful Elections in Papua New Guinea (SPE PNG), convened by UNDP in partnership with UN Women and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and Strengthening Papua New Guinea’s National Women’s Machinery and Accountability Mechanisms for Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Together, these programmes support the development and visibility of women leaders; strengthen national women’s machinery and women’s rights institutions; and promote electoral conflict prevention, safe and inclusive political participation, gender-responsive electoral processes, and institutional accountability. 

Against this background, UN Women Papua New Guinea is seeking to recruit an international consultant to provide technical assistance and coordination support to government and civil society partners engaged in the implementation of its inclusive governance and election portfolio. The consultant will report directly to the UN Women Country Representative, with day-to-day oversight and support provided by the Deputy Country Representative.

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide senior technical, coordination, and results-management support for UN Women's assigned components of the governance project portfolio. The consultant will strengthen national ownership and institutional capacity; ensure complementarity between governance, women's political leadership and peaceful elections interventions; and support timely, high-quality planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and learning.

Description of Responsibilities / Scope of Work:

1. Integrated programme planning, coordination, and implementation support for the governance project portfolio

• Translate approved project documents, joint results frameworks, annual workplans, budgets, and partner agreements into a sequenced UN Women implementation plan with clear responsibilities, dependencies, milestones, evidence requirements, and risk controls.
• Support the preparation and technical review of concept notes, activity plans, terms of reference, procurement and travel inputs, partner workplans, budgets, training packages, and other implementation documents, in line with UN Women rules and approved programme budgets.
• Maintain an integrated action tracker, risk and assumptions log, stakeholder map, and programme calendar; identify delays, overlaps, and delivery risks early and propose practical corrective actions to the supervisor.
• Support UN Women participation in the SPE PNG and Women Make the Change joint programme teams, Steering Committees, technical working groups, partner reviews, and learning meetings; prepare agendas, briefs, minutes, decisions, follow-up matrices, and readouts.
• Coordinate closely with UNDP, OHCHR, the Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO), government counterparts, and implementing partners to preserve the respective mandates and assigned activities of each entity and to avoid parallel mechanisms, duplicated consultations, or inconsistent messaging.
• Plan and support inclusive and accessible workshops, trainings, dialogues, and missions, including participant communication, materials, reasonable accommodation, safeguarding, security coordination, documentation, and follow-up. Contracting and financial approvals will remain the responsibility of authorized personnel.

2. Technical support to partners under the governance project portfolio

• Provide technical and coordination support to the assigned project portfolio, including the review of curricula and facilitator materials, transparent and inclusive participant-selection processes, mentoring and alumni arrangements, delivery quality, pre- and post-training assessments, and follow-up with SILAG and other approved partners.
• Support DFCDR/ODW and NCW to strengthen their coordination, governance, leadership, convening, and monitoring capacities, with attention to sustainable systems, institutional ownership, and provincial linkages.
• Provide technical inputs, research, briefing materials, and coordination support for approved legal and policy reform and advocacy activities that advance women's equal participation in political decision-making, in collaboration with DFCDR/ODW, DJAG, IPPCC, parliamentary bodies, and women's organizations.
• Support evidence-based public information, community dialogue, and advocacy activities that promote the legitimacy and value of women's leadership and prevent, monitor, and mitigate violence against women in politics, while safeguarding political impartiality and the safety of participants.
• Strengthen connections among women leaders, prospective candidates, young women, mentors, women's coalitions, and relevant institutions before and after the 2027 elections, and support institutionalized candidate development and leadership pipelines for future electoral cycles.
• Provide technical and coordination support to DFCDR for the organization of the Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and the Meeting of Pacific Ministers for Women, including planning, stakeholder engagement, preparation of concept notes and meeting materials, organization of UN Women-supported side events, documentation of proceedings, preparation of reports, and follow-up on agreed actions.

3. Establishment and operationalization of the gender-responsive Elections Situation Room

• Support national and civil society partners to establish and operationalize a single, integrated, Peaceful Elections Situation Room (PESR).
• Facilitate agreement on governance, roles, decision-making, coordination, accountability, and handover arrangements for the PESR, ensuring meaningful leadership by women's organizations and effective links with PNGEC, DJAG, security institutions, provincial actors, referral services, the UNDP-supported early warning system, and the OHCHR-supported monitoring group.
• Develop or quality assure operational protocols covering information intake; accessible reporting channels; incident classification; verification; gender and conflict analysis; risk assessment; escalation; referral and follow-up; communications; data retention; and safe closure.
• Ensure that VAWIE/P is captured as a distinct incident category and that tools recognize the different risks faced by women voters, candidates, election officials, observers, activists, women with disabilities, young women, and women in rural and remote locations.
• Support simulations and readiness reviews before activation and provide technical accompaniment during the electoral period. Produce regular de-identified gender and inclusion analyses for the PESR and joint programme, and ensure that validated findings inform prevention, response, advocacy, and post-election learning.

4. Results-based monitoring, reporting, learning and communications

• Develop and maintain practical monitoring tools aligned with the relevant governance programme portfolio indicators, targets, and means of verification, using continuous monitoring and adaptive management appropriate to the electoral cycle.
• Collect, quality assure, analyse, and securely store programme evidence, including activity records, attendance, pre- and post-assessments, partner reports, field-monitoring findings, knowledge products, and indicator data. Data will be disaggregated by sex, age, disability, and geography where feasible, relevant, and safe.
• Prepare timely field mission reports, quarterly progress updates, six-monthly and annual reporting inputs, donor report contributions, Steering Committee briefs, and management updates that focus on results, challenges, risks, corrective actions, expenditure trends, and lessons learned. Financial certification remains the responsibility of authorized personnel.
• Support joint monitoring visits, partner performance reviews, after-action reviews, and post-election learning, and follow up on agreed management actions.
• Develop high-quality technical briefs, presentations, case studies, guidance notes, and knowledge products, and support coherent, conflict-sensitive, non-partisan communications in accordance with approved branding, visibility, consent, and data-protection requirements.
• At the end of the assignment, organize and hand over all approved tools, evidence, contacts, status trackers, and outstanding actions in editable formats, with sensitive information stored or disposed of in accordance with UN Women requirements.

5. Plan and facilitate workshops, trainings, seminars, and meetings in the area of women’s political participation and governance

• Plan and coordinate end-to-end logistics for trainings, workshops, seminars, and dialogue meetings, including venue arrangements, basic contracting and liaison with service providers, participant communication and travel coordination, preparation of materials, accessibility measures, and on-site support.
• Support the development of training materials, presentations, briefing notes, and participant resource packages to strengthen knowledge and skills related to women’s political participation, leadership, civic engagement, and peaceful elections.
• Facilitate coordination and communication with government institutions, electoral management bodies, UN agencies, civil society organizations, women’s groups, development partners, and other stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of planned activities.
• Assist in documenting workshop and meeting outcomes, preparing reports and recommendations, maintaining participant databases, and supporting follow-up actions to enhance the impact and sustainability of programme interventions.

6. Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies.

• Support the country office in developing and implementing partnerships and resource mobilization strategies.

• Assist in finalization of relevant documentation on donors and potential opportunities for resource mobilization.

• Provide technical inputs to donor briefs, concept notes, and resource-mobilization materials directly related to the inclusive governance portfolio.

7. The International Consultant performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• An integrated and sequenced implementation plan for UN Women’s inclusive governance portfolio is developed and maintained, with clear responsibilities, milestones, evidence requirements, risk controls, and mechanisms for timely corrective action. 
• The gender-responsive and women-led functions of the Peaceful Elections Situation Room (PESR) are operational within an integrated electoral early warning and response architecture, with tested protocols, trained monitors, safe and accessible reporting channels, VAWIE/P incident classification, referral pathways, and de-identified analysis. 
• UN Women’s technical contributions to gender- and disability-inclusive electoral guidance and VAWIE/P prevention and response training are validated, rolled out through relevant institutions, and documented against the SPE PNG results framework. 
• Women Make the Change activities assigned to UN Women are implemented with strengthened partner ownership, quality-assured curricula and mentoring arrangements, inclusive participation, evidence of capacity development, and linkages to sustainable institutional mechanisms. 
• National women’s machinery and accountability mechanisms are strengthened through coordinated technical assistance to relevant government institutions and women’s rights organizations. 
• Programme agreements with government and civil society partners are effectively coordinated, monitored, and documented in accordance with UN Women’s rules, regulations, and approved workplans. 
• Trainings, workshops, and dialogues on gender-responsive governance, women’s political participation, and inclusive electoral processes are effectively planned, facilitated, delivered, and documented. 
• Corporate, donor, and joint programme reports, and knowledge products are prepared and submitted on time, are accurate and results-based, and are supported by appropriate evidence, analysis, and lessons learned.
• Government partners are supported to successfully host and document the Triennial Conference of Pacific Women and the Meeting of Pacific Ministers for Women in Papua New Guinea, including the effective planning and delivery of UN Women-supported side events, preparation of technical and meeting materials, stakeholder coordination, documentation of proceedings, timely reporting, and follow-up on agreed recommendations and commitments.

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

• Strong substantive knowledge of gender equality, women's political participation, gender-responsive governance, inclusive elections, and VAWIE/P.
• Demonstrated ability to translate project documents and results frameworks into practical, sequenced implementation plans and measurable deliverables.
• Strong programme coordination, partnership management, facilitation, negotiation, and problem-solving skills in complex multi-stakeholder settings.
• Ability to design or quality-assure early warning, incident-management, referral, training, and monitoring tools using conflict-sensitive, survivor-centred, disability-inclusive, and data-protection principles.
• Strong analytical and results-based writing skills, including preparation of donor reports, policy briefs, operational guidance, risk analysis, and knowledge products.
• Sound political judgement, discretion, impartiality, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work effectively under pressure in a diverse and high-risk electoral environment.
• Ability to build national ownership, mentor partners, and strengthen sustainable institutional systems rather than create parallel structures.

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in political science, public policy, gender studies, peace and conflict studies, international development, law, human rights, social sciences, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A recognized project or programme management certification is an asset.

• At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in gender-responsive governance, women's political participation, electoral assistance, or a closely related field is required.
• Demonstrated experience managing or coordinating programme implementation, partner performance, results-based monitoring, budgets, and donor reporting with government and civil society partners is required.
• Demonstrated technical experience in electoral conflict prevention or inclusive electoral operations; women's political leadership or candidate development
• Experience developing operational guidance, standard operating procedures, training packages, monitoring tools, or knowledge products for complex multi-stakeholder programmes is required.
• Experience facilitating inclusive consultations, training, simulations, or policy dialogues with government institutions, electoral bodies, security actors, women's organizations, and diverse community stakeholders is required.
• Experience with electoral situation rooms, election monitoring, rapid-response mechanisms, or incident-management systems is a strong asset.
• Experience working with UN joint programmes and familiarity with UN Women programming, Results-Based Management, and partner management procedures is an asset.
• Experience in Papua New Guinea, the Pacific, or another complex and conflict-sensitive electoral context is an asset.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and oral communication skills are required. Shortlisted candidates may be requested to provide relevant writing samples.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Knowledge of Tok Pisin or another Papua New Guinea language is an asset.
• Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an asset.

This is an office-based consultancy in Port Moresby. In-country travel to programme provinces, including electoral hotspot locations, may be required under an approved mission plan. All travel is subject to prior authorization, applicable medical and security clearances, United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) requirements, and UN Women travel rules.

Payment: The payment schedule: Whether milestone-based or monthly will be determined to balance the consultant's operational needs with UN Women's organizational best interests.

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.