Mission and objectives

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.

Context

UN Women China Office is implementing programmes in women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women and strengthening governance through gender responsive research, legal and policy frameworks at the national and provincial levels as well as holds a strong partnership, communication, and advocacy portfolio. In line with national development priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2026-2030 (notably Outcome 4 “by 2030, China strengthens its international development cooperation contributions and partnerships towards SDG attainment in line with international norms and standards, with an emphasis on leaving no one and no country behind and gender equality”), UN Women China Office seeks to work with a range of development cooperation stakeholders to inform cooperation partnerships, engagements and financing that are more gender responsive, demand-driven, and SDG-aligned, by providing policy and technical guidance on alignment with international best practices and norms. In addition, UN Women leverages its global network and South-South Cooperation (SSC) to facilitate mutual knowledge and experience sharing and effective multilateralism between China and partner countries on best practices and lessons learned to advance the SDGs including SDG 5 and make impactful contribution to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. As part of this, in order to support China’s international development cooperation for greater SDG impact and gender equality, and to strengthen the application of international norms, standards, and best practices and the effective multilateralism towards achieving the SDGs, UN Women aims to conduct evidence-based research and best-practice documentation, convene strategic two-way dialogues, and support on knowledge sharing and capacity-building initiatives, among many other activities. Under the supervision of Partnership Specialist, the Programme Associate is responsible for providing support to coordination, research and analysis, communications, reporting as well as administrative support to the South-South Cooperation for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (SSC for GEWE) portfolio.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of the Partnership Specialist, the National UN Associate Volunteer will: (1) Provide support to the preparation, coordination, and follow-up of partner engagements, programme management and key meetings and events under the portfolio, including but not limited to: · Drafting agendas, presentations, speeches, meeting notes, and minutes. · Coordinating meetings with internal and external partners. · Supporting event organizations, including agenda design, invitations, speeches, and preparation of event-related communication materials (e.g., press releases and social media content). · Providing on-site coordination and execution support for meetings and events, as required. (2) Provide support to research and analytical work under the portfolio on the key issues and trajectories related to South-South Cooperation, international development cooperation, gender equality, and relevant policies, as required. This would include but not limited to: · Providing inputs on research and analysis. · Supporting the coordination and quality assurance of the relevant knowledge products. (3) Provide support to programme management and resource mobilization efforts, primarily high-quality translation support. This would include but not limited to: · Relevant key programme documents, concept notes, agendas, briefing notes, background briefings, talking points, note-to-files, meeting minutes, letters, and other relevant documents upon request. · Partnership and resource mobilization related proposals. · Knowledge sharing and presentation related materials. (4) Provide administrative and logistical support for meetings and events involving national partners, development partners, UN agencies, academic partners and others. This would include but not limited to: · Facilitating smooth communication between the team and all partners regarding event planning and preparation, price quotation, logistics arrangement and payment process. · Drafting and preparing required administrative and logistical documents to ensure smooth and timely implementation. · Maintaining and archiving administrative and logistical records in a timely and systematic manner. · Summarising and regularly updating administrative and logistical procedures and timelines for internal reference in line with the latest organizational requirements. (5) Any other related tasks may be required or assigned by the supervisor. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: · Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). · Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. · Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. · Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. · Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers. · Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Competencies and values

· Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UN Women; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UN Women procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; · Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UN Women in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; · Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; · Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment; · Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; · Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; · Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; · Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UN Women’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living conditions and remarks

The duty station of the national UN Volunteer is located in Beijing. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos. Beijing is the capital and largest city of China, with well-developed public infrastructure and services. The city offers excellent health services, a wide range of accommodation options, and numerous shopping, dining, and recreational facilities. Rent for centrally located apartments is relatively high compared with other parts of China. Public transportation is extensive and efficient, including buses, an extensive subway network, and widely available metered taxis. Beijing is also served by two international airports and frequent domestic and regional train and flight connections. Daily living essentials such as clean water, electricity, and reliable telecommunications (internet and mobile networks) are readily accessible. International and local banking services are available across the city. Beijing has a distinct seasonal climate, with cold, dry winters and hot summers, and occasional fluctuations in air quality. Cultural norms are generally cosmopolitan, with professional dress and moderate social customs in formal settings. As with most urban centres, daily life in Beijing requires adaptation to a busy metropolitan environment, while offering the convenience and services of a major global city. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.