Mission and objectives

UNDP's mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with Bangladesh ever since its birth and through its remarkable journey from a war-ravaged economy to a middle-income country. It remains a catalyst in Bangladesh’s journey from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. UNDP assists in building institutions and helps strengthen institutional capacities through people-centric, pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable policy making and development governance.

Context

This UN Volunteer assignment is part of UNDP Bangladesh’s Circular Economy (CE) Portfolio, which supports Bangladesh’s transition towards sustainable, inclusive, and climate‑resilient economic development. The portfolio positions circular economy as a strategic approach to drive green competitiveness, inclusive markets, sustainable cities, and behavioural change, while strengthening policy coherence and partnerships across government, private sector, civil society, and communities. The portfolio requires sustained advocacy, strategic communication, partnership building, and external engagement to build policy appetite, strengthen stakeholder alignment, and improve understanding of portfolio‑based approaches to system change. This includes advancing Circular Economy partnerships, literacy, awareness, and behavioural change narratives, in close coordination with the UNDP Bangladesh CE Portfolio Team, Democratic Governance Cluster, Resilience and Inclusive Growth (RIG) Cluster, and Communication team.

Task Description

Under the overall supervision of the Circular Economy (CE) Portfolio Manager / Portfolio co-owner and in close coordination with the UNDP Bangladesh CE Portfolio Team, Democratic Governance Cluster, Resilience and Inclusive Growth (RIG) Cluster, and Communication team, the UNV National Specialist – Advocacy and Partnership Associate will support the following tasks: Advocacy and External Engagement: • Support advocacy efforts related to the Circular Economy Portfolio with key external stakeholders, including government institutions, I/NGOs (Non-Government Organizations), CSOs (Civil Society Organizations), community based organizations, academia, and private sector actors. • Assist in facilitating dialogue, consultations, and engagement activities that strengthen policy interest and appetite for circular economy approaches. • Support external integration of the Circular Economy Portfolio by helping align messages, narratives, and engagement efforts across stakeholders. Strategic Communication and Portfolio Narratives: • Support development and adaptation of advocacy and communication materials that translate the Circular Economy Portfolio narrative into clear, audience appropriate messages. • Assist in strengthening understanding of the portfolio approach among external stakeholders, including how integrated, adaptive interventions contribute to system level change. • Contribute to preparation of briefing notes, talking points, presentations, and background materials for meetings, workshops, and public engagements. CE Literacy, Awareness, and Behavioural Change: • Support design and implementation of Circular Economy literacy, awareness raising, and behavioural change initiatives, in coordination with the UNDP Country Office Communications Team. • Assist in developing content and campaign inputs related to sustainable consumption, responsible production, and citizen engagement. • Support documentation of lessons learned and good practices from CE advocacy and communication activities. Coordination and Knowledge Support: • Work closely with programme teams and the Communications Team to ensure coherence between portfolio activities, advocacy messages, and public communication outputs. • Assist in organizing events, campaigns, and outreach activities related to the Circular Economy Portfolio. • Support monitoring and reporting of advocacy and communication activities, including tracking stakeholder engagement and outreach efforts.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh along the Buriganga River. Not only is it the capital city, but it is also the largest in the country. It is the center of political, cultural, and economic life in Bangladesh. The official language is Bengali, while English is the working language of UN Agencies. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen the modernization of services, communications, and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the nation; this has reportedly made Dhaka one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Good English-speaking medical, dental services, and educational centers are available for internationals. Dhaka is connected to other cities by rail, road, and by air and internationals can move easily from one city to another. Dhaka has venerable green spaces, including many gardens and parks, historical places, and nice restaurants. The weather is tropical - hot and very humid during the summer monsoon season (April-September) and drier and cooler in the winter (October-March). Historically, Bangladesh has been a safe country so far. While Dhaka is not categorized as a hardship station, the volunteer should be prepared for limitations in freedom of movement on foot, by public transport, and to certain locations. 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.