Background:

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality and secretariat of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, we shift laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. Our partnerships with governments, women’s movements and the private sector coupled with our coordination of the broader United Nations translate progress into lasting changes. We make strides forward for women and girls in four areas: leadership, economic empowerment, freedom from violence, and women, peace and security as well as humanitarian action. UN Women keeps the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress – always, everywhere. Because gender equality is not just what we do. It is who we are.

In Azerbaijan, UN Women works with government, civil society organizations, academia, the media, the public and private sectors to address national priorities of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Placing the advancement of women’s rights at the centre of our work and aligning with UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2026-2028. Enhancing women’s economic empowerment is one of the key areas of UN Women’s work in Azerbaijan. The WEE portfolio focuses on key priority areas such as (1) transforming care systems, (2) advancing women in the world of work, (3) partnership with the private sector, including implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and (4) promoting gender-responsive climate action, alongside cross-cutting issues including social norms, financing for gender equality, and gender-responsive macroeconomic policies.

Scope of Work:

1. Contribute technically to the development of programme strategies in the area of Women’s Economic Empowerment
2. Provide substantive support to the WEE Programme Specialist to ensure timely, effective, and results‑oriented implementation of the WEPs project, in line with the approved project document.
3. Provide substantive technical support to the implementation and management of the Women’s Economic Empowerment programme
4. Provide technical assistance and capacity development to project/programme partners
5. Provide technical inputs to the monitoring and reporting of the programme/project
6. Provide substantive technical inputs to the management of people and finances of the Women’s Economic Empowerment programme
7. Provide substantive inputs to building partnerships and resource mobilization strategies
8. Provide technical support to inter-agency coordination on Women’s Economic Empowerment to achieve coherence and alignment of UN Women programmes with other partners in the country
9. Provide substantive inputs to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

Competencies:

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

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

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, 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 (4 years of experience in case of BA degree).
• A project/programme management certification would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• At least 2 years (or 4 years in case of BA degree) of progressively responsible work experience in development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building is required.
• Experience in the engagement of the private sector to serve women’s economic empowerment in Azerbaijan is required.
• Experience in providing technical support to the private sector on women’s economic empowerment is required.
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in Azerbaijani is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Diversity and inclusion:

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.