UNDP Papua New Guinea seeks a Project Gender & Safeguards Specialist (Open to External Applicants – Tier 3)

About UNDP in Papua New Guinea

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) leads international efforts in sustainable development across 170 countries, with a mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, and build resilience.

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), UNDP focuses on environmental protection, climate resilience, and sustainable natural resource management.

Its portfolio aligns with global frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework, prioritizing conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable blue economy initiatives.

Key projects include:

• Sustainable Financing of Papua New Guinea’s Protected Area Network (GEF 6): Strengthens long-term financial support for protected areas.
• Integrated Land Management and Restoration in PNG (GEF 7): Focuses on ecosystem restoration, sustainable land use, and climate adaptation in mountainous regions.
• Accelerating PNG’s Sustainable Blue Economy (GEF 8): Enhances governance, promotes investment in marine areas, and supports resilient coastal communities.

PNG hosts globally significant marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass meadows. These ecosystems underpin food security, climate resilience, and livelihoods for coastal communities. However, challenges such as illegal fishing, pollution, habitat degradation, and weak governance threaten their sustainability.

Role Overview

The Project Gender & Safeguards Specialist provides strategic leadership and technical guidance to ensure gender equality integration and compliance with environmental and social safeguards across UNDP’s climate, biodiversity, and natural resource projects in PNG. This role reports to the Project Manager/Coordinator and Chief Technical Specialist at UNDP, collaborating closely with the National Project Director of the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA).

The specialist will focus on enhancing project outcomes through gender-responsive programming and rigorous environmental and social risk management, ensuring alignment with UNDP Social and Environmental Standards (SES) and GEF safeguards.

Location: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Contract Type: National Personnel Service Agreement (Tier 3)
Duration: 1 year with possibility for extension
Grade: NPSA-10
Application Deadline: 03 March 2026
Languages Required: English and Tok Pisin
Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Practice Area: Nature, Climate, and Energy
Bureau: Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership on Gender Equality:

• Lead the design and implementation of Gender Action Plans (GAPs) across project areas.
• Provide high-level technical guidance on UNDP and GEF gender policies.
• Conduct gender analyses to inform project frameworks, theories of change, and impact pathways.
• Advise national counterparts and project teams, fostering partnerships with women’s organizations and gender-focused stakeholders.

2. Environmental and Social Safeguards Compliance:

• Ensure projects align with UNDP SES, Environmental and Social Screening Procedures (ESSP), and GEF Minimum Standards.
• Oversee development and implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs).
• Support risk mitigation, stakeholder engagement, and grievance redress mechanisms.
• Strengthen national capacities for environmental and social risk management through advisory support.

3. Capacity Development and Knowledge Management:

• Design and facilitate training programs for project teams, implementing partners, and government institutions on gender and safeguards.
• Develop guidance tools and knowledge products to institutionalize best practices.
• Foster a community of practice for gender and safeguards, promoting continuous learning and innovation.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:

• Lead monitoring of gender and safeguards indicators across projects.
• Contribute to mid-term reviews, evaluations, audits, and donor reporting.
• Use UNDP systems (Quantum, PIMS+, SES Tracker) to track compliance and identify risks proactively.

5. Policy Engagement and Cross-Sector Collaboration:

• Support integration of gender and safeguard considerations into national policies and investment planning.
• Facilitate engagement with government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders to align project outcomes with broader development goals.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s) in Gender Studies, Environmental Policy, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or equivalent. Bachelor’s degree with additional experience may be considered.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years (with Master’s) or 7 years (with Bachelor’s) in gender integration and/or safeguards in development or environmental projects. Experience applying SES, ESMPs, and GAPs is essential.
• Skills: Advanced computer literacy (MS Office, databases), stakeholder coordination, and supervision. Strong experience in training, knowledge sharing, and multi-stakeholder facilitation. Familiarity with PNG gender, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and social inclusion frameworks is an advantage.
• Languages: Fluency in English and Tok Pisin.

Competencies

Core Competencies: Achieve results, think innovatively, act with determination, adapt with agility, engage and partner, enable diversity and inclusion.

Technical Competencies: Gender and safeguards strategy, system thinking, result-based management, knowledge facilitation, communication, evidence-based decision making, and business management.

Why This Role Matters

This role is critical for advancing sustainable marine and terrestrial conservation, enhancing gender equality, and ensuring environmental and social compliance in PNG’s high-impact climate and biodiversity projects. By integrating gender-sensitive approaches and safeguarding ecosystems, the specialist contributes to both local community resilience and global environmental goals.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization hiring for this position. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.