Role Overview
The Deputy Director for the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division (PPID) provides strategic leadership and executive management to ensure the formulation, implementation, and periodic review of the Division’s Strategic Note. This role is central to aligning divisional work with UN Women’s Strategic Plan and corporate commitments, positioning the organization as a global leader in gender equality and women's empowerment.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Divisional Planning
- Provide strategic leadership for the formulation, implementation and periodic review of the Division’s Strategic Note, ensuring alignment with corporate commitments.
- Oversee the coherence, integration, quality and strategic relevance of PPID’s policy, programme and intergovernmental work.
- Ensure that global programming frameworks and corporate policy inputs translate intergovernmental mandates into actionable results at global, regional and country levels.
- Ensure strategic interconnection between PPID Directorate and Regional Office leadership, especially for crisis response.
- Exercise delegated authority for quality assurance, strategic oversight and risk management of PPID-led global initiatives.
- Provide senior strategic guidance to the Political Analysis and Programme Development Unit.
- Represent the Director in high-level intergovernmental and external forums.
Global Monitoring and Accountability
- Lead the coordination, monitoring and consolidation of Strategic Plan development results.
- Oversee the establishment of global mechanisms for tracking and analyzing Strategic Plan results.
- Provide strategic oversight to global Outcome and Impact Leads to ensure alignment across results frameworks.
- Strengthen corporate systems and capacities for results reporting and performance analysis.
Corporate Stewardship of Knowledge Management
- Establish institutional standards for the development and implementation of UN Women’s knowledge management strategy.
- Champion a culture of evidence-based decision-making using evaluations, research, and data.
- Oversee corporate governance arrangements and quality standards for knowledge products and platforms.
Executive Management of the Division
- Provide strategic oversight of PPID’s day-to-day management and operational performance.
- Oversee integrated planning, budgeting and resource management across the Division.
- Establish an effective divisional rhythm of business and clear decision-making structures.
- Lead divisional change and transformation initiatives to enhance effectiveness and institutional resilience.
Corporate Governance and External Engagement
- Represent the Division in corporate governance and oversight mechanisms (e.g., Business Review Committee, Risk Management Committee).
- Provide executive oversight of Trust Funds for which UN Women serves as Secretariat.
- Strengthen strategic collaboration with other UN Women divisions and external partners including Member States and UN system entities.
Directorate Leadership and Personnel Management
- Provide leadership and accountability for Directorate workplans and annual reporting.
- Manage financial and human resources ensuring sound application of internal controls.
- Model an inclusive and high-performing work culture and manage performance of supervised personnel.
Requirements
Education and Certification
- Master’s degree or equivalent in international development, public administration, public policy or other relevant social science fields.
- A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
- Project/programme management certification (PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) is an added advantage.
Experience
- Minimum of 15 years of extensive experience in programme management and/or policy development.
- At least 10 years of experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development strategies or programmes related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- At least 10 years of experience leading and managing personnel in international settings.
- Experience with change management and transformation initiatives within large international institutions.
- Proven experience in Results Based Management (RBM) and strategy implementation.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the UN Women careers portal. Applications are processed through the Oracle Cloud platform. Ensure you submit your application before the deadline on April 10, 2026.
