The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

The primary role of UNDP is to support country-led efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The work of UNDP around the world is anchored in diverse and effective partnerships, which are vital to our two critical roles at country level: (a) as an integrator across policy, programmatic and organizational silos; and (b) as an operational backbone for the United Nations and other partners.

UNDP Saudi Arabia works on Sustainable Economic and Social Development through diversifying economic sources, developing human capabilities, creating job opportunities and promoting private sector involvement in the Sustainable Development Goals achievement. This focus area is addressing SDG 1, 8, 9, 11 and 16.

The partnership between UNDP and Saudi Arabia dates back to UNDP’s launch in 1965.  Since then, UNDP has been providing technical cooperation for various national development goals and facilitating assistance from Saudi Arabia to least developed countries. In the early 1970s, UNDP initiated operations in Riyadh through a sub-regional office to serve the Gulf. Gradually the office was transformed from a sub-regional office into a Country Office fully dedicated to technical cooperation with Saudi Arabia. From that time, the Kingdom has been a strong supporter of UNDP cooperation in the Kingdom, with UNDP premises and project financing in the Kingdom fully supported through the contributions of the Kingdom. Indeed, Saudi Arabia’s status as a Net Contributing Country (NCC) to UNDP makes it a unique context with strong levels of ownership and programmes uniquely tailored to the local needs. 

Cooperation with UNDP in Saudi Arabia has matched the evolution of development needs and priorities in Saudi Arabia responding to specific needs of the Government over the past 40 years. Partnerships between national institutions and UNDP enjoy a unique bond of common responsibilities towards the national interest. This has included a working relationship over the past decades built on open dialogue and common interests for national development. The joint programmes between UNDP and the Government have covered a variety of development priorities and sectors, with key results over the years in strategy and policy development, and capacity development of Saudi people and institutions. 

Examples of UNDP Support to the development process in the Kingdom is exemplified through a number of successful projects. UNDP supported the formulation and to some extent the implementation of national strategies and policies in the energy, water, youth, urban, tourism, and food and drug sectors. UNDP technical expertise assisted in formulating strategies and action plans, as well as economic modelling, to assist the Ministry of Economy and Planning, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UNDP provided support for the development of national capacities and institutions such as the General Authorities of Statistics. UNDP provided long- and short-term advisory services to partners on policy development and strategic direction-setting for many entities including G20 Saudi Secretariat. Moreover, the new commitments of the kingdom to advance the gender balance has created a new project with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to increase the percentage of women's participation and representation at all levels of employment and in all job categories including women's leadership positions.

Key Functions:

•             Conduct mapping exercise of entities who tackle gender issues in the country:

•             Recommend to UNDP CO engagement approach with these entities

•             Inputs of the exercise will feed into the exercise of formulating a CO strategy (mentioned below) 

•             Support the formulation of UNDP CO Strategy tackling gender-related issues and positioning UNDP in the country to support the advancement of women in alignment with the SDGs and Saudi Vision 2030

•             Provide substantive assistance in reviewing work submitted by and consolidating various inputs received from international gender advisors before sharing with national counterparts

•             Draft an Umbrella Programme to better synergize UNDP support to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and Family Affairs Council (FAC)

•             Provide substantive support for the following potential initiatives:

-              Support the Family Affairs Council (FAC) in formulating or validating its strategy and attempting to incorporate CEDAW recommendations where relevant

-              for Development of the Private Sector (ICD)

-              Approach CSOs such as Prince Sultan Fund (PSF), and Al Nahda Society, and King Khalid Foundation in further developing their current programmes geared towards providing technical and financial support to Saudi women.

•             Conduct Gender Audit for current UNDP projects where relevant and make necessary recommendations for gender-mainstreaming

•             Act as the liaison officer between international gender advisors and national counterparts

•             Act as resource person in capacity building, knowledge sharing events and other relevant activities on gender equality and women’s empowerment in UNDP

•             Represent UNDP in UN inter-agency committees or working groups and provide substantive inputs to joint UN programmes where relevant

•             Contribute to mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment into all programs related to the current and new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework implementation in a coherent manner, through close consultation with the UN inter-agency mechanism (such as  Gender Working Group {GWG})

•             Ensure knowledge sharing, documentation and dissemination of good practices on gender equality, women’s empowerment and rights within UNDP and the broader UN system

•             Support in close consultation with UN/UNDP Communications Team, the communication of gender equality and women’s empowerment results to external audiences.

Impact of Results

The National Gender Officer will ensure better gender mainstreaming in current and prospective UNDP CO projects, and will ensure forging of strategic partnerships with key national stakeholders in this area ; and sustaining results of such interventions

Functional Competencies:          

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

• Carries out results-based project management.
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work
• Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration
• Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation

Building Strategic Partnerships

• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up to date on partnership related issues
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing with Client Orientation

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Strives to keep job knowledge up to date through self-directed study and other means of learning
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Core Competencies:

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work           

Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow        

Level 4: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Level 4: Models independent thinking and action

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement         

Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services

Education:         

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Gender studies, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or a related field is required.

Experience:       

Expertise in mainstreaming gender in projects and programmes, especially in the specific area of intervention

• Solid knowledge on result-based management and project implementation
• Good analytical skills and writing skills
• Experience in Saudi development context

Language Requirements:            

Excellent English and Arabic both written and spoken.