UN Women is inviting applications for an International Consultant – International Trade and Gender Equality Expert to support its Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. This part-time, home-based consultancy offers experienced professionals the opportunity to contribute to advancing gender-responsive trade policies and women’s economic empowerment across the region.

The six-month consultancy is ideal for experts with extensive experience in international trade policy, gender equality, economic development, and programme design. Applications close on 30 July 2026.

About the Consultancy

UN Women is strengthening its work on women’s economic empowerment by helping governments, businesses, and development partners ensure that international trade agreements create meaningful opportunities for women. The consultant will support the development of practical frameworks that translate trade agreements into actions benefiting women-owned businesses, women workers, and gender-responsive enterprises.

Working closely with the Women’s Economic Empowerment team, the consultant will help shape regional strategies that connect women entrepreneurs with international markets while promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Key Responsibilities

The selected consultant will undertake a wide range of strategic and analytical tasks, including:

• Develop an inception workplan, methodology, and analytical framework for the consultancy.
• Conduct comprehensive literature and policy reviews on gender-responsive trade.
• Map Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Generalized System of Preferences (GSPs), and regional trade frameworks across Asia and the Pacific.
• Analyze gender provisions and implementation mechanisms within international trade agreements.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations, interviews, and focus group discussions.
• Identify opportunities for gender-responsive procurement and supplier diversity initiatives.
• Review successful regional programmes supporting women entrepreneurs.
• Develop an actionable framework for implementing gender-responsive trade agreements.
• Design a donor-ready programme proposal for future UN Women initiatives.
• Produce strategic recommendations and implementation roadmaps.

Expected Deliverables

During the six-month assignment, the consultant will deliver:

• Inception report and workplan
• Literature and policy review
• Regional trade agreement mapping report
• Stakeholder consultation findings
• Gender-responsive implementation framework
• UN Women value proposition and donor programme proposal
• Validation report following stakeholder consultations

Deliverables will be completed between September 2026 and February 2027.

Required Qualifications

Applicants should possess:

• Master’s degree in International Trade, Economics, Law, Public Policy, International Development, Gender Studies, Business, Political Economy, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in international trade, trade policy, gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, or private-sector development.
• Strong experience analyzing trade agreements and economic cooperation frameworks.
• Demonstrated expertise integrating gender equality into trade, entrepreneurship, labour, procurement, or market systems.
• Experience working within Asia-Pacific, particularly ASEAN or South Asia.
• Excellent analytical, report writing, and communication skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Experience working with UN agencies, governments, development organizations, or private-sector partnerships is considered an advantage.

Desired Technical Expertise

Successful candidates should demonstrate knowledge of:

• International trade policy
• Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
• Generalized System of Preferences (GSPs)
• Regional economic integration
• Women’s economic empowerment
• Gender-responsive procurement
• Supply chain development
• Private-sector partnerships
• Donor programme development
• Policy analysis and implementation frameworks

Home-Based Consultancy

This consultancy is fully home-based, allowing the consultant to work remotely throughout the contract period. However, occasional travel to Bangkok or other countries within Asia and the Pacific may be required for consultations, validation workshops, or strategic meetings, subject to budget availability and UN Women approval.

Why Join UN Women?

This consultancy offers an opportunity to contribute to policies that strengthen gender equality in international trade while supporting inclusive economic growth. The successful consultant will work with governments, regional institutions, development partners, and the private sector to create practical solutions that expand market opportunities for women-led enterprises throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Professionals with expertise in trade policy and gender equality who are passionate about advancing women’s economic empowerment are encouraged to apply before the application deadline.

Application Deadline

Closing Date: 30 July 2026

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Disclaimer: Remote Job Opportunities (RJO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the responsible organization directly. Please do not send your applications to RJO, 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.