Research Assistant

Background

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to end poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, as well as protect the planet, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together, these efforts aim to ensure that improvements in human wellbeing remain within ecological boundaries. We also help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities and institutional capabilities, as well as build resilience, in order to achieve the SDGs.

UNDP China has been working in China over the past 45 years, partnering to advance various phases of China’s development. UNDP China’s actions and programmes for the period of 2021-2025 are defined in its Country Programme Document for China (CPD), prepared in cooperation with the Government of China and other partners. The CPD contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for China 2021-2025 and aligned to support the development priorities outlined in the Government of China’s 14th Five Year Plan.

We support the attainment of the SDGs in China, by promoting sustainable development principles in policies and decision-making, focusing on reducing inequality, promoting inclusive, low-carbon growth and protecting the environment.  In addition, UNDP leverages its global network to facilitate mutual knowledge and experience sharing between China and partner countries on best practices and lessons learned to advance the SDGs.

Under the guidance of UNDP China’s senior management, the Strategic Partnerships and Policy (SPP) team serves as the office’s knowledge hub, overseeing policy and research activities. The team closely collaborates with other teams and senior management, providing technical support informed by evidence-based knowledge products. The team is responsible for identifying and analyzing key research areas and policy solutions in support of China’s progress towards achieving the SDGs and Paris Agreement climate goals.
Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Assistant will support the Strategic Partnerships and Policy (SPP) team in advancing the country office’s economic and policy research efforts. The role will provide support to  the formulation and management of policy studies and socio-economic analysis as requested, with a focus on China’s vulnerabilities and efforts to tackle inequalities. S/he will also help the team in the organization of high-level events on key socio-economic and environmental topics, central to China’s priority and UNDP proramme (e.g., human development and green transition). In addition, the role will help facilitate stakeholder engagement in policy discussions, coordinate technical exchanges with stakeholders at various levels, and liaise with Chinese and international experts to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration. Key responsibilities include:

1.  Support Policy Research and Analysis

• Assist in policy research projects on key socioeconomic and environmental issues, with an emphasis on human development and inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and the just low-carbon transition.
• Support the preparation and dissemination of policy briefs, research notes, and other analytical products on critical development issues.
• Assist in collecting and consolidating macroeconomic, social and environmental data to support the team in providing advice to senior management.
• Provide support on quality control and review of knowledge products as assigned by the supervisor.
• Provide technical input and contribute analytical work in support of programme teams, as requested.
• Contribute to other office-wide initiatives and perform additional tasks as required to support UNDP’s overall mandate, including engaging with the Regional Economist Network.

2.  Support Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

• Assist in maintaining and expanding UNDP’s network of key stakeholders, experts, and institutions in China in the fields of economics and sustainable development.
• Provide support on collaboration initiatives, as well as research and policy-oriented projects.
• Support the coordination of research committee and strengthen office-wide research capabilities under the guidance of the team leader

3.  Support Advocacy, Communications, and Events

• Support the organization of high-level international conferences, workshops, and policy dialogues.
• Support external communications by contributing to reports, articles, and presentations that enhance UNDP’s thought leadership.
• Provide support to ensure that key policy results, data and promotional materials are available to showcase the progress, achievements and impact of UNDP’s research work.
• Assist in advocating for UNDP’s policy positions and represent the organization at external meetings and public engagements, as requested.

4.  Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

• Participate in training on internal procedures for the project staff and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement

The Research Assistant, will work under the guidance and supervision of Team Leader of the Strategic Partnerships and Policy team in UNDP China.

Competencies

1. Core Competencies

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

2. Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

• Business Management - Integration within the UN:  Ability to identity, and integrate capacity and assets of the UN system, and engage in joint work; knowledge of the UN System and ability to apply this knowledge to strategic and/or practical situations.
• Business Management - Knowledge Generation:
• Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need. • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches. • Knowledge of relevant concepts, conceptual models, and theories that can be useful in addressing new situations.
• Business Management - Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
• Business Management - Working with Evidence and Data: Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.
• Business Management - Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Business Direction & Strategy - Futures and Foresight: • Ability to look at information from the past and present, identify patterns and trends and use them to inform decision making with a long-term view. • Being sensitive and able to scan horizons and pick up weak signals of change, explore their potential implications and assess their impact and urgency. • Using creativity and imagination to communicate insights in compelling and engaging ways to challenge current mental models; ability to develop scenarios, speculative designs to present future visions or by making it experiential.
• Partnership Management - Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required, or
• A university degree (Bachelor’s Degree) in Economics, Public Policy, International Development, Social Science, Sustainable Development, or related disciplines will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
• A Master’s or Ph.D. degree is preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) or 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible policy research and analysis experience at the national or international level is required.
• Proficiency in using computer software packages (MS Word, Publisher, Excel, etc.).
• Experience in conducting policy research, analyzing socio-economic and environmental data, and producing evidence-based reports and recommendations is desired.
• Experience in using statistical software (e.g., STATA, SPSS, R) for data analysis and supporting evidence-based decision-making is an asset.
• Experience in supporting projects related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Knowledge of UNDP’s development work in China are highly desirable.

Languages:

Fluency in both English and Mandarin Chinese is required.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.