Desk Based Research and Analysis for UNDP

Host entity: UNDP Youth Empowerment Portfolio in Asia and the Pacific (YEP-AP)

Application deadline: 08/10/2026

Mission and objectives

UNDP works across Asia and the Pacific to expand opportunities for young people, strengthen their economic empowerment, and support pathways to productive and decent work. In alignment with UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and its focus on “prosperity for all,” UNDP supports efforts to advance youth livelihoods, employability, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic participation.

Creating sufficient and quality employment opportunities for young people is a major challenge in the region. Technological change, climate change, demographic pressures, informality, and persistent inequalities are reshaping labour markets and the pathways through which young people enter and participate in the economy. Investing in young people’s potential and expanding opportunities is therefore critical to reducing inequalities, strengthening resilience, and accelerating progress towards the SDGs.

Assignment context

Asia and the Pacific has a large and diverse youth population, but young people continue to face significant barriers to accessing decent work and sustainable livelihoods. Globally, around 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter the workforce over the next decade, while only around 400 million jobs are projected to be created, highlighting the scale and urgency of the challenge.

At the same time, the region presents significant opportunities to advance more inclusive and productive employment. UNDP supports these efforts through partnerships and innovation ecosystems such as Youth Co:Lab and Skill Our Future, as well as country-level collaborations, including initiatives supporting informal workers. Against this backdrop, research and evidence can help identify and document relevant policies, programmes, partnerships, and approaches to youth employment and economic empowerment.

Task description

The Online Volunteer will support UNDP’s youth employment and economic empowerment agenda in Asia and the Pacific through targeted research, data collection, and analysis.

Under the supervision of the Programme Specialist, Civil Society and Youth, the Online Volunteers will support the development of a research repository and analytical overview of the youth employment and economic empowerment landscape across the region. Specific tasks include:
- Conduct desk-based research on relevant reference materials, case studies, practitioners, organizations, trainings, and events (approx. 50-70 relevant resources) in Asia and the Pacific.
- Collect, clean, and organize information using the provided guidance and Excel template, including categorizing, tagging, interpreting, and contextualizing findings.
- Analyse the information gathered to identify key trends, gaps, relevant actors, and potential entry points for UNDP engagement at the country and regional levels.
- Prepare a concise 2–3-page summary report, including relevant visualizations, to present key findings and insights.

Skills and experience

Required skills and experience:
- Background or demonstrated interest in youth employment, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, international development, or a related field.
- Familiarity with the Asia-Pacific region and the ability to work across diverse country contexts and varying levels of information availability.
- Strong desk research skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to identify relevant sources, interpret and synthesize information into clear, concise summaries.
- Proficiency in organizing and managing data using Excel, Google Sheets, or similar tools.
- Ability to analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative information and identify connections across findings.
- Strong written communication skills in English.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and incorporate feedback.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.