Pacific Gender Research Coordinator

Host entity: UNFPA

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information, Public health, immunisation, Community development

Application deadline: 15/10/2026

Mission and objectives

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA promotes gender equality and empowering women, girls and young people to take control of their bodies and their futures. We work with partners in more than 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. Our goal is ending unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal death, and gender-based violence and harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030.

Assignment context

Globally, one in three women experiences physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, with rates being particularly high in the Asia-Pacific region. While significant progress has been made in conducting VAW prevalence surveys, gaps remain in data literacy, utilization, and integration across various data sources. Phase III aims to bridge these gaps by fostering a holistic approach to VAW data, ensuring that it is not only collected but also effectively analyzed, interpreted, and used to drive evidence-based decision-making.

To bridge these gaps, UNFPA APRO—in strategic partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)—is launching Phase III (2026–2029) of the kNOwVAWdata initiative. Building upon the strong foundations of ethical data collection established in Phases I and II, Phase III marks a critical pivot towards building comprehensive VAW data ecosystems and driving robust data utilization for tangible policy and programming impact across the region.

The Phase III will have a number of dedicated activities for the Pacific sub-region, based on the long history of engagement with kNOwVAwdata and the past and present work on GBV administrative data, prevalence surveys and qualitative research, sponsored by DFAT and UNFPA. Delivered across four main pillars—Strengthening Capacity and Networks, Building Integrated Data Systems, Advancing Measurement, and Strategic Partnerships—the initiative ensures safe, ethical, and high-quality data informs VAW prevention and response efforts.

In addition, UNFPA Pacific engages in advising and training on related public health, Gender and GBV research areas, including with national and regional university partners and other UN agencies. In this context, the Pacific Gender Research Coordinator will play a vital role within the PSRO Gender and Human Rights section, leading efforts in coordination of VAW data and Gender and GBV research initiatives in the Pacific region, supporting regional knowledge management, donor reporting, inter-agency research coordination and facilitating intersections with other areas of UNFPA PSRO’s research and engagement with academic and public health evidence generation.

Task description

Under the day-to-day programmatic oversight of the PSRO Gender and Human Rights Advisor, the Pacific Gender Research Coordinator will coordinate and support the implementation of UNFPA’s Violence Against Women and Girls and other related Gender research in the Pacific. The Specialist will be responsible for the following key result areas:
• Programmatic Coordination: Provide day to day coordination between UNFPA PSRO offices at regional and sub-national level and the kNOwVAWdata implementation through the UNFPA Asia-Pacific Regional Office to ensure timely and effective programme delivery and support for UNFPA PSRO VAWG research initiatives.
• Operational support: Lead operational and administrative management of research projects on VAWG data.
• Implementing Partner support: Provide technical and programmatic support for UNFPA PSRO strategic and implementing partners for VAWG research across research design, data collection, analysis and use.
• Donor Reporting: Lead the drafting, compilation, and editorial review of high-quality narrative annual and progress reports for DFAT and other steering committees, and ensure full compliance with donor communication guidelines, in collaboration with UNFPA APRO.
• Impact Documentation: In collaboration with APRO kNOwVAWdata team, research, conduct stakeholder interviews, and write compelling impact stories, feature articles, and technical briefs that translate complex VAW prevalence data into human-centered narratives of change.
• Support Knowledge Exchange, Evidence Generation and Dissemination: Create tailored Pacific knowledge exchange opportunities for the 14 PICTs on VAWG data and other gender/GBV related research, in collaboration with the APRO kNOVAWdata team, including documenting and publishing lessons learned from Pacific VAWG research initiatives, implementation of national VAW prevalence surveys (dedicated or modular surveys), administrative data system changes, and qualitative research.
• Identify Talent and Create a Human Resource Plan for Pacific: This role would be actively engaged in compiling rosters of VAW data experts in and from the Pacific region, and supporting the planning, recruitment and onboarding for national staff and actors to lead coordination and support of data and research programmes and coordination in the Pacific.

By strategically managing knowledge networks and amplifying the utilization of evidence, the Pacific Gender Research Coordinator will contribute to a deeper understanding in the Pacific of how data drives change, further strengthening partnerships and mobilizing continued support to:
• Strengthen national capacity for the ethical production, translation, and policy-relevant use of violence against women data;
• Promote comprehensive VAW data ecosystems that break down silos and integrate the use of population surveys with administrative and qualitative data sources;
• Enhance data literacy among regional policymakers, advocates, and practitioners to bridge the gap between data dissemination, uptake and actionable programming;
• Advance innovative and inclusive measurement methodologies to safely capture emerging forms of violence, including technology-facilitated GBV, and address critical data gaps regarding disability inclusion, older women, and the intersection of GBV and climate change; and
• Institutionalize national capacity gains and promote domestic financing to ensure the long-term sustainability of safe and ethical VAW data ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific region.

Skills and experience

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in programme support and coordination, knowledge management, research, international development, donor reporting, strategic communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting research, analysis and information gathering in development or humanitarian contexts.
• Experience in preparing high-quality progress, narrative and results reports, preferably for UN agencies, development partners or international/bilateral donors. Experience with Australian DFAT reporting requirements is an asset.
• Experience working with UN agencies or international development organizations, particularly in areas related to gender equality, gender-based violence, public health, population/demographic statistics or development programming in the Pacific, is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with strong editorial and communication skills and the ability to translate complex technical, statistical or research findings into clear and accessible content for non-technical audiences.
• Experience with web content management systems and basic design/visual communication tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite is desirable.
• Strong computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace, email and internet applications; familiarity with databases and information management systems is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with government officials, researchers, development partners, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in multicultural and diverse environments.
• Strong planning, organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, competing priorities and tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, diplomacy and tact, with the ability to handle sensitive information confidentially and exercise sound judgement.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to UN values, including integrity, respect for diversity, gender equality, accountability and ethical conduct.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, prepare clear reports and presentations, facilitate knowledge sharing, and transfer information to different target audiences.
• Flexible and adaptable, with willingness and ability to travel within the area of operations and work effectively in challenging or remote environments as required.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

The duty station will be Suva, Fiji. Fiji is a Family Duty Station. Fiji, the most populous country among the 14 Pacific island countries and territories that UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office serves, has a relatively high level of human development and is one of the most developed economics in the region. After nearly a century as British colony, Fiji became independent in 1970 and joined the United Nations the same year.

Fiji is composed of approximately 330 islands, a third of which are inhabited. Fiji covers about 1.3 million square kilometers of the South Pacific Ocean. UNFPA Pacific SRO, along with the majority of the other UN agencies’ multi-country offices, is based in the country’s capital city, Suva, located on the Southeastern side of the main island of Viti Levu. The other major island is Vanua Levu in the north.
The country’s economy rests primarily on sugar production and tourism, but is becoming more diverse, with manufacturing now an important sector of employment; however, the economy recently suffered a downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The unit of currency is Fiji Dollar (1 USD = 2.22 FJD approximately).

The population totals approximately 900,000, which is growing slowly due to a moderately low level of fertility and a high level of emigration. The population is made up of a mixture of native Melanesian and Polynesian islanders, and a blend of Indian, European, Chinese, Rotuman and Rabi islanders making it a rich and vibrant mix of cultures, sights, sounds and exotic island delicacies. English is spoken widely on the island, and it is the common language of communication although the native indigenous Fijian language is spoken by many, as is the Hindi language.

Fiji enjoys a mild and stable climate most of the year, due to the large expanses of open water that surround its islands. The wet season with occasional tropical cyclones, extends from November and April, but rain falls throughout the year, especially in Suva. Fiji enjoys tropical temperatures of between 25-29 degrees Celsius year-round, with generally high humidity.

Suva, the capital of Fiji, and the largest city in the whole of the region, has a population of around 100,000, and it is a multiracial and multicultural city. Suva has an airport, but the major international airport of Fiji is in Nadi, 30 minutes away from Suva by air, and 3.5 – 5 hours by road. Suva has reasonably modern facilities, including a couple of large hospitals, sporting facilities, restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls and cinema. Modest accommodations are available in Suva (even a high-end one such as the Grand Pacific Hotel) but the availability of small apartments is rather limited. Local busses run every day of the week, and taxis are affordable.

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