UN Women Invites Applications for Entrepreneurship Consultant Role

UN Women has invited applications for the position of International Consultant – Gender-Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development, offering professionals the opportunity to strengthen women-led entrepreneurship across Asia and the Pacific. Applications will remain open until 29 July 2026, while the consultancy is scheduled to run from 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027, with the possibility of an extension.

The home-based consultancy is part of UN Women's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), within the Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) team. Reporting to the Regional Advisor for Women's Economic Empowerment, the selected consultant will work full-time, equivalent to 20 working days each month. Although the role is fully remote, it may require up to two official visits to Bangkok during the initial contract period.

The consultancy aligns with UN Women's Strategic Plan 2026–2029, which prioritises women's economic empowerment through inclusive entrepreneurship, gender-responsive financing and climate resilience. The consultant will help design and implement regional strategies that strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems for women-led and women-benefiting businesses while collaborating with governments, development agencies, investors and private-sector partners.

Key Highlights:

• Applications close on 29 July 2026
• Home-based consultancy runs from October 2026 to February 2027
• Role supports women-led businesses across Asia-Pacific

One of the consultant's primary responsibilities will be managing gender-inclusive entrepreneurship programmes across the Asia-Pacific region. The role also includes supporting the UN Women Care and Climate Entrepreneurship Accelerator, providing technical guidance to implementing partners and service providers, and ensuring entrepreneurship programmes incorporate gender-responsive approaches.

A key assignment will involve leading the development of UN Women's Gender-Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Strategy. This includes integrating gender-lens investing into regional initiatives, consulting with countries such as India, China and Indonesia, and supporting policy advocacy through regional organisations including ASEAN and SAARC.

The consultant will also work directly with women entrepreneurs by delivering capacity-building programmes, improving access to finance, supporting investment readiness and promoting the adoption of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Additionally, the role involves consolidating entrepreneurship training resources into the WE RISE Toolbox, creating a comprehensive knowledge resource for partners and practitioners across the region.

Beyond programme implementation, the consultant will contribute to communications, advocacy and resource mobilisation. Responsibilities include preparing policy briefs, producing knowledge products, developing donor presentations, organising stakeholder events and documenting success stories that showcase the impact of women-led enterprises.

To be eligible, applicants should hold a master's degree in economics, finance, business administration, public policy, international development, gender studies, law, governance or a related discipline. Candidates with a bachelor's degree and two additional years of relevant experience may also qualify. Applicants must have at least 5 years of professional experience in ASEAN, covering at least 2 areas such as women's economic empowerment, gender financing, entrepreneurship development, or climate technology. Fluency in English is mandatory, while proficiency in a Southeast Asian language will be considered an advantage.