Research Officer

UNDP's mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with Bangladesh ever since its birth and through its remarkable journey from a war-ravaged economy to a middle-income country. It remains a catalyst in Bangladesh’s journey from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. UNDP assists in building institutions and helps strengthen institutional capacities through people-centric, pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable policy making and development governance.

The Social Protection Policy Support (SPPS) Programme responds to a need to reconfigure the existing social protection system. The programme will provide technical assistance, bring global expertise and meet major investment requirements to enable the GoB to roll out a fully functional system in line with the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) and its Action Plan. It will draw on the NSSS, which provides a functional entry point for effecting changes in the wider social protection system via better governance and oversight of the system.

The first component of the Programme is the improvement of governance of social protection by helping to build coordination, governance and reporting functions. It will also strengthen research and analysis capacities in order to build a more effective evidence base for effective policy development. The second component of the programme is to strengthen Social Protection System, with the purpose of developing a modern social protection infrastructure capable of supporting a nationally integrated delivery system for reliable, transparent and developmental GoB social transfers and promote linkages to ensure effective coordination. The two SPPS components will function alongside a piloting delivery component that will enable testing and learning and inform social protection strategy and policy through field-based evidence.

The Government of Bangladesh, through the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability by investing in human resource development, with particular emphasis on the life-cycle approach to social protection.

To support this mission, the SPPS Programme is seeking a National UN Volunteer (NUNV) Research Officer who will play a vital role in advancing the programme research, coordination, and implementation activities. The NUNV Research Officer will be responsible for conducting data collection, organization, and analysis to support the SPPS research team and the Cabinet Division (CD) and General Economic Division (GED). The NUNV Research Officer will contribute to research for strengthening the governance of social protection by supporting evidence generation, field monitoring, inclusive research (particularly on persons with disabilities and gender dynamics), and the development of action plans and communication materials aligned with the NSSS priorities.

Under the direct supervision of National Project Manager, SPPS Programme, UNDP, the NUNV Research Officer will undertake the following tasks:

• Conduct research on social protection programmes, exploring innovative approaches to enhance governance within the social protection landscape in Bangladesh.

• Undertake fieldwork to gather stories and insights from local-level implementation of social protection programmes.

• Carry out frequent field visits to monitor social protection governance and identify inclusion and exclusion errors in the beneficiary selection process.

• Conduct in-depth analysis of national datasets such as HIES, BDHS, SVRS, MICS, LFS, and others to support evidence-based decision-making.

• Study the gender dynamics of social protection through both desk-based research and field studies.

• Lead research initiatives aligned with the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle, with a particular focus on disability-inclusive social protection.

• Support the preparation of category-specific action plans for persons with disabilities.

• Analyse local contexts and contribute to the development of localized action plans incorporating community-specific adaptations and innovations based on national priori-ties for SDG localization.

• Map formal and informal institutional settings at national, sub-national, and local levels, and engage key stakeholders to strengthen coordination in SDG localization.

• Support the activation of Upazila SDG Implementation and Coordination Committees (USICCs) through research and policy dialogue initiatives and their engagement in Voluntary Local Review (VLR) processes.

• Enhance understanding and application of the Core Diagnostic Instrument (CODI) in assessing social protection programmes.

• Assist in developing, packaging, and disseminating knowledge products such as policy briefs, op-eds, and one-pagers.

• Develop infographics to visualize social protection research findings and communication materials.

• Support the management of social media content related to the SPPS programme and its events.

• Prepare meeting minutes, running commentary, and support the preparation of project reports.

• Provide need-based administrative support including event preparation, logistical co-ordination, and communication with vendors and participants.

• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Project Manager.