United Nations Youth Affairs Contractor 2026: Programme Management Role in New York Supporting AI, Innovation and the First UN Youth Townhall

in Youth Affairs to support the planning and delivery of the inaugural UN Youth Townhall and advance meaningful youth participation in discussions concerning technology, artificial intelligence, innovation and digital cooperation.

The individual contractor will be based in New York, United States, and will work with the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section of the United Nations Youth Office. The assignment is expected to run from September through December 2026, concluding on 31 December 2026.

This is a short-term individual-contractor assignment rather than a regular UN staff appointment. The selected professional will provide programme management, research, coordination, monitoring and policy support during a period of parental leave within the Section.

The official application deadline is 25 August 2026 at 11:59 p.m. New York time, corresponding to 26 August 2026 at 03:59 UTC. Interested candidates should apply immediately through the official UN Careers vacancy page.

UN Youth Affairs Contractor Position at a Glance

Item	Details
Position	Programme Management Contractor, Youth Affairs
Organization	United Nations
Office	United Nations Youth Office
Section	Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section
Job opening ID	283077
Job family	Programme Management
Contract type	Individual Contractor
Vacancy category	Affiliate Personnel – Consultants/Individual Contractors
Job level	CON
Work location	New York, United States
Expected duration	September–December 2026
Expected end date	31 December 2026
Date posted	17 August 2026
Application deadline	25 August 2026
Minimum education	Master’s degree or equivalent
Education alternative	Bachelor’s degree plus two additional years of qualifying experience
Minimum experience	Two years of progressively responsible relevant experience
Required language	Fluency in written and spoken English
Other languages	Proficiency in another UN language is desirable
Application platform	UN Inspira
Application fee	None

About the United Nations Youth Office

The United Nations Youth Office was established through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 76/306 as a dedicated entity for youth affairs within the UN Secretariat.

Its mandate includes:

• Leading system-wide coordination on youth;
• Strengthening advocacy on youth issues;
• Improving policy coherence concerning young people across the United Nations system;
• Promoting meaningful youth engagement in UN processes;
• Expanding the participation of young people in decision-making;
• Connecting youth priorities with multilateral policy processes; and
• Supporting coordinated action on issues affecting present and future generations.

The Office’s work is intended to ensure that young people are treated as active partners in policymaking rather than only as beneficiaries of decisions made by institutions.

Within the UN Youth Office, the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section develops strategic initiatives and partnerships that strengthen youth participation across multilateral processes. The Section also promotes collaboration among governments, UN entities, youth-led organizations, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders.

The position is particularly connected to the Office’s growing work at the intersection of:

• Youth participation;
• Technology policy;
• Digital cooperation;
• Artificial intelligence;
• Innovation;
• Emerging technologies;
• Future-ready skills; and
• Multilateral decision-making.

More information about the Office’s mandate is available through the official United Nations Youth Office website.

Purpose of the Assignment

The selected individual contractor will provide temporary programme management and substantive support to the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section during a period of parental leave.

The assignment will continue through 31 December 2026 and concentrate on two primary workstreams:

1. Planning and coordinating the inaugural UN Youth Townhall; and
2. Strengthening meaningful youth engagement in technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and digital-cooperation policy processes.

The contractor will work under the supervision of the Chief of the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section and collaborate closely with colleagues throughout the UN Youth Office and the wider United Nations system.

Expected Result of Service

Successful completion of the assignment is expected to contribute to:

• Effective planning and implementation of the inaugural UN Youth Townhall;
• Improved coordination among UN entities and external partners;
• Timely delivery of programme milestones;
• Stronger monitoring and measurement of Townhall participation and impact;
• Better documentation of stakeholder commitments and follow-up actions;
• More coordinated youth engagement across the United Nations system;
• Expanded opportunities for young people to participate in technology and innovation policy processes;
• Stronger engagement between youth-led organizations and UN entities;
• Substantive contributions to policy discussions on artificial intelligence and digital cooperation; and
• Improved integration of youth priorities into multilateral decision-making.

The position therefore combines operational programme management with research, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement and event coordination.

About the Inaugural UN Youth Townhall

A major component of the assignment is the first UN Youth Townhall, scheduled to take place from 8 to 10 December 2026 in Heidelberg, Germany.

The Townhall is expected to bring together:

• Young people;
• Youth-led organizations;
• United Nations Member States;
• UN entities;
• Policy experts;
• Speakers;
• Civil-society representatives;
• Strategic partners; and
• Other stakeholders working on youth participation.

The event is intended to strengthen meaningful youth engagement throughout the UN system and advance more coordinated approaches to youth participation.

Although the contractor’s official work location is New York, the vacancy states that programme support may be required before, during and after the Townhall, including on-site support where necessary. The announcement does not specify travel arrangements or whether expenses connected with Heidelberg will be separately covered.

Information about the event is available through the official UN Youth Townhall page.

Main Area One: UN Youth Townhall Programme Management

The contractor will support the day-to-day planning and implementation of the inaugural UN Youth Townhall.

Project planning

The selected candidate will develop and maintain tools needed to keep the initiative on schedule. These may include:

• Project plans;
• Detailed implementation schedules;
• Milestone trackers;
• Responsibility matrices;
• Coordination calendars;
• Risk registers;
• Meeting schedules;
• Action logs;
• Progress dashboards; and
• Other programme-management tools.

The contractor must monitor deadlines and ensure that responsible teams and partners remain aware of required actions.

Coordination across workstreams

The Townhall will involve several internal and external workstreams. The contractor will coordinate implementation among:

• UN Youth Office colleagues;
• Other United Nations entities;
• Individual contractors;
• External partners;
• Member State representatives;
• Youth organizations;
• Speakers; and
• Strategic collaborators.

This requires an ability to manage overlapping responsibilities, follow up on decisions and maintain clear documentation.

Monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement

The contractor will develop practical monitoring, evaluation and impact frameworks for the Townhall.

These frameworks should help assess:

• Participation;
• Representation;
• Stakeholder engagement;
• Programme outputs;
• Commitments made during the event;
• Quality of youth participation;
• Immediate outcomes;
• Follow-up actions; and
• Longer-term learning from the Townhall.

Applicants with monitoring and evaluation experience should explain how they have designed indicators, results frameworks, tracking tools or event-assessment mechanisms.

Preparation of programme documents

The contractor will coordinate the preparation of important event and programme materials, including:

• Concept notes;
• Meeting agendas;
• Briefing notes;
• Talking points;
• Background documents;
• Meeting summaries;
• Speaker information;
• Coordination updates;
• Progress reports; and
• Other programme documentation.

Strong drafting, editing and information-management skills will therefore be essential.

Stakeholder engagement

The contractor will support engagement with Member States, UN entities, youth organizations, speakers and strategic partners participating in the Townhall.

This may involve:

• Organizing coordination meetings;
• Preparing stakeholder correspondence;
• Recording decisions;
• Following up on agreed actions;
• Supporting participant engagement;
• Consolidating inputs;
• Maintaining contact lists; and
• Ensuring that relevant stakeholders receive timely information.

Follow-up and institutional learning

The contractor will monitor the implementation of agreed follow-up actions and maintain programme-management records throughout the planning and delivery process.

This responsibility is important because the Townhall is intended to support continuing youth engagement rather than function only as a one-time event.

Main Area Two: Technology, Innovation and Meaningful Youth Engagement

The second major workstream concerns the participation of young people in policy discussions on technology, innovation, artificial intelligence and digital cooperation.

Monitoring UN policy processes

The contractor will follow relevant UN intergovernmental and policy processes related to:

• Technology;
• Digital governance;
• Artificial intelligence;
• Innovation;
• Emerging technologies;
• Digital transformation;
• Future-ready skills; and
• Global digital cooperation.

The contractor must identify practical opportunities for young people to participate meaningfully in these processes.

Supporting youth participation

The role involves moving beyond symbolic consultation and creating opportunities for young people to contribute to policy discussions and decision-making.

This may include:

• Engaging youth-led organizations;
• Consulting young technology experts;
• Connecting young people with UN policy processes;
• Supporting youth participation in meetings or consultations;
• Consolidating youth perspectives;
• Preparing substantive inputs based on youth priorities; and
• Linking outreach initiatives with concrete participation opportunities.

Partner and institutional coordination

Under the leadership of the Chief of the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Section, the contractor will serve as a focal point for engagement with relevant partners and entities.

The vacancy specifically identifies:

• The International Telecommunication Union;
• The Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies;
• Global Digital Compact implementation processes;
• The UN Innovation Network;
• The UN 2.0 initiative; and
• Other stakeholders working on technology, innovation and digital cooperation.

The contractor must be capable of maintaining professional relationships across multiple institutions and translating discussions into clear actions, materials and follow-up.

Policy research and analysis

The contractor will prepare substantive inputs, policy analysis and briefing materials related to:

• Artificial intelligence;
• Technology policy;
• Emerging technologies;
• Digital cooperation;
• Innovation;
• Youth policy; and
• Future-ready skills.

Applicants should be able to analyse complex information and explain it clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Coordination with communications colleagues

The contractor will work with communications personnel to connect public outreach and advocacy on artificial intelligence and future-ready skills with actual opportunities for youth participation.

This could involve aligning:

• Communications campaigns;
• Policy events;
• Youth consultations;
• Partner engagement;
• Digital content;
• Advocacy messages; and
• Participation pathways.

Main Area Three: Programme and Substantive Support

In addition to the two principal workstreams, the contractor will support the Section’s broader priorities.

Responsibilities include:

• Conducting research on assigned issues;
• Preparing analytical inputs;
• Drafting briefing notes;
• Producing written materials;
• Supporting coordination among UN entities;
• Liaising with external partners;
• Contributing to internal planning;
• Supporting reporting processes;
• Maintaining programme documentation;
• Assisting with priority initiatives; and
• Performing other related duties assigned by the supervisor.

Education Requirements

Applicants must hold an advanced university degree, normally a Master’s degree or equivalent, in one of the following areas:

• International relations;
• Public policy;
• Political science;
• Public administration;
• Development studies;
• Innovation;
• Technology policy; or
• Another closely related field.

The degree should provide a credible academic foundation for programme management, policy analysis, international cooperation, youth affairs or technology-governance work.

Alternative education pathway

A first-level university degree, normally a Bachelor’s degree, may be accepted instead of a Master’s degree when combined with two additional years of qualifying professional experience.

Since the vacancy separately requires at least two years of relevant experience, applicants relying on the Bachelor’s-degree alternative should generally be prepared to demonstrate approximately four years of qualifying experience.

The final determination of education equivalency and qualifying experience rests with the United Nations.

Required Professional Experience

Applicants must have at least two years of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Programme management;
• Policy;
• International development; or
• A related professional field.

“Progressively responsible” generally means that the applicant’s duties, independence, complexity or accountability increased over time.

Candidates should provide specific examples of:

• Managing projects or programmes;
• Coordinating implementation timelines;
• Working with multiple partners;
• Preparing analytical documents;
• Tracking project results;
• Supporting policy processes;
• Organizing international initiatives; or
• Managing institutional relationships.

Desirable Professional Experience

The following experience is desirable rather than mandatory:

Multilateral and intergovernmental processes

Experience supporting multilateral processes, stakeholder engagement or intergovernmental coordination is desirable.

Relevant examples could include work with:

• United Nations entities;
• International organizations;
• Government ministries;
• Diplomatic missions;
• Regional organizations;
• International conferences;
• Intergovernmental negotiations; or
• Multistakeholder policy platforms.

Complex initiatives and international events

Experience coordinating complex multistakeholder initiatives or international events is desirable.

Candidates should highlight experience involving:

• Multiple workstreams;
• International participants;
• Senior-level speakers;
• Government representatives;
• Event logistics;
• Programme design;
• Partner coordination;
• Briefing materials;
• Results tracking; or
• Post-event follow-up.

Youth, technology and digital policy

Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:

• Youth policy;
• Youth participation;
• Technology policy;
• Innovation;
• Artificial intelligence;
• Digital governance;
• Digital cooperation;
• Future-ready skills; or
• Emerging technologies.

Monitoring and evaluation

Experience developing monitoring, evaluation or results-tracking frameworks is also desirable.

This could include:

• Results frameworks;
• Logical frameworks;
• Indicators;
• Monitoring plans;
• Evaluation tools;
• Data-collection instruments;
• Outcome tracking;
• Event-impact assessment; or
• Reporting dashboards.

Language Requirements

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

For UN applications, fluency generally requires a high level of proficiency in:

• Reading;
• Writing;
• Speaking; and
• Understanding.

Applicants should accurately record their English proficiency in the Inspira application.

Proficiency in another United Nations language is desirable. The other official UN languages are:

• Arabic;
• Chinese;
• French;
• Russian; and
• Spanish.

Additional language ability should be included only where the applicant can accurately describe the level of proficiency.

Skills Likely to Be Important

Although the vacancy does not present a separate competency list, its responsibilities indicate that the following capabilities will be important:

• Programme and project management;
• Stakeholder coordination;
• Strategic planning;
• Policy research;
• Analytical writing;
• Briefing preparation;
• Monitoring and evaluation;
• Results tracking;
• Event coordination;
• Partnership management;
• Professional communication;
• Time management;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to work across institutions;
• Understanding of meaningful youth engagement;
• Knowledge of technology and digital-policy issues;
• Ability to manage competing deadlines; and
• Professional judgment in a multilateral environment.

Contract Conditions and Compensation

This vacancy is classified as an Individual Contractor opportunity under the UN category of Affiliate Personnel – Consultants/Individual Contractors.

It is not advertised as a regular United Nations staff position and does not carry a Professional staff grade such as P-2, P-3 or P-4.

The vacancy does not publish:

• The contract fee;
• Monthly or daily remuneration;
• Payment schedule;
• Health-insurance arrangements;
• Pension entitlement;
• Leave provisions;
• Relocation support;
• Visa sponsorship;
• Travel reimbursement;
• Accommodation support; or
• Remote-working arrangements.

Applicants should not assume that regular UN staff benefits apply to this contract. Any compensation, travel and administrative arrangements should be confirmed during the recruitment or contracting process.

Work Location and Possible Travel

The official work location is:

New York, United States

The assignment is therefore not advertised as home-based or remote.

Because the contractor will support the UN Youth Townhall in Heidelberg, Germany, including on-site support where required, travel may form part of the assignment. However, the vacancy does not state:

• Whether travel is mandatory;
• Who will cover travel expenses;
• Whether daily subsistence allowance will be provided;
• Whether the contractor must already hold permission to travel; or
• How many days of on-site support will be required.

Applicants should seek clarification if they progress in the recruitment process.

How to Apply Through UN Inspira

Applications must be submitted through Inspira, the United Nations’ online talent-management platform.

Step 1: Open the vacancy

Visit the official vacancy announcement and select “Apply Now.”

Step 2: Log in or create an Inspira account

External candidates require an Inspira account before submitting an application. New applicants must provide basic information such as their name, email address and date of birth.

Step 3: Complete the candidate profile

Applicants must complete the mandatory profile fields before an application can be submitted. Information may include:

• Personal details;
• Nationality and residence;
• Education;
• Employment history;
• Language proficiency;
• Training and certifications;
• Publications;
• Professional references; and
• Other relevant qualifications.

Step 4: Answer the job-requirement questions

The application may include screening questions based on the vacancy’s education, experience and language requirements.

Each answer should be supported by details elsewhere in the application. Simply selecting “yes” without providing corresponding evidence in the work-history or education sections may not be sufficient.

Step 5: Detail relevant work experience

For each position, applicants should explain:

• The employer or organization;
• The period of employment;
• The exact role;
• Principal responsibilities;
• Programme or project scope;
• Stakeholders involved;
• Results achieved;
• Supervisory responsibilities, where applicable; and
• Relevance to this UN assignment.

Step 6: Complete the motivation statement

The motivation statement should explain why the applicant is interested in the assignment and how their experience meets the UN Youth Office’s needs.

It should not merely repeat the CV. Instead, it should connect the candidate’s strongest experience with:

• Youth engagement;
• Programme management;
• International events;
• Stakeholder coordination;
• Technology policy;
• Digital cooperation;
• Monitoring and evaluation; and
• Multilateral work.

Step 7: Review and submit

Applicants should review every section carefully before selecting “Certify and Submit.”

The official UN applicant guidance states that submitted applications cannot be edited. An applicant may withdraw a submission but cannot submit another application to the same vacancy.

Detailed instructions are available through the official UN Careers application guide.

How to Make the Application Competitive

Quantify programme-management experience

Do not write only that you “supported programme management.” Explain:

• The size of the programme;
• Number and type of stakeholders;
• Geographic coverage;
• Budget or resources managed, where appropriate;
• Major deadlines;
• Tools developed;
• Challenges resolved; and
• Results achieved.

Demonstrate monitoring and evaluation ability

Provide examples of indicators, monitoring plans, evaluation tools, dashboards or results frameworks that you developed or used.

Show multistakeholder coordination

Describe experience coordinating governments, international organizations, youth groups, civil society, private-sector partners or technical experts.

Highlight strong writing skills

Identify concept notes, policy briefs, talking points, reports, agendas, meeting summaries or analytical papers that you have prepared.

Connect youth participation with policy influence

Strong applicants should distinguish meaningful youth participation from basic outreach. Explain how young people were enabled to contribute to programme design, policy dialogue or decision-making.

Address technology and digital cooperation

Candidates with experience in artificial intelligence, digital policy, innovation or emerging technologies should explain the policy relevance of their work, not only its technical aspects.

Tailor the motivation statement

The motivation statement should directly address the contractor’s two principal workstreams:

1. Delivering the UN Youth Townhall; and
2. Expanding meaningful youth engagement in technology and digital-policy processes.

Application Deadline

The UN Careers listing gives the closing date as:

25 August 2026

The underlying recruitment system closes the application at:

25 August 2026 at 11:59 p.m. New York time

This is equivalent to:

• 26 August 2026 at 03:59 UTC
• 26 August 2026 at 08:59 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time

Applications cannot be submitted after the closing time. Candidates should apply several hours early to avoid login, document-upload or internet problems.

Recruitment Fee and Fraud Warning

The United Nations does not charge any fee at any stage of recruitment, including:

• Application;
• Interview;
• Processing;
• Training; or
• Appointment-related communication.

The United Nations also does not request applicants’ bank-account information as part of the recruitment process.

Any person requesting payment in connection with this vacancy should be treated as potentially fraudulent.

Conclusion

The UN Youth Office Programme Management Contractor position offers a short-term opportunity to support a major international youth-engagement initiative while contributing to policy work on technology, artificial intelligence, innovation and digital cooperation.

The assignment is particularly suitable for professionals who combine programme-management experience with strong research, writing, stakeholder-coordination and monitoring skills. Experience in youth policy, international events, multilateral processes or technology governance would provide a significant advantage.

The selected contractor will work from New York from September through December 2026 and support the inaugural UN Youth Townhall scheduled for 8–10 December 2026 in Heidelberg, Germany.

Because the application deadline is 25 August 2026, qualified applicants should complete and submit their Inspira applications immediately.

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