LocationsJPO Story - Josephine Laursen
August 10, 2026
Mission to Da Nang, Viet Nam with the GEF Small Grants Programme on local action and resilience-building projects
What is your educational background? How has your education shaped your approach to development work?
My academic background is in History, with a particular focus on Global Environmental History.
The field explores the relationship between people and nature over time, taking a multidisciplinary perspective on climate change, societies, cultures, and the ways in which our environments both shape us and are shaped by us. It examines how different communities/cultures have understood, managed, and interacted with nature throughout history.
This has given me a deep appreciation of the interconnectedness between the past, present, and future, and of sustainability as something that cannot be understood through a single lens. It has shaped my approach to development by encouraging me to navigate complexity with a multidisciplinary, systems-oriented, and holistic perspective.
Perhaps most importantly, it has instilled in me a strong belief that lasting solutions begin with understanding local contexts, histories, knowledge systems, and priorities, rather than approaching development with pre-defined solutions. That perspective continues to guide my work today.
What inspired you to apply to the JPO programme and what is your motivation to work with UNDP?
What inspired me most was the opportunity to contribute to tangible impact on the ground through the multilateral system.
I have always been motivated by working alongside local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and those whose voices are too often underrepresented in decision-making. I am driven by the pursuit of durable, long-term solutions that address today's challenges while strengthening resilience for future generations – for peoples and for the planet. At its core, that motivation is about sustainability.
The JPO programme offered a unique opportunity to contribute to this work while learning from colleagues across countries, cultures, and disciplines. I also strongly resonate with the principles that underpin the United Nations: "We the Peoples" and the commitment to "leave no one behind." Those ideals continue to motivate me and shape the way I approach my work.
Josephine Laursen, Nature and Local Action Analyst UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub
What are the main activities/tasks you are working on? Can you walk us through a typical day in your role - whether in the office or out in the field?
My role as a JPO has evolved considerably over the course of my assignment.
During my first year with UNCDF's Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), I supported regional programme implementation across Eastern and Southern Africa. In my second year, my focus shifted to supporting the implementation of the LoCAL programme in Uganda. Now, in my third year, I am based at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, where I serve as the regional focal point for UNCCD COP17 while also supporting the GEF Small Grants Programme.
One of the things I enjoy most about the role is its diversity. There is no real "typical" day. My work is a combination of office-based analytical work, coordination with colleagues across regions and time zones, meetings with partners and stakeholders, and missions to countries that include both high-level consultations with government counterparts and engagement with local communities and project beneficiaries.
Since joining the Bangkok Regional Hub in December 2025, my work has naturally become more coordination-oriented, with a greater emphasis on regional collaboration and strategic planning. At the same time, field engagement remains an important part of my role. I have already participated in a regional programme coordination workshop in Istanbul and travelled to Viet Nam for meetings with national stakeholders, coordination with UNDP country office colleagues, and visits to project sites and local communities. In August, I will spend several weeks in Mongolia supporting preparations for and UNDP's engagement at UNCCD COP17.
What has remained constant throughout my JPO journey is the opportunity to connect global processes with national implementation and, ultimately, with the realities and priorities of people and communities on the ground. That balance is one of the aspects of the role I value most.
What has been the most challenging project you've undertaken during your time with UNDP, and what did you learn from the experience?
One of the most challenging parts of my JPO journey has been transitioning from a country-focused role to a regional position in my third JPO year.
The transition has required more than simply changing jobs – it has meant learning a different way of working and communicating. Regional work requires you to understand and bridge multiple perspectives: the realities and priorities of country offices, while also engaging with regional and headquarters processes, priorities, and ways of communicating. It is, in many ways, a different language.
This has been particularly evident in my work as the regional coordinator supporting UNDP's engagement at UNCCD COP17. It has challenged me to navigate complex coordination processes while ensuring that diverse country perspectives are reflected.
Through this experience, I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the importance of connecting these different levels of the organization. It has also reinforced what matters most to me professionally: regardless of whether I am working at the country, regional, or global level, I try to keep national contexts and the local level at the centre of my work. Ultimately, that is who we/I serve – whether directly or indirectly – and I believe our work is strongest when those realities continue to inform decisions at every level.
Meeting between UNCDF LoCAL and FAO in Kampala, Uganda to coordinate efforts in the Karamoja region and across the two UN organisations (May 2025)
What has been the most rewarding experience you have had at your duty station - whether professional or personal - that has shaped your journey as a JPO?
It is difficult to point to a single experience because my JPO journey has been shaped just as much by challenges as by successes.
Living and working in different countries has been incredibly rewarding in itself. Every duty station comes with a new context, culture, and way of working. That requires adaptation - not only professionally, but personally. Over time, I have learned the importance of resilience, finding ways to recharge, and maintaining both a positive outlook and a realistic perspective when navigating complex environments.
Professionally, some of the most rewarding moments have been those where collaboration has paid off despite the inherent complexity of working across different institutions, countries, and stakeholders. The UN system can be challenging to navigate, but it is also incredibly rewarding when you see collective efforts translate into meaningful progress.
One of the greatest highlights of the JPO programme has been the people. I have had the opportunity to build a network of inspiring colleagues and fellow JPOs across UNDP and the wider UN system. Those relationships have become an invaluable source of knowledge, encouragement, and perspective.
I have also come to appreciate how important good leadership and mentorship are. Throughout my assignment, I have experienced different management styles, each of which has taught me something. The supervisors who invested time in coaching, providing guidance, and creating space for learning had a particularly lasting impact on my professional development. At the same time, navigating periods with less direct support taught me to become more independent, proactive, and confident in my own judgement.
Looking back, I would describe the JPO experience as fundamentally character-building. It has strengthened not only my technical skills, but also my resilience, adaptability, and confidence - qualities that I know will stay with me throughout my career.
What set of skills have you developed most throughout your assignment?
Over the course of my JPO assignment, I have developed a broad set of professional and personal skills.
One of the biggest has been learning how to navigate the "UN world" - understanding its different levels, processes, and ways of communicating across country, regional, and headquarters contexts. Working across diverse teams has also strengthened my ability to collaborate across cultures and appreciate different perspectives.
The assignment has sharpened my analytical skills and taught me to navigate the complexity of sustainable development, connecting global priorities with national realities and local contexts.
On a personal level, the experience has strengthened my resilience, confidence, and adaptability. Above all, it has given me greater clarity about my purpose and who I ultimately serve through my work. I have also grown significantly in maturity, both professionally and personally.
Field mission with UNCDF LoCAL to Bulambuli, Uganda - we met Doreen (in the picture): one of the new harvest storage facility cooperative’s board members. A strong voice in her community, Doreen stood out for her leadership and clarity. (June 2025)
What piece of advice would you give to those who are considering applying to the JPO Programme?
My advice would be to first reflect on the type of career you want to build.
The JPO programme is an incredible opportunity if you are excited by working across different topics, contexts, and cultures, and if you enjoy connecting the dots between technical, political, and operational aspects of development. It is a great environment for developing as a broad development practitioner. If, instead, your ambition is to become a highly specialised technical expert in a very specific field from the outset, it is worth considering whether the JPO path is the best fit for your goals.
Most importantly, embrace the experience as a learning journey. You will undoubtedly learn about the UN and international development, but you will also learn a great deal about yourself - your values, your strengths, your resilience, and the kind of professional you want to become.
How has your JPO experience shaped your vision for your future within the UN or beyond?
This is probably the most difficult question to answer, because it comes at a time of considerable change across the UN system.
Like many young professionals, I look at the current environment with both optimism and realism. The multilateral system is evolving, organizations are restructuring, and career opportunities are becoming more uncertain. That naturally makes it difficult to predict exactly what comes next.
At the same time, my JPO experience has reinforced that this is meaningful work, and it has given me a much clearer understanding of where I can contribute most. It has also taught me that becoming an effective international civil servant takes time. The first years are not only about learning an organization - they are about learning how to navigate complexity, work across cultures, and understand the many levels at which the UN operates.
Whether my next step is within the UN system or beyond, I know the skills, perspectives, and values I have developed through the JPO programme will stay with me. While the current environment presents challenges, I remain grateful for the opportunities the programme has given me and hopeful that I can continue contributing to sustainable development, wherever that may be.
If you had to describe your JPO journey in one or two sentences, what would you say?
Perhaps the most unexpected lesson was patience. Growing up in a Scandinavian culture where pragmatism and efficiency are deeply ingrained, I have had to train my "patience muscle" - learning that meaningful collaboration, local ownership, and sustainable change cannot be rushed. Equally importantly, I have learned to be patient with myself, recognising that becoming a capable development practitioner - and an international civil servant - is a journey that takes time.
Introducing the LoCAL mechanism for locally-led climate change adaptation at the national workshop with 14 LoCAL districts in Kampala, Uganda. (April 2025)
We also love hearing about the lighter side of life in the field; do you have a funny anecdote or a unique tradition from your duty station that made you smile?
“Respecting our elders”
One of my favourite memories comes from celebrating Songkran at the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub.
Before the celebrations, our office social committee organised a short introduction to the traditions behind Songkran, including the beautiful custom of offering water and blessings to one's elders as a sign of respect and gratitude. To everyone's amusement, some of our most senior colleagues were invited to take on the role of the "elders" for the ceremony.
What made the moment so memorable wasn't just how much we laughed together - it was seeing colleagues from so many different countries wholeheartedly embrace a Thai tradition with such genuine respect and enthusiasm. It was a reminder of one of the greatest privileges of working in the UN: learning from each other's cultures, not just professionally, but personally.
Coming from Denmark, I remember thinking that while we have many wonderful traditions of our own, this particular moment probably would not have unfolded in quite the same way. It was uniquely international, deeply wholesome, and a beautiful example of the openness and curiosity that so many colleagues bring to working across cultures. It remains one of my favourite memories from my JPO journey.
My JPO journey has been an inspiring, horizon-expanding, and deeply character-building experience. It has challenged many of my assumptions, strengthened my resilience, and reinforced my belief that lasting development starts with understanding local realities before designing solutions. The journey has been both rewarding and frustrating at times, but that is exactly what has made it such a valuable learning experience - and, above all, a truly character-building one.Josephine Laursen
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