Gender Officer – HQ Amman

TERMS OF REFERENCE

UNRWA is the largest United Nations programme in the Middle East. It provides assistance and protection to Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). It does so by offering to a population of some 5 million registered refugees a range of human development and humanitarian services in primary and vocational education, primary health care, social safety net, community support, camp improvement, and microfinance. UNRWA’s role also encompasses advocacy and actions to address the human rights and protection needs of Palestine refugees.

Gender Officer – HQ Amman

BACKGROUND

As part of its wider organisation development process UNRWA adopted in 2007 a Gender Equality Policy. The policy is based on a twin track strategy associating gender mainstreaming to empowering interventions to reduce the existing gender gaps.

UNRWA with its continuous efforts to better serve the Palestine refugees is developing in the five above-mentioned fields of operation multi-sectoral interventions to respond to gender based violence. These interventions include building referral systems for victims of violence. The latter will increase victims’ access to services and will provide a better knowledge of the prevalence and impact of gender based violence through a follow up system. The context of each of UNRWA fields of operation is generating a range of interventions that allows cross fields learning and the development of best practices

Based in the Programme Coordination and Support Unit (PCSU) the Gender Adviser coordinates the gender focal point system and works towards the implementation of UNRWA Gender Mainstreaming Strategy through 4 levers: developing a structure for change, building capacities, making use of outreach and communication tools and programming on the basis of gender analysis. .

The Gender Officer will work with UNRWA Gender Adviser to provide direct, competency-based thematic support to the implementation of the gender action plans and particularly to the development of the referral systems and the multi-sectoral approach to end gender based violence.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the adjustment of the Gender Action Plans to include the multi-sectoral approach to UNRWA intervention to end gender based violence; • Support the fields in implementing the referral systems in its 4 steps; • Develop with the fields a monitoring framework for the referral systems being implemented; • Compile progress reports on the implementation of the referral system and on gender mainstreaming efforts in the agency; • Work with the Gender Adviser and the Gender Focal Points on documenting the lessons learned from the different interventions and on developing best practices and knowledge management capacity.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE • Advanced university degree in a development related area (economics, public policy, development management, international relations, etc.); • Three years’ experience in project management preferably in the areas of gender equality and or gender based violence; • Skills and advanced knowledge in project management and related tools for realization of effective and efficient project management practice; • Knowledge of participatory approaches; • Excellent writing skills including experience in drafting reports and presentations; • Perfect spoken and written Arabic and English; • Understanding of gender relations in the Middle Eastern setting.

SUPERVISION AND REPORTING The Gender Officer will report to the Gender Adviser for the duration of the assignment.

REMUNERATION • Remuneration for this consultancy will be based on the current UNRWA salary scale and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the candidate. • This is project funded position for 11 months. Extension will depend upon availability of funds.

APPLICATION PROCESS Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personnel History Form, via unrwa-ahr@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of vacancy “Gender Officer” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 13 November 2011.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Due to a large amount of applications, only qualified applicants under serious consideration will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

How to apply:

APPLICATION PROCESS Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV or UN Personnel History Form, via unrwa-ahr@unrwa.org clearly indicating the title of vacancy “Gender Officer” in the subject line of the message. The deadline for the submission of applications is 13 November 2011.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Due to a large amount of applications, only qualified applicants under serious consideration will be contacted. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.