UN WOMEN: DIRECTOR, REGIONAL CENTER

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member State’s priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. At the country level, where UN Women does not have a presence, the Regional Center (RC) will provide integrated policy and technical support to United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) so as to ensure a stronger, more coordinated response to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment at the national level. At the Regional level, within the UN’s regional coordination mechanisms and regional interagency mechanisms, the Regional Centre will provide technical advice and leadership to ensure gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the UN System’s response to Member State needs and priorities. The Regional Centre will provide support to UN Women’s country and sub-regional presences in supporting UN Coordination and accountability processes in support of gender equality and women’s empowerment. It will provide integrated policy and technical support to United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) so as to ensure a stronger, more coordinated response to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment at the national level. At the Regional level, within the UN’s regional coordination mechanisms and regional interagency mechanisms, the Regional Centre will provide technical advice and leadership to ensure gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the UN System’s response to Member State needs and priorities. The Regional Centre will provide support to UN Women’s country and sub-regional presences in supporting UN Coordination and accountability processes in support of gender equality and women’s empowerment. The Director, Regional Center, reports to the Chief of the Asia-Pacific Section with overall corporate strategic direction provided by the Director of Programme Division. The Director and the Regional Center Team will work closely with UN Women Sub-Regional Programme Directors and Country Representatives. In addition, under the UN Women’s first Strategic Plan (2011-2013), the Director, Regional Center leads UN Women’s sub-regional portfolio for East and Southeast Asia covering 8 programme countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In this capacity, the Regional Director, is responsible for leading and managing the sub-regional portfolio, and management of UN Women country Representatives in the East and Southeast Asia. The Regional Director is responsible for the overall strategic development of the portfolio and oversight of programme implementation in the sub region, to ensure delivery of results as planned in UN Women’s Strategic Plan, regional strategies and accountability framework. As part of UN Women’s corporate commitment towards strengthened decentralization, the Regional Director will ensure that UN Women’s country offices in the sub-region have effective oversight and accountability mechanisms in place.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key Regional functions: Inter-Agency Coordination and Program Management Support: Within the UNDG Asia-Pacific (UN Director, Regional Center’s Team) and other regional coordination mechanisms, lead the integration of gender perspective in UNDAF processes and other development assistance and humanitarian assistance frameworks, promote UN Women collaboration with UN system partners and ensure coordination, coherence and accountability in the UN system’s work on gender equality and empowerment of women. Support relevant aspects of the UN Reform in the region. In countries where UN Women does not have representation, provide quality assurance, technical support and advice to the RC System and UNCTs, including in their application of UNCT Performance Indicators and other efforts to strengthen overall coherence and performance of the UN Country Team on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Under the ESCAP-led Regional Coordination Mechanism, co-chair and guide the Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in order to promote UN system accountability on gender through the implementation of agreed mechanisms. Managerial Leadership: Establish the Regional Centre’s annual work plans – in close consultation with UN Women offices in the region and with the Director Regional Center’s teams and set objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Geographic Section. Is responsible for the preparation and submission of semi-annual progress reports and yearly assessment report to the Chief of the Asia- Pacific Section. Build and manage a coordinated and effective team of consultants, professionals and managers through results-oriented work planning, guidance, direction, supervision and performance assessment. Promote a work environment in the Centre that is conductive to producing the outputs and delivering the services in the results framework. Set performance plan and evaluation standards. Regularly conduct performance assessments, provide feedback on performance according to work plans and provide ongoing guidance to support optimum performance and accountability according to UN Women standards of integrity, ethics and accountability framework. Submit budget proposal for financial, human and other required resources to ensure that the Regional Center operates efficiently. Decide on the optimum and appropriate allocation and management of resources to ensure effective and timely regional programming and operational support. Technical and Advisory Support: Manage the team of the Regional Centre for provision of policy and technical advisory support, including the identification of technical expertise within and outside the United Nations. Plan and deliver technical and advisory support to UN Women offices in the region to strengthen their capacity to offer coordination support for inter-agency initiatives. Create and maintain a roster of highly-qualified experts on gender equality and women’s empowerment who can be deployed on short notice to enhance the technical expertise on gender equality available to UNCTs. Ensure Programme and policy coherence in the implementation of regional initiatives including determination of quality benchmarks. Lead the development and implementation of regional communication, information and advocacy strategies to ensure harmonization with UN Women global initiatives, standards and messages. Oversee the implementation of the Asia-Pacific regional chapter of the Secretary General campaign to end violence against women. Lead the creation and development of the regional knowledge center. Oversee the design and dissemination of knowledge products and regional advocacy materials. Promote knowledge sharing through networks and communities of practice. Provide up-to-date information, data and statistics on the status of women in the region, working in close collaboration with UN regional commissions and other relevant partners, and submit evidence-based information to support planning, communication and advocacy initiatives. Representation, networking and advocacy: Represent UN Women in interagency and intergovernmental forums and other key meetings and events, as designated/appropriate to speak on regional programming issues, participate in program policy dialogue, discuss initiatives, report on progress achieved in the region and/or present papers/ideas to influence setting of agenda and/or advocate UN Women competencies and mandate, in coordination with the Asia-Pacific Geographic Section. Maintain active relationships/partnerships with Member States, UN system and agency partners, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, regional commissions, institutes and academia on women’s issues to enhance collaboration, resource mobilization and/or share ideas to influence agenda and priority setting. Summary of key Sub-Regional functions: Strategic program development and planning: Monitor and evaluate the political and economic situation and trends in the region and keep UN Women senior management appraised of key developments and provide advice on gender issues in the region as may be required. Establish effective dialogue with the governments, national organizations and a wide range of stakeholders (civil society, private sector and development partners) in the region. Provide direction on the strategic development and preparation of the UN Women portfolio in East and Southeast Asia, ensuring alignment with national priorities and international commitments, on gender equality and women’s empowerment, UN Women’s mandate, goals and accountability framework and UNDAFs. Oversight of UN Women country Representatives and programme/project managers in identifying opportunities and challenges and the overall strategic direction of the UN Women programme portfolio in country. Articulate, and establish systems to support staff in country in communicating a strategic vision for UN-Women in the sub-region/country that is consistent with UN-Women Strategic Plan and supportive of national development goals and priorities. Within the East and Southeast Asia portfolio, determine the allocation of resources in consultation with the government, international development partners and other constituents. Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with wide ranging constituencies, NGOs, donors and the UN system agencies/partners as well as multi lateral and bilateral donors and development institutions through policy dialogue, advocacy and effective, efficient and high quality program delivery. Sub-regional managerial leadership and direction: Provide strategic guidance and oversee the overall management of the UN-Women East and Southeast Asia portfolio including human resources and financial management, procurement and operations in support of programs and projects to ensure adherence to policies and procedures and UN Women’s overall accountability framework. Provide strategic direction and guide UN Women country Representatives in establishing overall management and accountability mechanisms in country offices, including human resources and financial management, procurement and operations in support of programmes and projects to ensure adherence to policies and procedures and UN Women’s overall accountability framework. Establish, in collaboration and discussion with the UN Women Team, the Sub-Regional Annual Work plans and set objectives, performance measurements, standards and expected results in accordance with UN-Women results based management and reporting guidelines. At the sub-regional level, guide the preparation of and approve budget proposal for financial, human and other required resources to ensure the office operates efficiently. Supervise and assess work in progress of the sub-regional Team and UN Women country Representatives to ensure delivery of results according to performance standards. Provide intellectual leadership and technical guidance and timely take decisions to meet objectives. Promote teamwork to ensure staff members are provided sufficient information, guidance and support to perform and deliver results according to the organizational, standards of efficiency, accountability and integrity. In cooperation with the Chief of the Asia and the Pacific Section, oversee the process of aligning the function and form of sub-regional oversight and support in the sub-region with broader corporate commitments towards strengthening UN Women’s support to Member States at the national level. External relations, communications and resource mobilization: Maintain active relationship/partnership with Member States, UN system and agency partners, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, regional commissions, institutes and academia on women’s issues to enhance collaboration, resource mobilization and/or share ideas to influence agenda and priority setting. Establish and maintain effective consultations with governments, partners, stakeholders and donors to achieve active collaboration, cooperation and alliances on program development and implementation, resource mobilization and sustained partnerships to promote accelerate progress on gender equality and women’s rights. Conceptualize and oversee the implementation of a comprehensive advocacy and communication strategies to increase visibility for gender equality and women’s human rights in key national and sub-regional venues and media. Knowledge management and capacity building: Manage the process at the sub-regional level of collecting and sharing lessons learned on gender equality and women’s empowerment to build knowledge and capacity of partners and stakeholders. Identify lessons learned and areas of emphasis to guide program improvements and future strategic development plan. Lead and oversee the design and implementation of capacity building training activities to enhance skills and knowledge in Results Based Management and Results based budgeting. Contribute to the development and maintenance of global and regional program knowledge networks and practices, and development of knowledge products.

Competencies

Core values and Guiding Principles: Integrity: Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct. Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing diversity: Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity. Core Competencies: Ethics and Values: Promoting Ethics and Integrity / Creating Organizational Precedents; Promoting Ethics and Integrity / Creating Organizational Precedents. Organizational Awareness: Building support and political acumen; Building support and political acumen. Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring: Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation; Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation. Working in Teams: Building and promoting effective teams. Communicating Information and Ideas: Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication. Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication. Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Creating an emotionally intelligent organization. Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements: Leveraging conflict in the interests of the organization & setting standards; Leveraging conflict in the interests of the organization & setting standards. Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning: Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning; Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Fair and transparent decision-making; calculated risk-taking. Fair and transparent decision-making; calculated risk-taking. Functional Competencies: Ability to develop a vision, concepts and strategies for aid development planning and management. Excellent theoretical, intellectual and technical skills in aid development particularly those that are pertinent to UN Women strategic priorities on gender issues and women’s rights. Demonstrates political savvy and intellectual capacity in representing the organization effectively at high level in national and international fora to advocate and to promote organizational priorities, initiatives and a better understanding of the organizational strategic agenda and to build consensus. Ability to establish and maintain broad strategic networks and partnerships with UN agencies and other international partners to promote partnership and build alliances to advance organizational interests and competencies. Effective leadership in fund raising strategies and activities and proactive engagement with the multilateral and bilateral donor community to ensure a stable resource base. Ability to go beyond established procedures and models and to introduce new approaches and strategic innovations. Solid understanding of best management practices; aligns management policies and practices to support achievement of organizational goals. Exercises leadership in strengthening accountability and results-based management in supporting organizational priorities, policy and decision-making processes.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in development related disciplines, economics or public policy or other social science fields. Experience: Over 15 years of extensive development experience that combines intellectual, strategic and managerial leadership in aid development cooperation at the international level, preferably in developing countries within the UN system, Agencies, Funds or Programs or UN Mission. Language Requirements: Written and oral proficiency in English is required. Application: All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment. Note: In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.