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UN WOMEN: PROGRAMME SPECIALIST

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women will work 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 centre of all its efforts, 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 States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
Under the guidance and overall supervision of UN Women’s Africa Section Chief, the Programme Specialist will provide the necessary support required to effectively manage current programme needs. The Programme Specialist analyzes political, social and economic trends and leads the formulation, management and evaluation of programme activities within his/her portfolio, providing policy advice services.

S/he works in close collaboration with the operations team, the programme staff in other UN Agencies, Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society, ensuring successful UN WOMEN programme implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Functions:

  • Analysis of ongoing trends in development
  • Design, formulation and implementation of programme strategies
  • Management of the Unit's programme activities and its operation
  • Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy
  • Provision of top quality policy advice services to the counterparts and facilitation of knowledge building and management


Under the supervision of the Section Chief, the Programme Specialist analyzes overall trends in development and in policy making, together with constraints, opportunities, potential and challenges relevant to gender equality in programme countries and at the sub-regional/regional levels.

  • In close collaboration with Country Offices and relevant HQ units, provides technical inputs to Sub Regional Offices (SRO) on the formulation process of projects/programmes through a highly participatory process with Regional Programme Director (RPD) and thematic advisers, and increasingly in synergies with the UNCT and partners. Ensure the preparation and production of high quality documents and manages the development of new programmes concepts as well as their approval process through PAC presentation.
  • Monitors programme performance and impact, ensuring compliance with UN WOMEN programme goals and results-based indicators through systematic monitoring, consultations with counterparts and providing relevant and timely feedback to RPDs and/or programme team.
  • Provides substantive technical inputs for global initiatives on gender issues in the various thematic areas, ensuring geog. section's perspectives are reflected and supports and guides the design and development of programmes/projects with Thematic Advisers, multilaterals and bilateral partners' technical units, governments and civil society.
  • Advises regional offices, project teams including executing agents such as NGOs and consultants on UN WOMEN policies and management strategies, and relevant rules and regulations for achieving programme delivery and for increasing accountability.
  • Undertakes advocacy work and develops supportive networks.
  • Participate in resource mobilization efforts.
  • Manages the portfolio by monitoring programmes with financial operations, ensuring compliance with applicable standards, rules and procedures, by assisting executing agents, particularly NGOs and governments, to ensure adequate delivery, increased accountability and achievement of substantive objectives.
  • Undertakes substantive research and provides operational inputs in corporate exercises, including for Consultative Committee, Executive Board & the GA; promotes team/networking, knowledge sharing; creates a synergy and fosters a learning environment. Acts as Section OIC.
  • Liaise with counterparts, HQ, Thematic advisors and field offices to strengthen regional perspectives and Africa inputs, among other related tasks.
  • Represents Africa section in internal corporate programme/ policy development - i.e., SPWs, programme management/decentralization task forces, etc. and in external meetings as required.
  • Provide administrative support, as required, in processing regional projects, drafting and follow up of correspondence, support to reviewing and editing general correspondences and related tasks as requested.
  • Undertakes any other duties assigned from time to time by the section Chief.

Competencies

  • 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 : Demonstrating / Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity
  • Organizational Awareness : Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
  • Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring : Self-development, initiative-taking
  • Working in Teams : Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
  • Communicating Information and Ideas : Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
  • Self-management and Emotional intelligence : Creating synergies through self-control
  • Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning : Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others
  • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making : Informed and transparent decision making

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

  • In depth knowledge of development issues
  • Ability to provide policy advise
  • Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects and to mobilize resources
  • Good knowledge of the Result Based Management Guide and toolkit
  • Strong IT skills
  • Well developed interpersonal and communication skills
  • Initiative and dynamism
  • Excellent writing skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Masters degree (or equivalent) in social science, international relations, law, human rights, gender/women's studies or a closely related discipline.
    Knowledge of project development, gender analysis and mainstreaming.

Experience:

  • Experience in Programme/ Project development and Management and design in/on Africa required.
  • Experience in gender and development project management and administration.
  • Minimum of 7 years of combined national and international level experience in related areas with at least three years in Africa.

Language:

  • Fluency in English.
  • Knowledge of French is an asset.

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.

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.

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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.