IMPORTANT: This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to PEOPLE WITH THE NATIONALITY OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES. Excluding Senegal, due to the restriction that nationals of the country where the position is located cannot be considered.
eligible-countries-DC-JPOs.pdf
Organisational Context
Violence against women and girls in Africa is multifaceted and rampant. The EVAW Section also provides key technical support to the Spotlight Initiative, a global fund established by the UN Secretary-General in 2017 to address VAW/G. This initiative is a multi-year partnership between the EU and the United Nations, which has deployed targeted, large-scale investments to different geographic areas, including 4 pilot countries in the region out of 8 in Africa and includes a regional component with a continental scope; as part of a comprehensive programming approach to eliminate the different forms of VAW/G, harmful practices and promote sexual reproductive health and rights.
The EVAW Section is also partnering with UN agencies on multiyear strategic interventions on reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, adolescent health (Muskoka and H6 initiative). The scope of work of the section includes contributing to the development of EVAW Flagship Programmes using the model of the Spotlight Initiative.
Duties and Responsibilities
Support the EVAW Flagship Programmes Development:
- Assist in strengthening and coordinating UN agencies’ action at regional level, as part of the roll-out of Flagship Programme Initiatives in selected pilot and self-starter countries.
- Compile information and results from country teams to inform donor reports on programmes for which the EVAW Section is responsible, integrating the feedback of the EVAW Policy Advisor as part of these processes.
- contribute to the updating of information on EVAW on UN Women’s Intranet, including the possible of Communities of Practice on the Flagship Programme Initiative;
- Assist in the implementation of relevant, high-impact EVAW advocacy activities with key partners,
- Assist in providing technical inputs on the Flagship Programme Initiative / Joint UN initiatives related to maternal health (Muskoka, H6 & HIV) including, where relevant, the Spotlight Initiative content, including policy papers, annual work plans, communications materials etc. both at the regional level and prepared by local teams;
- Assist in synthesizing and disseminating good practices and lessons learnt from the Flagship Programme Initiative and Joint UN initiatives related to maternal health and EVAW, to inform the development of the next generation of programmes.
- Assist in the organization of webinars and other information exchange mechanisms relating to EVAW/G (both substantive content and logistics), as requested by country and regional offices;
- Assist in strengthening links with other regional, national and inter-agency groups on EVAW/G and promote new partnerships and collaborations.
Support the Ending Violence against Women Section in the following areas:
- Conduct research and analysis to develop knowledge products on the work of the EVAW Section, including assisting in the drafting of conceptual papers, briefings, talking points and reports for UN Women WCARO Senior Management;
- Provide support in the drafting and monitoring of the Section’s annual work plans and budgets;
- Contribute to the development of communications material on the work of the EVAW Section;
- Participate and represent the EVAW Section and/or UN Women in meetings;
- Assist in any other duties as directed by the EVAW Policy Advisor.
- Contribute to building partnerships and resource mobilization strategies
- Provide inputs to resource mobilization strategies; analyze and maintain information and databases.
- Provide inputs to relevant documentation such as project summaries, conference papers, briefing notes, speeches, and donor profiles.
- Provide inputs to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts
- Provide technical inputs to background documents, briefs and presentations.
- Support the organization of advocacy activities and campaigns events, trainings, workshops and knowledge products.
- Provide inputs to the development of knowledge management products
- Any other tasks as assigned by the supervisor
JPO Programme Components
Supervisor: Policy Advisor
Content and methodology of supervision
- The JPO will receive structured guidance by the supervisor, especially in the beginning of the assignment, with the purpose of gradually increasing the responsibilities of the JPO
- JPO and supervisor will develop an annual workplan based on the initial assessment of the JPO’s capability and strengthens, with clear results and performance indicators.
- Establishment of an individual work plan, with clear deliverables.
- Effective supervision through knowledge sharing and performance/development feedback throughout the assignment
- Easy access to the supervisor. Participation in regular office and Policy team meetings to ensure integration with all aspects of the Section’s areas of work and operational effectiveness.
- Guidance and advice in relation to learning and training opportunities within the field of expertise. Completion of the yearly UN Women Results and Competency Assessment
- JPO will participate in regular Programme Team meetings and retreats to ensure alignment of individual workplan with the overall office workplan and priorities.
- In addition, the following specific supervision arrangements will apply:
- Interaction with the direct supervisor will take place on a daily basis, with progress reviewed on a regular basis; additional meetings with and support provided from the EVAW Policy Advisor.
Training
Upon completion of the assignment the JPO will have/ will be able to:
- Develop in-depth knowledge of UN Women's work
- Develop a strong ability to develop and strengthen partnerships across a broad range of partners, including government, development partners, UN agencies, civil society organizations
- Gain ability to prepare quality knowledge products including briefs, concept notes and talking points
- Develop skills in the area of programme and project development, advocacy and strategic planning
- Have access to on the job training and mentoring
The JPO training programme includes the following learning elements:
- Participation in a UN Women Programme Policy and Operations Induction Course in New York within the first 6 months of assignment.
- Various training and learning opportunities, as available in UN Women.
The JPO position includes a Duty travel and training allowance (DTTA) of $ 4.000 per year which may be used for learning activities related to the assignment and career development.
Competencies
- Interest/experience in development in Africa and gender issues
- Excellent drafting skills with the ability to edit/clear reports and program documents;
- Very strong analytical, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills: identifying data sources, mining data, interpreting, visualizing and using data for the purpose of problem solving and generation of evidence
- Very strong inter-personal skills, communicate effectively with staff at all level of the organization;
- Ability to handle multiple tasks while working with a sense of urgency to meet deadlines;
- Versatile and ability to work in a multicultural, global and fast-paced environment while maintaining strong internal client service orientation;
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Master degree or equivalent in Gender, development, economics, international relations, sociology or other similar subjects.
In exceptional cases candidates with a Bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of 4 years relevant working experience can be considered.
Substantive parts of the candidates’ academic training (Bachelor and/or Master) must have taken place in a developing country that appears on the list of eligible countries.
eligible-countries-DC-JPOs.pdf
Experience:
- A minimum of 2 years of paid working experience in a relevant field (development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building;
- Some development project/programme management; ideally with some experience in the fields of gender equality and violence against women and girls.
- Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an asset.
- Providing substantive feedback on programme guidance and instructional materials, especially as a part of international projects in the area of human rights, including women’s rights and, if possible, EVAW/G;
- Experience in assisting in the organization and implementation of workshops/meetings, including technical online support;
- Drafting and completing briefs, talking points, reports etc. on a tight schedule and in coordination with and input from multiple project partners;
- Familiarity with the UN System is desirable.
- Work experience within the UN system should not exceed 1 year, including UNV, (paid) UN internship and UN consultancy.
- All paid work experience since obtaining Bachelor’s degree may be considered if relevant to the role. Relevant internship experience is recognized at 50%.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required
- Knowledge of French is a strong asset
- Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
Nationality of candidate:
- This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to PEOPLE WITH THE NATIONALITY OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES. Excluding Senegal, due to the restriction that nationals of the country where the position is located cannot be considered. eligible-countries-DC-JPOs.pdf
Age of candidate:
- Maximal age limit is 32 years as of 31 December of the year of application.
Attachments:
- A brief motivation letter in English that explains why you're the perfect candidate for the position by using examples of your interests and achievements
- Copy of your passport
- Copy of your Master degree
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Use of AI by candidates
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