UN Women: Programme Consultant, Home-based or Geneva, Switzerland, SSA

Background:

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.

The Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is a global partnership between the United Nations, Member States, civil society organizations, and the private sector that supports women-led and women’s rights organizations working on peacebuilding, humanitarian action, crisis response, and recovery. Since its establishment in 2016, WPHF has supported more than 1,500 local civil society organizations and reached millions of women and girls across conflict-affected and fragile settings worldwide. UN Women hosts the Secretariat of WPHF, which ensures quality monitoring, reporting, knowledge management, and strategic coordination across the Fund’s portfolio.

In response to the Secretary-General’s recommendations in his 2019 report on Women, Peace and Security, the WPHF Funding Board established the Rapid Response Window (RRW) on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes in 2020. The RRW was designed as a flexible, rapid, and demand-driven mechanism to support women peacebuilders, women-led organizations, and women’s networks engaging in formal and informal peace processes, mediation efforts, preventive diplomacy initiatives, ceasefire negotiations, constitution-making processes, transitional justice mechanisms, and peace agreement implementation.

Since its launch in 2021, the RRW has evolved into a unique global mechanism supporting women’s participation across Track I, Track 1.5, Track II, and Track III peace processes, as well as in the implementation of peace agreements, preventive diplomacy initiatives, and efforts to revitalize stalled peace processes. Through its short-term grants and direct support streams, the RRW has supported women peacebuilders and civil society actors across 38 countries to engage with mediators, negotiators, regional organizations, and decision-makers in some of the world’s most complex conflict and transition contexts. The mechanism works in partnership with international NGOs, regional organizations, UN entities, and women-led civil society organizations to ensure that women’s voices, priorities, and expertise are reflected in peace and political processes.

The RRW continues to experience significant demand, receiving an increasing number of applications across multiple regions and languages, reflecting both the growing recognition of women’s role in peacebuilding and the persistent barriers to their meaningful participation in peace processes.

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Secretariat of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund and the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator of the Rapid Response Window, the Programme Consultant will support the implementation, coordination, monitoring, and strategic development of the RRW portfolio, contributing to the advancement of women’s meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes globally. The Programme Coordinator will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

1. Programmatic review and technical support to RRW partners

• Review and assess RRW applications and proposals (average 40 to 60 a month), provide technical support to selected applicants as required and prepare documentation for decision-making processes (average 4 to 9 a month).
• Review narrative reports submitted by PUNOs/NUNOs, providing thematic and technical feedback to ensure programme quality and integration of recommendations (average 7 reports per reporting cycle).
• Support the RRW Programme Coordinator in onboarding of PUNOs/NUNOs, including reviewing onboarding documentation packages in collaboration with MPTFO, preparing compliance checklists, and ensuring alignment of workplans with approved results frameworks. (August – September)
• Organize onboarding/ mid-term/ final coordination calls with Direct Support implementing partners and ensure the timely collection of project documentation (including project profiles) and reporting requirements (average 4 to 10 per month).
• Assist RRW Programme Analyst in updating RRW databases, records, calendars, and corporate knowledge management systems related to proposals, reporting documents, and partner agreements processed each month.

2. Coordination, briefing and knowledge products

• Prepare thematic briefing notes, contextual analyses, and documentation packages for monthly coordination meetings with PUNOs and NUNOs (average 4 to 6 a month).
• Prepare donor briefs, programme summaries, presentations, background notes, and briefing materials as requested by the RRW Programme Coordinator (average 4 to 6 per month).

3. Strategic events, advocacy and communications

• Prepare and implement follow-up actions related to New York Peacebuilding Week, including briefing materials, key messages, and communications products. (August)
• Prepare a planning package for a potential RRW monitoring and advocacy mission, including stakeholder mapping, mission objectives, reporting tools, and logistical requirements. (August – September)
• Prepare RRW participation in Geneva Peace Week and NY WPS Week, including concept notes, partner engagement materials, and stakeholder engagement materials. (September - October)
• Prepare and coordinate RRW contributions to the WPHF Global Women Forum and associated side events, including coordination with partners, preparation of briefing materials, participant engagement and logistics. (August – October)
• Coordinate preparation of RRW partners participation in the WPHF Global Women Forum and associated side events with the L-Hub, including briefing materials, speaking points and logistical arrangements. (August – October)
• Prepare and disseminate communications and advocacy materials related to Geneva Peace Week, the WPHF Global Women Forum, and WPS Week, in collaboration with the Coms team and the RRW Programme Coordinator. (September – October)
• Participate in the WPHF Global Women Forum, Geneva Peace Week and associated side events, prepare summary and lessons learned notes highlighting key recommendations, emerging trends, and opportunities relevant to the RRW outreach, strategic engagement, partnerships, advocacy, visibility and women’s participation in peace processes. (October)
• Document and implement follow-up actions arising from WPS Week, Geneva Peace Week, and the WPHF Global Women Forum, in collaboration with the RRW Programme Coordinator, including partner engagement, dissemination of key recommendations, and coordination of agreed next steps with relevant stakeholders. (October – November)

4. Strategic planning, reporting and programme development

• Support the revision of the RRW Programme Document, including drafting inputs, consolidating partner feedback, and updating results frameworks and implementation modalities as required by the RRW Programme Coordinator. (August – September)
• Contribute to the development of the RRW 2027 workplan and strategic priorities, in collaboration with the Programme Coordinator, including analysis of programme performance and trends, identification of operational and funding priorities, and recommendations for strengthening programme delivery and impact. (October – November)
• Assist the Programme Coordinator in the preparation of the RRW Annual Report, including data collection, analysis of programme results, drafting of narrative sections, consolidation of partner inputs, and documentation of key achievements, lessons learned, and challenges. (December)
• Prepare and submit an end-of-consultancy summary report and handover note, including key achievements, outstanding actions, lessons learned, and recommendations for future implementation. (December)

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This position is homebased or based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Participation in the Global Women’s Peace Forum and Peace Week in Geneva is a responsibility of the position. If the consultant is homebased, travel to Geneva for these events may be required. If the consultant is Geneva based, travel will not be required.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Good analytical skills
• Good programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Good knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings and recommendations
• Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising
• Ability to deliver in a timely manner

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of progressively responsible work experience in development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building;
• Experience in Women, Peace and Security is required.
• Experience supporting grassroots organizations and notably women led civil society organization is required
• Experience coordinating and liaising multi-country or global projects is an asset.
• Experience with a Multi-donor trust fund is an asset

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or Spanish is an asset.

Statements :

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.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.