UN Women: Programme Specialist, Care, Brussels, Belgium, P-3 (Temporary Appointment)

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.

UN Women’s TransformCare Global Initiative aims to address the undervaluing and gendered division of care work and improve the lives of women and girls around the world. It does so by supporting inclusive, equitable and comprehensive care policies, services and infrastructure that have the potential to benefit 2.5 billion women and girls, generate at least 260 million decent jobs for women and release more than 9.5 trillion hours of girls’ and women’s time. Through this ambitious Initiative, UN Women envisions societies where care is central to thriving, sustainable, and just economies; where care is valued as a public good, recognized as skilled and essential work, and understood as the foundation of economic prosperity, equal participation and wellbeing. It recognizes that quality care systems are both an economic imperative and a foundation for gender equality and social wellbeing, reducing gender gaps in education, the labour market and political life, enabling strong economies, and supporting stable and peaceful societies.

As a core pillar of UN Women’s Economic Empowerment Strategy and integral part of UN Women Strategic Plan (2026–2029), TransformCare provides a global, overarching programmatic framework for a large-scale, long-term, multi-partner response. Connected across three global outcomes, the Initiative is grounded in context-specific country- and region-led interventions in over 50 countries across six regions, integrating the care agenda with key adjacent policy areas such as the macroeconomy, women’s economic empowerment and decent work, climate resilience and adaptation, migration and conflict and crisis. By taking a systems-based, intersectional and life-course approach, TransformCare supports the multiple levels and entry points needed for progressive and lasting change.

Reporting to the Policy Advisor, Macroeconomics and Global Lead on Care under the Economic Empowerment Section in coordination with the Director of UN Women Brussels liaison office. The Programme Specialist will exercise the overall responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing of UN Women interventions under the portfolio of the Transform Care global Initiative, working in close collaboration with the UN Women care global team and the Transform Care regional and country focal points, ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation and resources mobilization under the care portfolio. In addition, the Programme Specialist will provide technical, capacity building and policy support to the development and management of UN Women’s strategic partnerships for the Transform Care Global Initiative, especially with development partners from the European landscape and contribute to enhance partnership relationships and resource mobilization capacity in the Brussels Liasson Office (BLO) for Women’s Economic Empowerment.

Key Functions and Accountabilities

1. Design and develop programme strategies in the area of care

• Design and formulate programme/ project proposals and initiatives on care, particularly focusing on those supported by European partners;
• Develop programme strategies that integrate care at the intersection of economic empowerment, climate, and social justice, exploring opportunities within the Global Gateway on other European and Team Europe Initiatives.
• Draft inputs to country, regional and global strategy documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to care.

2. Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies

• Develop and implement partnerships and resource mobilization strategies to support the Transform Care Global Initiative, especially for European partners and EU and Brussels based institutions;
• Finalize relevant documentation on donors and potential opportunities for resource mobilization for the Transform Care Initiative and related programs and projects;
• Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing to advance the care agenda, particularly with European and Brussels EU based institutions.
• Provide technical support to the senior management and the care global team in the preparation of missions, meetings and other consultations with donors, including the preparation of notes, briefs and other materials;
• Identify and build partnership opportunities in the framework of the EU Global Gateway and contribute to build a potential Team Europe Initiative on Transforming Care systems;
• Provide technical support for the drafting and review of partner-specific Framework Arrangements and Cost Sharing Agreements for the Economic Empowerment global team and BLO
• Provide technical support to BLO and LACRO to advance EU partnerships for the implementation of the Bi-regional pact on care
• Contribute to partnership building with Brussels and European based foundations and private sector organizations to engage and support the TransformCare Global Initiatives

3. Manage the implementation of the care programmes

• Finalize the annual workplan and budget for programmes and projects under the Transform Care Global Initiative and manage their implementation;
• Manage the technical implementation of thenTransform Care Global Initiative; ensure synergies with other teams, particularly with the EU institutions and BLO teams;
• Manage the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports of the Transform Care Global Initiative;
• Provide guidance to personnel and partners on Results Based Management tools and performance indicators, of the Transform Care Initiative particularly those under UN Women Strategic Plan 2026-2029;
• Organize Transform Care programme Steering Committees, program reviews and/or evaluation meetings, as needed.

4. Manage technical assistance and capacity development to care programme partners

• Manage the implementation of technical advice and guidance for the TransformCare partners as well as for EU partners in the care agenda.
• Build and manage relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the TransformCare programme; respond to any potential problems;
• Identify capacity building needs of partners and lead the coordination of technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives to partners.
• Provide technical support to European partners in care in line with the European Care Strategy for Caregivers and Care Receivers.
• Provide technical support for the implementation of the Bi-regional Pact for Care between EU and LAC countries.

5. Provide policy support and capacity building to Country and Regional Offices as well as to the BLO

• Provide substantive technical and policy support to regional/country office and multi-country office programme teams as well as to the BLO in developing and strengthening projects/ programmes to support the implementation of care global norms and standards;
• Develop, implement and monitor capacity building initiatives on care;

6. Manage the monitoring and reporting of the care programmes

• Manage the monitoring and implementation of the Transform Care Global programme and / projects under the care portfolio using results-based management tools;
• Write periodic and annual reports, including donor reports, focusing on results, output and outcomes;
• Contribute to EE section and BLO office UN Women reports.
• Manage the programme budget and draft financial reports;

7. Manage advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

• Develop and review background documents, briefs and presentations related to the care agenda for communications, knowledge building, advocacy and resource mobilization efforts;
• Represent or support UN Women’s representation in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to the care agenda as necessary;
• Develop advocacy strategies on the TransformCare agenda with European partners and oversee their implementation;
• Identify best practices and lessons learned on care to guide programme improvement and strategy planning;
• Develop knowledge management strategies, products and methodologies on care.
• Lead and coordinate the development of knowledge products to engage with the private sector in Transforming Care systems

8. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Consultants, UNV, and Interns working under the TransformCare global Initiative.

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:

• Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Strong knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making
• Strong knowledge on care
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising and develop strategies
• Knowledge of UN programme management procedures and systems will be an asset

Recruitment 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.
• A project/programme management certification is required.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes/projects in the area of women’s economic empowerment and care is required.
• Technical experience in the area of care is required.
• Experience in capacity building and policy support to different partners within different countries and regions is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is required.
• Experience working in the UN System is desirable.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and French is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

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.