Gender Programme Specialist, P-3, Freetown Sierra Leone

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 117,124 USD and 153,365 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, support.

Please access UNICEF Sierra Leone information here and here

How can you make a difference?

Background

In alignment with the global Safe to Learn Call of Action, the Government of Sierra Leone has committed to ensuring the translation of benchmarks, minimum standards, policies, and commitments for safe schools into practice at the school and community levels. As part of this commitment, UNICEF with partners like the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) and Irish Aid is supporting the government’s effort in scaling up the previously tested and proven model of the Whole School Minimum Standards to tackle school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), covering various areas such as school leadership, Code of Conduct, child rights, reporting mechanisms, and community and parent engagement.

UNGEI is a global partnership for gender equality in and through education. Its mandate is to catalyze and galvanize action locally, nationally, regionally and global for girls’ education and gender equality in education. UNGEI brings together diverse partners to support Ministries of Education and other national actors to develop and implement bold commitments to gender equality in education. UNGEI convenes global, regional and local conversations and action for girls’ education and gender equality in education, including through the leadership of young feminist activists around the world. The UNGEI Secretariat sits within the UNICEF Education Section within the Programme Group and is governed by UNICEF policies of employment. We strive to uphold feminist, anti-colonial and anti-racist principles in how we work and offer flexible work arrangements.

Purpose of the job:

The purpose of this role is primarily to provide gender expertise through technical and programmatic support to UNICEF Sierra Leone’s multi-sectoral portfolio by addressing root causes of harmful gender norms. It will also co-chair the Global Working Group to End SRGBV (School Related Gender Based Violence) on behalf of UNGEI. The role of the Gender Programme Specialist is primarily technical and programmatic, with the advocacy and coalition-building roles serving a secondary function. The Specialist provides authoritative technical inputs/operational support throughout all stages of programming for the management and delivery of results contributing to gender equality. The Gender Programme Specialist also supports effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management of the relevant programmatic fields.

More specifically, the Gender Programme Specialist will support the development, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of key deliverables in the areas of addressing harmful gender norms (including ending child marriage, female genital mutilation and supporting pregnant/young mothers) and SRGBV, and will provide gender expertise within the whole programme cycle, fostering a multi-sectoral approach. S/he/they will support the relevant government and local authorities, CSOs, (young) feminist activists and implementing partners by offering gender and programme expertise.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Management, monitoring, and delivery of results of the End SRGBV Programme
2. Support to Deputy Representative’s leadership of multisectoral programming to end harmful gender norms
3. Networking and partnership building with the government and civil society in Sierra Leone
4. Advocacy and coalition building through the Global Working Group to End SRGBV (25%)

Please see attached JD for detailed information. JD - Gender Programme Specialist P3 SL.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development.
• Academic credentials in gender are a strong asset.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming on gender and development.
• Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes/projects on gender and development especially at country/field level.
• Experience in GBV or gender and education programming is an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable international professionals are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.