Gender Programme Specialist, P3, Jalalabad, Afghanistan (Not for Afghan Nationals)

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 74,649 USD and 97,747 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.

How can you make a difference?

Gender equality is essential to realizing the mandate of UNICEF to uphold the rights of all children. The UNICEF Gender Action Plan (GAP), 2022–2025, operationalizes the UNICEF Gender Policy, 2021–2030, by specifying how UNICEF will promote gender equality across its programmes and workplaces. It affirms that promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the responsibility of everyone, regardless of organizational role. The GAP elaborates the steps required to accelerate progress on gender equality across the five Goal Areas of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2022–2025, as well as within institutional systems and processes, with clear indicators and monitoring mechanisms to track change. The GAP builds on an increasing knowledge base on gender equality, including current evidence regarding the gendered effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It responds to lessons learned from the implementation of previous GAPs and an extensive global consultative process with staff, partners and young people. It is grounded in the human rights principles of non-discrimination and equality and articulates the role of UNICEF, as a collaborator with Governments and other partners, in supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Recognizing that gender discrimination has lifelong and intergenerational impacts, the GAP advances gender equality throughout the life course. At the same time, it promotes targeted actions to advance the leadership and well-being of adolescent girls, as girls are both disproportionately affected by gender inequality and have tremendous potential to be leaders for change. This dual-track approach goes beyond responding to the manifestations of gender inequality to tackle its underlying drivers, including by engaging boys and men as allies; advancing upstream financing and policy solutions; and supporting girls’ agency and voice.

Job organizational context:

In order to increase dedicated gender capacity and expertise in Country Offices, the GAP Steering Committee has specified that Gender Programme Specialists at Level 3 be senior enough within the office structure to carry influence in their own right, and be given an office-wide mandate to engage with sectors in meaningful programming.

Purpose for the job: In alignment with the GAP, the role of the Gender Programme Specialist is primarily technical and programmatic, with the normative advocacy and coordination roles serving a secondary function. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance/operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results contributing to gender equality in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he supports the development, implementation, and monitoring of high quality gender programming/projects across sectors in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he 1) supports senior programme colleagues and management of the Country Office to advance one or more of the four

Targeted Gender Priorities in the Gender Action Plan with support from the Regional Gender Adviser. S/he also plays a role in working with one or more of the 7 UNICEF sectors to mainstream gender by prioritizing key gender results within the sector(s) with a strong gender relevance; 2) supports cross-sectional collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results; 3) works with programme colleagues and management so that gender results are effectively defined, measured, and reported, and high quality assessment, research, evidence generation and evaluation on gender programming is undertaken and utilized, including through the application of the MoRES framework and effective theories of change; 4) Supports effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management on gender; 5) Supports the assessment and identification of gender needs for emergency preparedness and response, and provides gender relevant guidance and technical input on emergency programming.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks (Please outline the key accountabilities for this position and underneath each accountability, the duties that describe how they are delivered. Please limit to four to seven accountabilities)

Management and/or advisory support to Deputy Representative, Senior Gender Programme Specialist, or Representative

1. Support to program/project development and planning (including emergency contexts)

• Participate and support in evidence-based programme/project planning on gender, incorporating robust measurement and evaluation of results - especially in the event of the Country Programme development and Mid-Term Review.
• Provide technical leadership on integration of gender into country programming phases, including strategic planning, SitAns, strategic moments of reflection, CPDs, CPMPs, mid-term reviews, extended annual reviews, programme component strategy notes and in the programmatic assessment and institutional strengthening components of gender reviews.
• In collaboration with sectoral colleagues and senior management, identify the areas of focus for gender programming/projects with the greatest potential for impact and scale, in alignment with the GAP and the country/regional priorities.
• Work with sectoral counterparts and senior management to incorporate sound gender indicators and measures in programme/project and policy initiatives, proposals, and advocacy efforts and assist in developing gender-sensitive theories of change models for sector and cross-sectoral programming in alignment with the MoRES framework.

3. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results (including emergency contexts)

• Support indicator identification, measurement and performance tracking as it relates to gender mainstreaming and the Targeted Gender Priorities, in collaboration with Planning, M&E and planning section and sectoral teams.
• Participate in cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results
• Support the strengthening of data systems and collection, as well as accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress on gender results.
• Support high quality reporting on gender results, and a biannual performance review of GAP specified results.
• Work closely with evaluation colleagues to effectively integrate data collection, tracking, analysis and reporting on the indicators for the GAP into programme results and gender performance benchmarks into M&E systems.
• Participate in the strengthening of the quality of research and evidence building on gender related programming, by supporting the bringing in of the latest learning and insights from the field of gender and development, and supporting the input of a coherent, well-prioritized research agenda in alignment with the GAP.
• Support the planning and implementation of the gender reviews and make sure that the recommendations that come out of the gender review are integrated into the Country Programme strategy and action plans and humanitarian strategies and action plans in emergency contexts.
• Participate and/or actively represent UNICEF in relevant coordination bodies at the inter-agency level (gender theme group or other networks, GBV cluster if relevant), participate as a member of steering committees, and provide close oversight of inter-agency joint programmes

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical support and guidance to national government, NGOs, UN Agencies and other country-level and local-level partners on aspects of gender programming and to ensure incorporation of gender indicators and measures in programmes/projects, policy initiatives, proposals, and M&E systems.
• Provide technical support and advocacy to reporting and follow-up on international and regional gender equality commitments made by the countries
• Support the development of adequate emergency preparedness measures, updating of contingency plans and establishment of early warning mechanisms that reflect gender needs.
• Support the development and deployment of emergency training that incorporates gender issues and relevant strategies.
• Participate in needs assessment missions on gender, and in the event of an emergency, be deployed as a member of the Emergency Response Team.
• Support implementing/operational partners and implementing arrangements in order to ensure an effective, gender-inclusive emergency response.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Liaise and consult with sections, government and other external partners (civil society, NGOs, private sector) to support convergence, and develop and reinforce partnerships in gender programming.
• Support building and maintenance of internal and external partnerships and networks in the development of harmonized, gender-transformative programme interventions.
• Support building and maintenance of strategic alliances for gender equality with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities.
• Collaborate with other UN agencies and partners to enhance robust gender results in sectoral programmes at the country level. If necessary, represent UNICEF in external meetings on gender integration into sectoral and cross-sectoral results, including UN Country Team meetings and UnDAF preparations.
• Support mapping of potential new partnerships and leverage existing partnerships to accelerate GAP implementation at the country level in determined priority areas.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Support documentation and sharing of the country-level experience in gender programming and and lessons learned, which will be shared with internal network and external partners and utilised for South-South cooperation.
• Represent the gender section at sectoral, country-level and regional-level network meetings, and ensure best practices on gender programming according to 5 GAP principles are highlighted in these forums
• Bring best practices in gender programming and measurement to the attention of senior management and sectoral colleagues, as well as Regional Gender Advisor and gender section staff at HQ

• Supporting innovative research of senior gender staff, if present

• Support Regional Gender Advisor in advancing the technical and research capacity of country-level staff, offices and programs on gender to continue to build evidence base for programming and to ensure continuous capacity in gender at Country Office level.

• Support management and HR in the development of systems, tools and processes that enable staff members and external partners to enhance their understanding and adoption of gender sensitive behaviors and to support implementation of the GAP.

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, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.).
• 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 and research on gender and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.
• Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes/projects on gender and development or any other cross cutting programme, especially at country/field level, experience in emergency response is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

Competency required for this post:

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles 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.

Remarks:

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

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