IUNV Planning and Programme Specialist - Programme Management and Support

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Established in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A / 64/289, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), is implementing actions to the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; women's empowerment; and achieving equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. The mandate of UN Women is to lead and coordinate the United Nations system to ensure that gender equality commitments are translated into action around the world. It provides strong and consistent leadership in support of Member States' priorities and efforts and builds effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. Established in 2015, UN-WOMEN was accredited as full-fledged Country Office in 2021, to support the Central African authorities in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment as well as providing a multisectoral response to the specific needs of women in times of crisis for the implementation of the recommendations made by women on the side lines of the Bangui Forum in May 2015. It focuses its interventions on achieving the following strategic objectives: women's economic empowerment; promoting leadership and women's participation in decision-making processes, strengthening women’s role for peace and security in CAR; the integration of the gender dimension in the humanitarian response; and the fight against violence against women. The UN Women Central African Country Office is entering the second year of implementation of its five-year program (Strategic Note 2023-2027), which aims to achieve gender equality and women's economic empowerment in CAR, while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), and which is broken down into UN Women's four impact areas ( governance and participation; ending violence; economic empowerment; and peace, security, and humanitarian action ). Since 2023, UN Women Central African Country Office is part of the Women Count program to support the implementation of its strategic Note and reduce the gap of gender related data in the country. Indeed, Women Count is a multistakeholder global strategy that aims to create a radical shift in how gender statistics are used, produced and promoted to inform policy and advocacy. Actions at the country, regional and global levels fall under three broad categories: creating an enabling environment that governs the production of gender data; increasing data production in key areas to bolster SDG monitoring; and improving data accessibility and use to inform gender-responsive policymaking and advocacy. Since 2016, the Women Count programme has made UN Women a trusted source of sought-after gender data expertise for governments, multilateral organizations and civil society. Since 2023, UN Women Central African Country Office is part of this program to support the implementation of its strategic Note and reduce the gap of gender related data in the country.

Reporting to the Country Representative, the Planning and Programme Specialist will manage programme partner assurance and risk management processes, supports development of the necessary tools and guidance and supports Offices in their use and application. It will also coordinate planning processes and provide technical support to the officer in charge of monitoring, evaluation and reporting. More specifically:

1. Implement and Manage strategies for Oversight and Monitoring of Programme Partner Assurance: • Contribute to development and maintenance of global policies, procedures, guidance, tools and systems related to programme partner assurance. • Contribute to conducting annual assurance process including selection of assurance providers, assurance planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting. • Provide oversight and ensure quality assurance processes are in place on the implementation of assurance activities. This includes the quality of assurance reports as well as follow-up and escalation of findings of assurance activities consistent with the Assurance Policy and Procedure. • Monitor and ensure compliance of assurance findings in line with established policies and procedures. • Review specific partner cases for audit follow up that require HQ Quality Assurance Team actions, including review of supporting documentation to reduce ineligible expenditures.

2. Provide technical support to Programme Partner Management: • Provide technical guidance to the country Office in the formalization of partnerships with government, civil society organizations and other programme partners in line with relevant policies, procedures and guidelines; • Contribute to the design and development of user and business owner requirements for IT tools and systems (as relevant) for programme partner management including inter-agency initiatives such as the UN Partner Portal; and provide support to the Office in the use of UN Women tools and organizational systems for programme partnership management.

3. Oversee Quality Assurance, Analysis, Monitoring and Reporting for Programme Partnership Assurance: • Contribute to management and coordination of the enhancement and implementation of oversight and global quality assurance strategies/processes for programme partnerships assurance and oversight. This includes ensuring that partners are selected and managed in accordance with the policies and procedures. • From a global perspective, monitor and report on the status of programme partner implementation and key performance indicators at the HQ, regional and country level using corporate tools and systems and identify high risk areas requiring special attention and support. • Prepare global reports for senior management as may be required. • Analyze and monitor cash transfers at country level based on reports from the ERP system.

4. Provide support to the Country Representative in strategic planning for the CAR UN Women Office: • Provide advice on the formulation of concept notes for UN Women's intervention areas; as well as the office’s strategic note; • Develop country programming processes and products, including the annual workplan, strategic note, and programme/ project documents, the preparation of United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and other UN system joint programming documents. • Follow up on required action/outstanding issues and report on outcome/ result. Alert the Country Representative/ CO on critical issues to be addressed.

5. Provide technical supervision to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Officer: • Provide quality assurance of program documents through review of results frameworks in order to meet SMART criteria; • Manage the development of monitoring indicators, monitoring calendars, and field monitoring plans and quality assurance processes; ensure use of relevant evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations are incorporated to programme formulation; • Ensure data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes; • Coordinate and provide technical guidance to the country office in meeting internal and external reporting requirements and deadlines, including annual reporting process; • Finalize donor and programme reports (both narrative and financial); • Ensure use of relevant evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations are incorporated into programme reporting; • Provide technical support to the implementation of UN Women’s Evaluation plan at the country level; • Provide guidance to the country office / programme staff on evaluations;

6. Lead the implementation of gender statistics program (Women Count ): • Provide substantial technical support to establish UN Women's statistical work in the country, including the strategic direction and positioning of UN Women's work on gender statistics at the national level; • Provide inputs to support periodic country monitoring reports to take stock of national progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets related to gender equality and women's empowerment, as appropriate; • Liaise frequently with the regional office team to report on activities and ensure that the implementation of activities is in line with UN Women's overall statistical objectives. • Provide adequate technical and advisory support to the United Nations System in Central African Republic on all issues related to gender statistics and support to the monitoring of the SDGs.

7. Promote Innovation, Knowledge Management and Capacity Building: • Support the development and implementation of standard capacity development strategies/initiatives/tools on programme partner management to ensure that staff are knowledgeable and comply with programme partner management policies and procedures and other relevant corporate policies, procedures and guidance that impacts on programme partner management. • Contribute to development knowledge sharing, learning and capacity building initiatives (online and in person sessions) for staff and for partners as needed (to ensure that they are knowledgeable on all aspects of partnering with UN Women). • Participate and contribute in global Enterprise Risk Management exercises with a particular emphasis on ensuring that risks for programme partnership management are appropriately identified and relevant mitigating measures put in place.

• Accountability • Adaptability and Flexibility • Commitment and Motivation • Commitment to Continuous Learning • Communication • Integrity • Planning and Organizing • Working in Teams • Respect for Diversity; • Professionalism • Awareness and sensitivity regarding gender issues; • Accountability; • Creative and problem solving; • Effective Communication; • Inclusive collaboration; • Stakeholder engagement. • Leading by example.

Functional Competencies: • Strong project management skills; • Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies; • Strong knowledge of managing web-based knowledge management systems; • Strong understanding of production, graphic design and photography standards; • Strong knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach; • Strong oral and written communication and editing skills; • Strong communication, networking and advocacy skills; • Ability to provide advice and be strategic and analytical; • Good knowledge of media landscape; • Knowledge of gender and human rights issues is desirable.

programme development/management including planning & monitoring, financial management, risk management and/ or audit and assurance at national and international level including in the public sector and in complex, fast changing environments. • Monitoring, evaluation, planning and reporting – mandatory; • Results-Based Management (RBM) – mandatory; • Gender equality and the advancement of women – mandatory; • Other development programme/project experience – mandatory; • Working knowledge of Quantum/PeopleSoft and UNAll is an asset. • Advanced knowledge of the operational management of UN programmes and implementing partners especially in terms of risk management and assurance over funds, • Demonstrated ability to analyse and monitor the performance of organizational units, to support and guide staff and to ensure compliance with corporate requirements, • Research and feasibility studies – asset; • Resource mobilization and partnership – asset;

• Experience in the United Nations Systems, more specifically with UN-Women is an asset; Field experience is an asset, Good knowledge of gender statistics is an asset.

Central African Republic is a non-family duty station with a difficult security and working environment. The country is landlocked with very limited travel possibilities and surrounded by countries with volatile and security problems (Chad, DR Congo, Sudan, South Sudan and Cameroon). Volatile socio-political situation and social unrest and grievance in particular in the capital city Bangui with frequent civil servants strikes causing interruption of health, education and civil service due to years of unpaid salaries. Power cuts are a norm causing insecurity in town. The population in Bangui including the expatriates is concerned about increasing cases of criminalities as a direct result of the March 2013 coup by the SELEKA – a coalition of rebel groups and recent events in December 2013 that carried the country into a chaos.

The country is totally dependent on Cameroon sea port situated 1500 kms away causing regular shortage of basic domestic goods. Travel time from Douala (Cameroon) to Bangui for a truckload averages a week because of very bad roads and several roadblocks. The country security level is between 3 and 4 restricting movement to official travel only. Currently the curfew applies from 10 pm to 6 am. This situation puts tremendous stress on staff and their family members. There are very limited medical infrastructures and services do not function properly. Nevertheless, a UN Dispensary provides basic medical care for the UN personnel and the UN hospital built is operational since August 2014. Only four airlines officially recognized by UN System serve the country: Air France (once a week), Royal Air Maroc (twice a week), Kenya Airways (three flights per week) and Asky (three flights per week). Flights are sometimes subject to cancellation when security situation volatility increases. Staff in Bangui (MHQ) lives on local economy by renting apartments and houses. In comparison to 2014 more accommodation is available but with high costs therefore sharing is recommended. Supermarkets having all variety of food and appliances are available but costlier than normal process. Also, Level II Hospital run by military medical team is available next to the MHQ. Rest & Recuperation (R&R) scheme in Bangui has been re-established since August 2013 and maintained for all CAR duty stations to a 6 weeks frequency. Living conditions are becoming more and more difficult due to the high cost of living and the scarcity of basic products and food. Fresh vegetables and fruits are available in the market. There is no MINUSCA Guest House in Bangui. Private accommodation possibilities are limited and getting a house according to the security measures can take about 4 weeks or more. Nevertheless, currently all serving UN Volunteers have a decent accommodation ensuring minimum and above the minimum standard of comfort. The average cost for accommodation varies from around 500 USD, for a small apartment with no furniture and no power generator, to 1700 USD with all commodities. For the sake of rewarding experience, UN Volunteers in CAR carry out their duties with flexibility, commitment, and a willingness to live and work in challenging conditions including heat and limited water and electricity supply.