Programme Assistant

Contract

This is a SB-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Service Board / Service Contract. It is normally only for nationals. More about SB-3 contracts.

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 UN Security Council resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), unanimously adopted in October 2000, stressed the importance of the equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts to maintain and promote peace and security. In the years since, seven additional resolutions on women, peace and security (WPS) have been adopted.

UN Women works to support women’s engagement in peace and security to promote improved implementation, and monitoring and reporting of global commitments on women and peace and security, including as set out in Beijing Platform for Action and in Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015), relevant Statements by the President of the Security Council, as well as related accountability frameworks established by the UN system. The resolutions on sustaining peace (S/RES/2282 and A/RES/70/262) offer a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding that prioritizes supporting capacities for peace across the conflict cycle. The UN Women works to strengthen the capacity of actors engaged in inclusive peacebuilding and national dialogue processes to enhance women’s participation and influence and to secure gender-equality outcomes.

In Somalia, the Government and the CSOs have taken a number of initiatives to operationalize the WPS agenda. The Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development (MoWHRD) with support of UN Women, UNDP and other development partners has led the development of the Somalia Women’s Charter. UN Women Somalia also supported the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development in developing a draft National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the Somalia Women Charter. The plan is in draft form and expected to be finalized by September 2021.

UN partners in Somalia operationalizes the above through Joint Programming Initiatives (JPs) developed to achieve transformative results for gender equality and women empowerment in line with the UNSCF 2021-2025, NDP-9, National Action Plan on Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict, Somalia Women’s Charter and the draft National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The JPs also responds to the expanded agenda for SCR 1325, Beijing+20 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Women, Peace and Protection Joint Programme funded by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) aims to promote women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding processes in Somalia, particularly within decision-making and leadership roles, and to sustain peace at national and community level by engaging, empowering and capacitating women through legislative provisions, policy interventions, and strengthening and establishing infrastructures for peacebuilding. The Joint Programme will empower women as leaders and changemakers and promote the role of women-led organizations in peacebuilding, particularly at the grassroots level. It seeks to promote inclusive processes and exchange of knowledge among practitioners with integration of youth and through establishing early warning systems to prevent conflict and sexual violence in armed conflict. The Joint Programme also intends to accelerate and strengthen the implementation of the WPS agenda, notably through addressing negative social norms, working closely with key government counterparts including the MoWHRD, the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs & Reconciliation (MoIFAR) and other stakeholders, e.g. clan elders, religious leaders and women leaders, young women and civil society groups, at both national and grass-roots levels.

Under the direct supervision of Programme Specialist on Women Peace and Security and closely working with the Country Program Manager, the Programme Assistant works with and provides support to the members of the Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. S/he provides programme, administrative, and logistical assistance to the team for the smooth programme implementation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of Women Peace and Protection programmes:

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements, including tracking the delivery of funds;
• Provide administrative support to the executing agencies / responsible parties on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
• Provide administrative support for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;
• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers, in collaboration with the Programme team.

Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit:

• Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
• Provide administrative support in monitoring and preparation of budget and the finances of programmes/projects, and in the preparation of FACE forms;
• Prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
• Process payment for consultants, as delegated;
• Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects; register good receipts in Atlas.

Provide administrative support to the Programme Unit:

• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
• Draft minutes in meetings, as delegated;
• Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations, in collaboration with the Programme team;
• Organize and coordinate filing of documents; maintain mailing lists.

Provide administrative support to the Country Program Manager:

• Assist the Country Program Manager in coordination and convening weekly team meetings and consolidation of work plans/presentations;
• Assist the Country Program Manager in scheduling meetings with donors, UN and CSOs;
• Organize, compile, and process documentation and information from donors, and programme team as inputs to various databases and documents.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Provide administrative support to the organization of trainings and retreats for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Timely and accurate administrative and logistical support to events, workshops, and missions;
• Full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
• Timely and accurate tracking of data for Somalia Office Women Peace and Protection Programme management and donor purposes;
• Quality maintenance of internal systems and files;
• Quality and timely support to programme and operations team.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
• Good financial and budgeting skills;
• Good IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Completion of secondary education required;
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration is an asset.

Experience:

• At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in administrative or programme management/support;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages;
• Experience in the use of ATLAS is an asset;
• Experience in supporting a team is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of a local language is an asset;
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

Women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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.)