Programme Assistant – Institutional Strengthening

Contract

This is a UNV National Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Youth contracts.

The Government of Zimbabwe has instituted various formal national institutions for the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment and facilitating gender mainstreaming. However, the absence of a structured mechanism which brings together the National Gender Machinery (state and non-state actors, CSO’s, private sector, Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Women’s Local Government Forum and Academia has resulted in a loosely defined and coordinated National Gender Machinery. In addition, a range of political, systemic and financial constraints limit the effectiveness of national institutions to mainstream gender and these include the limited capacity and expertise to effectively mainstream gender, through gender-aware situation and policy analysis. Further the gender machinery is bedeviled by chronic under funding. Both Ministries of Women Affairs, for the past years have been receiving less than 1% of the total National Budget. In addition, the absence of an effective accountability mechanisms to Gender Equality, Women’s Rights have contributed to weak institutions. This has resulted in poorly functioning institutions with limited knowledge and skills on gender and youth development.

In line with UN Women Strategic Note 2016-2020 the CO will strengthen the capacities of public officials to integrate gender equality measures in plans and budgets and select performance indicators for oversight. This will be done through advocating gender responsive planning as well as transparent and adequate public financing for gender equality. Our support towards strengthening national gender machinery will be anchored on the following key building blocks: • Knowledge and capacity development • Monitoring and Evaluation • Coordination • Enhancing Accountability System.

Under the direct supervision of Programme Specialist Institutional Strengthening, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks, - Assist in developing programme strategies in the area of institutional capacity development of national partners including government, CSOs and independent institutions into programme interventions; - Assist in the design and formulation of programmes documents and proposals within the portfolio - Support in building and managing relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the portfolio; - Assist in research and generation of knowledge on institutional strengthening and GRB; - Assist in preparing annual work plans and result frameworks and implementation of result frameworks and in implementing for delivery of results for institutional strengthening programme - Assist with programme procurement processes through providing administrative support; - Support the financial and substantive tracking and assessment of programme/projects implementation progress; - Efficient filing/ documentation of project documents, work plans, progress reports, budgets and other implementation documents

• Integrity
• Professionalism:
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues.
• Accountability.
• Creative Problem Solving.
• Effective Communication.
• Inclusive Collaboration.
• Stakeholder Engagement.

• Leading by Example

• Development programme/project implementation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation and coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an asset.

• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded;
• Experience in the gender mainstreaming is an asset

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.