Programme Management Specialist (Gender Specialist) Retainer

Contract

This is a IICA-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as International Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about IICA-2 contracts.

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office for Counter Terrorism to implement the project activities for the Global PCVE Programme.

The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) Global Programme to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism provides integrated capacity building packages, institutional development and technical assistance to requesting Member States, civil society and the UN system to strengthen individual, community and national resilience to violent extremism and reduced threat of terrorism. The Programme engages in nine substantive and mutually reinforcing portfolios: policy assistance, strategic communications, youth engagement, education, mental health, new frontiers, gender, human rights and coordination.

This is a position in UNOPS supporting projects carried out for and in the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT). The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the position supports the work of UNCCT, part of the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) and promotes the delivery of United Nations capacity building assistance to Member States.

The contractor will be retained to provide ad hoc advice and support in the field and at a UN Headquarters level for the development and delivery of workshops, seminars, training programmes and other capacity building activities. The contractor may also be deployed to provide targeted technical assistance and capacity building as directed by the Project Manager and in close collaboration with the UNOCT Gender Unit.

The Programme Management Specialist (Gender Specialist)will provide technical support and his or her assignment may include one or several of the following tasks:

• Provide strategic and technical assistance to ensure that context-specific analysis on gender, intersectionality and identity factors inform the design of PCVE activities;
• Develop context-specific gender analysis to inform the design and implementation of gender mainstreaming in PCVE initiatives;
• Revise PCVE initiatives to ensure they are gender-responsive and well-gender mainstreamed;
• Revise the design and implementation plans of projects and programmes to signal entry points for gender-dedicated initiatives;
• Provide strategic and technical support in the design and implementation of gender responsive PCVE activities, emphasizing the role and leadership of women in PCVE, while considering their agency as well as protection needs;
• Provide strategic and technical support in the design and implementation of context-specific and gender-responsive consultations with civil society and practitioners, including civil society organizations, women leaders, women’s groups, women human rights defenders and peacebuilders, while considering their agency as well as protection needs;
• Design gender-dedicated PCVE interventions to address the underlying issues of gender equality and the empowerment of women and strengthen gender-responsive programming;
• Undertake gender analysis and provide strategic as well as context-specific advice on gender to the Programme Managers for their engagements with high-level government officials, academia, civil society including women’s networks, UN Country Teams, HQ, and other relevant stakeholders on PCVE issues;
• Consult with Member States, UN entities, and other relevant stakeholders in country and at UN Headquarters to assess needs and identify opportunities to build national capacities for gender mainstreaming and gender specific PCVE activities, together with the Programme Manager;
• Craft presentations, research notes, concept notes, briefing notes and talking points, as well as other relevant technical documents on issues related to gender and PCVE;
• Strengthen and support the capacity of UNCCT, including through training and crafting of guidelines, handbooks and issue papers, to undertake gender analysis and mainstream gender throughout PCVE initiatives, ensuring that human rights dimensions are reflected in both analysis and programming; and informing early warning and response mechanisms;
• Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with key national stakeholders, regional and international actors and development partners on issues related to gender and PCVE;
• Coordinate with women leaders and focal points in target countries for activities;
• Map entities, groups, organizations, researchers and practitioners dedicated or related to gender and PCVE in countries and regions relevant for the Global PCVE and Global Gender programmes;
• Develop of networks and databases of women’s organizations engaged in peacebuilding, PCVE and PRR;
• Develop case studies highlighting best practices, based on the experience of women and women’s organisations affected by VE or engaging in PCVE;
• Support in the organization of events, panels, workshops and consultations;
• Liaise with other UN agencies, including UN Women, as well as external implementation partners, to coordinate and partner on activities;
• Research and engage with academia and think tanks on gender and PCVE related issues, including areas such as peacebuilding and youth engagement, in a global and local context, to inform project planning and delivery;
• Provide updates and briefings on gender developments in PCVE, to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of PCVE activities;
• Contribute to development of gender indicators and tools to inform the Programme’s evaluation framework, and support in the monitoring and evaluation activities in order to assess gender mainstreaming and attenuate potential gender-negative impacts;

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Support the development and delivery of capacity building activities and technical assistance.
• Assist and deliver scoping missions to support the project outcomes.
• Contribute to the continued development and incorporation of good practices, case studies, and lessons learned into the project delivery.
• Contribute to the project’s Measurement and Evaluation framework.
• Hold briefings and engage in internal and external capacity building initiatives.
• Develop mappings and databases of relevant actors.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

***FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

*CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education**

• Advanced university degree preferably in gender studies, international relations, international human rights law, peace and security, counter-terrorism, or other relevant fields.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with additional two (2) years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience

Required Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in a Programme Management, gender specialist position or other relevant experience is required.

Desired Experience: The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply

• Experience conducting gender analysis and providing technical assistance on gender related issues to a range of audiences, is highly desirable.
• Relevant experience on gender as it intersects with one or more of the following areas: counter-terrorism, PVE, policy assistance, strategic communications, youth engagement, community engagement, education, mental health, conflict-related sexual violence, climate security, new technologies, video gaming, social media, religion, sports, policing, SPRR, disarmament, women’s rights, human rights, international development as well as coordination is desirable.
• Experience in providing specialized support to delivering PCVE, CT or other related projects is an asset.
• Previous engagement with civil society organizations, women’s organizations and women peacebuilders is desirable.
• Experience in developing research, organizing interviews, and focus groups is an asset.
• Publication of research outputs on gender is an asset.
• Previous experience in advocacy and/or monitoring and evaluation of initiatives is an asset.

Language

• Fluency in English (spoken and written) is required
• Working level knowledge of other UN working languages is an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement - ICA retainer modality. A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contract is awarded and issued. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work

Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (I-ICA 2) Contract duration: ASAP - 31 December 2021 (retainer)

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above) Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.