Programme Support Assistant

Volunteering Finance & Economy

Overview

Support the Women Economic Empowerment programme activities in Kenya.

You have:

• Demonstrate a strong interest or experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Experience in organizing events and workshops is highly regarded.
• Strong analytical skills are required.
• Strong communication and coordination skills are essential.
• Familiarity with UN systems and gender issues is desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital collaboration tools is required.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and stakeholders is important.
• Understanding of gender mainstreaming in development programmes is required.
• Familiarity with Results-Based Management (RBM) and Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks.

Contract

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

UN Women Kenya is part of the global UN Women entity, which is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Kenya Country Office works in close collaboration with government institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to advance women’s rights and promote inclusive development. Its strategic priorities include ending violence against women and girls, enhancing women’s economic empowerment, and increasing women’s leadership and participation in governance and peacebuilding.

UN Women Kenya works to promote gender equality and empower women and girls through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, and programmatic interventions. The International UNV Youth Volunteer will support the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) programme, which focuses on increasing access to economic opportunities for women, especially in rural and marginalized communities.

In Kenya, UN Women plays a pivotal role in supporting national policy frameworks such as the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy and the implementation of international commitments like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The office also contributes to humanitarian response and resilience-building efforts, ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into all stages of emergency planning and recovery. Youth engagement is a growing focus for UN Women Kenya, recognizing the critical role young people play in driving social change and innovation. Through partnerships with youth-led organizations and initiatives, the office promotes youth participation in gender equality advocacy, leadership development, and community mobilization. The International Youth UN Volunteer will be part of this dynamic environment contributing fresh perspectives and energy to ongoing programmes while gaining valuable experience in multilateral development work.

WEE is part of the UN’s Joint Corporation Framework’s SP (Strategic Priority) 2 which contributes to the following Kenya’s national development priorities namely: Kenya Vision 2030, Outcome COP 26, National strategic plan for climate change 2018-2022, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) 5 years Strategic plan 2019-2024, National strategy for the 10% tree cover, MTP (Medium Term Plan) III (MTP IV), Big 4 Agenda, County Integrated Development Plans (CIDP), Ending Drought Emergencies Framework (EDEF), Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs), Women’s Economic Empowerment Strategy (2020-2025), Kenya National Adaptation Plan 2015-2030, A Climate Risk Management Framework for Kenya, 2016, Kenya Industrial Transformation Programme, Kenya National Youth Development Policy, 2019, National Climate Change Action Plan (2018-2022), Generation Equality Forum commitments made by the Government of Kenya in June 2021, Civil Registration Strategic Plan, 2018-2023.

Under the direct supervision of Women Economic Empowerment Teal Lead the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Supports planning, implementation and monitoring of the WEE unit programmes, including training workshops and community outreach. • Assists in organizing stakeholder consultations, workshops, and advocacy and awareness events on women’s rights and economic empowerment. • Participates in drafting reports, briefing notes, and communication materials for internal and external communication. • Contributes to data collection and analysis for programme planning, evaluation and reporting. • As part of a team, liaise with government counterparts, civil society, and UN agencies. • Promotes UNV values, volunteerism and gender equality in all activities through community and stakeholder engagement.

Integrity Professionalism Respect for Diversity

The candidate must demonstrate a strong interest and/or experience in gender equality, women’s empowerment, human rights, economic empowerment, programme management, agricultural development, and/or rural development, with the ability to support programme planning, coordination, and implementation in both development and humanitarian contexts. Additionally:

• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship or volunteer work) and experience in organizing events, workshops, and advocacy campaigns would be highly regarded. • Strong analytical, strong communication, teamwork, and coordination skills; familiarity with UN systems, gender issues, WEE thematic area and youth engagement is desirable
• Understanding of gender mainstreaming in development programmes and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, SharePoint). • Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and stakeholders, including government, civil society, and UN agencies. • Familiarity with Results-Based Management (RBM) and Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks.

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually.

More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO). Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP.

The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.

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Potential interview questions

Added 7 months ago - Updated 7 months ago - Source: unv.org