Spotlight Afghanistan Technical Lead Coordinator (EVAW)

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 134,636 USD and 173,585 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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.

About the Spotlight Programme in Afghanistan

The Spotlight Initiative (SI) in Afghanistan main goal is to reduce the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices (HP) against women and girls in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan SI initiative aims at targeting the most at risk groups, to accelerate efforts towards the elimination sexual gender-based violence and harmful practices. The initiative is tailored to promote Agenda 2030’s guiding principle of “leaving no one behind”. Across the six Pillars, the SI in Afghanistan will bring women and girls, including those with intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization, to the centre of the interventions, recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls, and their unique experiences and solutions they bring based on their intersectional identities, is the key to design and implement a programme that responds to the needs and priorities of women and girls of Afghanistan in all their diversity. The SI in Afghanistan will work across the socio-ecological model, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach, to prevent and respond to SGBV/HP and impact lasting change at the national, sub-national, community and individual levels. The initiative will be informed by a comprehensive prevention strategy to addresses structural issues through this socio ecological model. The SI in Afghanistan has an important focus on the prevention of SGBV/HP (pillar 3) and the provision of comprehensive services (pillar 4).

Under Pillar 1, SI will support the Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission to enhance the evidence-based knowledge on ending SGBV/HP. Under Pillar 2, key national stakeholders will be identified, supported and a national platform will be created to support the development and implementation of evidence-based plans and programming on ending SGBV/HP (including the National Action Plan to Eliminate Early and Child Marriage and the National Strategy and National Action Plan on the Elimination of Violence against Women 2016 – 2020). Under Pillar 3, multi-level and multi-stakeholders initiatives working across the socio-ecological levels will be implemented to address the root causes of SGBV/HP and prevent it, working with schools, communities, young people and the media. Under Pillar 4, coordinated, comprehensive and quality services will be promoted, in line with international standards. Under pillar 5, the SI will work with key stakeholders, including national statistic office, the police and civil society, to promote quality and comparable data on SGBV/HP to inform laws, policies and service provision. Under Pillar 6, the SI will support women’s movement building and the creation of platforms, inclusive of most marginalized, small, young and grass-roots organisations to effectively advocate and influence SGBV/HP and gender equality progress.

National actions will be connected with efforts at provincial and district level outside the capital (where the vast majority of the population lives) to strengthen the flow of information, expansion and reach of programming and operations as well as the engagement of communities. The SI will be implemented at the national level in Kabul and in 3 provinces: Paktia, Kandahar and Herat. The functionality and impact of existing coordination mechanisms and institutions working on SGBV/HP will also inform and be informed by provincial and district level programming. In doing so, key coordination and decision-making structures at national level will be informed by the voices and experiences of traditionally marginalized communities

The Programme has also innovations that will further enhance efforts to capitalize on lessons learned and link to existing efforts under the UN and other development partners’ programming on SGBV, SRHR, etc. contributing to build knowledge and good practices in preventing SGBV/HP and improving women’s and girls’ life and that of the most left behind through access to quality, integrated essential services that include SRH, justice, and psychosocial support in line with survivor centred and child centred approach standards.

Reporting to UN Women Deputy Country Representative and coordinating closely with the UN Resident Coordinator, the Spotlight Afghanistan Technical Lead Coordination exercises overall responsibility for planning, implementing, coordinating and reporting on the entire Spotlight programme in Afghanistan. The Spotlight Afghanistan Technical Lead Coordinator works closely with the Programme Coordinator, Steering Committee, Resident Coordinators Office, implementing agencies as well as other stakeholders. The Spotlight Afghanistan Technical Lead Coordinator provides technical guidance and oversight, oversees reporting and monitoring, supervises the Programme Technical Unit and ensures overall coherence in the implementation of the programme. The Technical Lead Coordinator, in coordination with the SI Coordination Team, will lead the Technical Coordination, and will provide coherence oversight across the technical aspects of the programme through coordination amongst the Recipient UN Organisations’ technical focal points. The Technical Lead Coordinator also coordinates with Recipient UN Organisations’ staff responsible for M&E, Reporting, and Communications. The Technical Coordinator convenes the Inter-Agency Technical Team, consisting of all Recipient UN Organisations, EU and National Civil Society Reference Group representatives.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Guide the implementation and management of the Spotlight programme in Afghanistan

• Report to the Resident Coordinator on programme performance and results
• Provide strategic thinking, technical advice and innovative approaches to facilitating programme interventions;
• Provide strategic support to achieve programme outcomes and outputs
• Ensure the timely coordination and management of the Spotlight Programme
• Facilitate consolidation of joint annual work plans and budgets with the support of the Coordination and Reporting Officer
• Provide programme advisory support, updates and information to the Steering Committee, implementing partners and other stakeholders;
• Regularly communicate with the Spotlight Initiative Secretariat Technical Unit in New York

2. Oversee technical assistance and capacity development to the Spotlight initiative in Afghanistan

• Ensure overall coherence of the programme across pillars, in line with Country Programme document;
• Guide the process of delivery of technical assistance and engagement with partners, as per the planned activities within the Country Programme
• Build, manage, and expand relationships with national partners to support implementation of the Spotlight programme; respond to any potential problems;
• Provide partners with advanced technical guidance, training and capacity development initiatives.

3. Provide programme development advisory services and develop programmes related to the Spotlight Programme

• Oversee the design and formulation of programme proposals and initiatives;
• Identify programmatic areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectorial areas;
• Finalize and provide technical inputs into programme/ project proposals, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to the Spotlight programme;
• Organize periodic consultations with key stakeholders, women leaders, human rights experts and UN partners to gather inputs on programme design, as necessary.

4. Manage the monitoring and reporting of the programme

• Working closely with the International M&E Specialist and the Coordination and Reporting Specialist hosted by the Resident Coordinator Office:
  • Prepare analytical reviews and systematically capture lessons learnt from the programme implementation
  • Manage the process of monitoring the programme implementation of activities and finances using results-based management tools;
  • Identify and monitor programme risks and provide support and guidance to mitigate and address them
  • Oversee the elaboration of narrative / annual reports for final clearance by the RC
• Manage the mid-term evaluation and thematic/periodic evaluation

5. Manage the people and financial resources of the Spotlight programme

• Manage the programme budget and finalize financial reports;
• Manage the Programme technical unit; mentor and coach staff and conduct performance assessments;
• Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary

6. Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies

• Provide technical and coordination support to all agencies and RC in the development of a joint resource mobilization and sustainability strategy for the programme
• Finalize relevant documentation on donors and develop potential opportunities for resource mobilization;

7. Manage coordination between the different UN agencies to achieve a coherent and aligned presence of the Spotlight initiative in Afghanistan

• Provide substantive technical support to the Resident Coordinator on inter-agency coordination related activities by attending meetings, events, and participating in groups and committees;
• Coordinate with other UN agencies, government departments, donors and NGOs to ensure the projects’ capacity development programme is harmonized and aligned with other in-country efforts;

8. Lead and support advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

• Represent the Spotlight Programme in meetings and policy dialogues;
• Working closely with the Inter-agency Communication Specialist hosted by UNICEF and the Communications Officer hosted by the Resident Coordinator Office, support Spotlight communications and visibility efforts
• Working closely with the M&E Specialist hosted by the Resident Coordinator Office, oversee the development of knowledge management strategies and methodologies and products on the Spotlight programme

Key Performance Indicators:

• Timely and quality programme strategies and contributions
• Timely and quality of programme delivery in line with budget, workplans and the Programme Document
• Strong and clear leadership/ supervision of team

• Partners and other stakeholder provide positive feedback on advisory and technical services

• Quality reports and timely submission

• Quality of advocacy, communication and knowledge management initiatives
• Resources mobilized
• Strong relationships with donors, partners and other stakeholders

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

• Excellent knowledge in violence against women prevention and response

• Excellent programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills

• Ability to develop detailed operational plans, budgets, and deliver on them
• Excellent knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making
• Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation
• Strong networking skills
• Ability to negotiate and interact with donors, identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification would be an added advantage

Work experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Technical experience in violence against women prevention and response;
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an asset;
• Experience working in the UN System is an asset;
• Experience in leading/managing a team is an asset.

Language requirement:

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

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-p11-personal-history-form.doc?la=en&vs=558. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.