UN WOMEN Jobs - 106768- Programme Associate - Ending Violence Against Wome

Programme Associate - Ending Violence Against Women & Girls / EVAWG (Open to Vanuatu Nationals ONLY)

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Port Vila, VANUATU

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jul-2022

Application Deadline :

08-Jun-22 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

One (1) year.

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

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, peace, and security.

The scope of work of the Programme Associate requires experience and in-depth understanding of administration or programme management/support; Microsoft Office and spreadsheet and database packages and previous work in gender, human rights, ending violence against women and girls, business, public policy or a related field, to translate UN Women's strategic plans into effective programmes and results in Vanuatu.

The UN Women Pacific Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Suva, Fiji and works alongside the 19 other UN agencies in the region and in 14 countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Under its Strategic Note 2018-2022, UN Women Fiji MCO focuses on delivering on four interlinked programme areas underpinned by support for intergovernmental and normative processes:

Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership
Women’s Economic Empowerment
Ending Violence against Women
Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Reduction

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) in the Pacific

The Pacific has some of the world’s highest reported rates of violence against women, with studies showing that up to 68% of women are affected. To respond to the rates of violence in the Pacific, UN Women has developed a comprehensive EVAW programme which takes a transformative approach to prevent violence against women and girls at multiple levels (regional, national and community), and to ensure survivors have access to quality response services.

UN Women’s EVAW programme is primarily implemented under the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (hereafter referred to as ‘Pacific Partnership’). The Pacific Partnership (2018-2023) brings together governments, civil society organizations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors. The EUR22.7million programme is funded primarily by the European Union, with targeted support from the governments of Australia and in June 2019, the Programme integrated Vanuatu as a priority country as the Government of New Zealand has made an investment of $4 million NZD (2.7 USD) for VAWG prevention and response support. The Pacific Partnership is implemented through three coordinating agencies – the Pacific Community (SPC), UN Women and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

Vanuatu has high rates of violence against women and girls. According to the Vanuatu National Survey on Women’s Lives and Family Relationships (VNS), conducted by the Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) and the Vanuatu National Statistics Office (VNSO) in 2009, 60% of women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced either physical or sexual violence (or both) by a husband or intimate partner and more than two in three (68%) experienced emotional violence. Women living with physical and/or sexual violence are more likely to have had restrictions placed on their mobility, participation in organisations, and access to education.’ In line with global data, women and girls in Vanuatu are more likely to have experienced violence at the hands of someone known to them (60%), than they are from a stranger, reinforcing the need for programming that focuses on gender equality, including challenging gender norms/stereotypes and attitudes and structures that condone or support violence, whilst enabling healthy relationships and ensuring access to quality services.

The VNS also showed that there are high levels of social cohesion in Vanuatu, with much trust given to chiefs and church leaders, and an important support base within the community in favour of women’s rights and non-violent approaches to resolving conflict in families. These factors put Vanuatu in a strong position to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against women. Vanuatu’s Constitution also guarantees men and women equal treatment under the law. Vanuatu has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the CEDAW Optional Protocol. Commitments to gender equality have featured in Vanuatu Government plans over the years and several policies, strategies and initiatives have emerged over the last four years that provide an enabling environment for eliminating violence against women.

The overall goal of the Pacific Partnership programme regionally, and in Vanuatu, is to bring together governments, civil society organizations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls, and increase access to quality response services for survivors. The three key outcome areas are foundational, inter-related, and structured to progress social change and eliminate violence against women and girls through (a) advancing favorable social norms, attitudes and behaviors promoted at the individual and community levels to prevent VAWG; (b) ensuring that women and girls who experience violence have access to quality essential services (health, social service, police and justice) to recover from violence; and (c) adopting and implementing laws, policies and strategies in-line with international standards and informed by voices of women survivors in order to prevent and respond to all forms of VAWG.

The programme’s main partners in Vanuatu are the Department of Women Affairs (DWA), Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) and the Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) who will work together towards the overall objective of preventing VAWG and promoting gender equality. This will be achieved by challenging negative social norms and practices through innovative approaches to prevention through faith, sports and communities; enhancing awareness and practice of respectful relationships and gender equality among women, men, girls and boys; and increasing access to essential services for survivors of VAWG; and strengthening the capacity of the DWA to lead on overall national efforts to addressing VAWG.

Reporting to the Technical Specialist Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (P3), the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the EVAWG Team and partners in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations in Vanuatu. S/he contributes to procurement, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with partners and the operations and programme staff in the Vanuatu Field Office and Fiji Multi Country Office as required for resolving complex finance and operational related issues and exchange of information.

The Programme Associate further supports the Suva based EVAW Programme and Deputy Programme Manager, Programme Management Support Specialist and Finance Officer in their coordination roles towards the Pacific Partnership Programme in Vanuatu. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Fiji UNW MCO and Vanuatu office team as required.

Key responsibilities include:

Administration and logistical support to management of EVAWG programs and financial operations in Vanuatu;
Coordinating procurement for UN Women and Department of Women’s Affairs in Vanuatu;
Provide advanced administrative support to the EVAWG Team in Vanuatu;
Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide advanced administrative and logistical support to management of the programme and its financial operations

Provide administrative support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, strategies and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
Provide technical inputs to UN Women field and multi country office and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
Support the review and coordination of the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports;
Monitor budget preparation and programme finances; prepare periodic reports; finalize FACE forms;
Maintain internal expenditures control system; post transactions, create requisitions, register goods receipts in Atlas;
Coordinate the collection of data for programme audits and support implementation of audit recommendations
Support the coordination of inputs for EVAWG baselines, milestones and targets

Coordinate procurement for the EVAWG Programme in Vanuatu

Review procurement requests and initiate procurement specifications and sourcing in coordination with Fiji MCO support the team in evaluating and monitoring the suppliers’ performance coordinate their services;
Organize procurement activities and processes, including preparation and conduct of Request for Quotations, Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposals, the opening and evaluation of tenders
Coordinate contract negotiations, prepare request for award of contract for the review and approval of relevant authorities, as required
Review procurement processes and submissions to the Procurement Review Committee
Coordinate assets management for the Vanuatu EVAWG team, prepare and submit periodic inventory reports, and coordinate physical verification of inventory items.

Provide advanced administrative support to the EVAWG Team in Vanuatu

Oversee all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization of meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
Oversee travel arrangements for the EVAWG Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
Prepare public information materials, briefing packets, powerpoints and minutes
Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials
Consult with high level officials on administrative issues;
Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials.

Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization

Contribute to the development of project documents, no cost extension documents, cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up within the Field Office and Multi-Country Office on resource mobilization efforts;
Organize, compile and process information from partners, donors, Field Office, Multi Country Office, as inputs to various databases and documents;
Support compilation of narrative, outputs and results to inform quarterly and donor reporting.

Facilitate communications, knowledge management and advocacy

Support implementation, analysis and communication of Programme outputs and outcomes;
Support synthesis of lessons learnt, and best practices related to programme management and implementation;
Coordinate with partners and consultants to develop a communications strategy for an EVAWG prevention and service delivery campaign;
Coordinate and provide administrative support for training of Programme staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Competencies

Key Performance Indicators:

Timely and accurate procurement and logistical support to events, workshops, and missions;
Full compliance of administrative and programming activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
Timely recording of overall Programme finances;
Timely and accurate tracking of data for UN Women Vanuatu Field Office/Multi-country Office and Regional Office management and donor purposes;
Quality maintenance of internal systems;
Quality information, reporting and presentation materials.

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

Strong knowledge of programme management;
Ability to execute administrative and procurement processes and transactions
Ability to create, edit, synthesize and present information in clear and presentable formats;
Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems;
Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
Excellent financial and budgeting skills;
Excellent IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Completion of secondary education required.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Administration, Gender, Human Rights, Accounting, Finance or Public Policy is an asset but not a requirement.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support;
Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages (Microsoft Office package and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages);
Experience in the use of web-based management systems including ATLAS is an asset;
Experience in working in gender, human rights, ending violence against women and girls, business, public policy or a related field
Experience in supporting a team.

Language:

Fluency in Bislama and English is required;
Working knowledge in another local dialect or another official UN language is an asset.

UN Women Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

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).