Background
This position is for Nepalese nationals only.
Under the overall guidance of the Country Director and the direct supervision of the Deputy Country Director, the Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will advise both Senior Management and programme staff on gender and social inclusion issues and policies, on incorporating human rights based approaches into, and on mainstreaming gender and social inclusion in, the UNDP Country Programme. The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will provide analysis for formulation of strategies and briefings to Senior Management. The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will work closely with Government counterparts to identify policy options for gender mainstreaming and social inclusion and to enhance the policy impact of UNDP projects and programmes. The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will advocate for and represent UNDP at stakeholder meetings on gender and social inclusion programme matters and maintain close liaison with bi-lateral donors as part of resource mobilization and ensure effective coordination and implementation of UNDP initiatives on gender and social inclusion. The Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist will work to strengthen capacity of Country Office, programme and project Staff, and Government counterparts for human rights based programming, and gender mainstreaming and social inclusion.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Advice CD, DCDs and ACDs, and programme / operation colleagues on effective implementation of UNDP’s gender policies, guidelines and tools, especially in the current and new programmes/initiatives.
- Effective application of the human rights based approach to programme formulation and programming in the UNDP Country Office.
- Gender, social inclusion and human rights mainstreamed in UNDP’s Country Programme.
- Effective application of UNDP RBM tools and monitoring of the achievement of programme results with respect to gender and social inclusion, including development of gender and social-inclusion related indicators and guidance on gender budgeting.
- Gender and/or social inclusion technical reports, analyses, briefing papers and other documents suitable for advocacy purposes and information dissemination based on the outputs of programme work
- Contribution to the management of the CO and participation in statutory committees.
2. Provide advice and options to Government counterparts and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:
- Facilitation of policy dialogue on gender and social inclusion issues with Government, donors, civil society, private sector, contributions to development of policies as relevant
- Provision of policy options, particularly from pro-poor, pro-women and pro-disadvantaged caste/ethnic groups perspectives, on development issues to government and other development actors, in particular to ensure that gender, social inclusion and the Millennium Development Goals are mainstreamed into national programme and planning frameworks and strategies such as the Eleventh Development Plan
- Provision of policy advice on mainstreaming gender, social inclusion and the Millennium Development Goals into the monitoring frameworks supporting development plans and strategies.
- Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice through identification of best practices and lessons learned.
- Development of partnerships with UN Agencies, IFIs, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector and civil society especially in the area of gender, social inclusion and human rights based approach programming
- Resources mobilized to support gender and social inclusion mainstreaming programmes or gender and social inclusion sensitive development programmes
- Establish key entry points for national policy and strategy initiatives, advocacy and mobilization of needed resources. Prepare technical reports, analyses, briefing papers and other documents suitable for advocacy purposes and information dissemination based on the outputs of programme work.
- Coordinate the provision of technical assistance to the CO and implementing partners on all matters related to gender and social inclusion.
- Coordinate with and involve the national machinery of gender equality, women’s rights advocates, women in business and professional organizations and other pertinent civic actors with a view to ensure CO activities and resources are aligned with national policies and address gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- Identify and develop strategic partnership with regional and international research and training institutions for highly customized capacity-building, research and advocacy of key development agendas.
- In support of the senior management, identify the critical leads and seek out information on resources and facilities which target to fund gender equality initiatives for resource mobilization.
- Public and policy advocacy for equitable progress towards the Millennium Development Goals
- Contributions to gender and social inclusion sensitive UN Country Team documents necessary for the development of the UNDP Country Programme, the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)
- Technical inputs to and promotion of UNDP positions in relevant inter-agency technical working groups and other donor groups.
- Identify timely and pressing national gender agendas, develop positions in alignment with the mandates of UN agencies and international conventions, and advocate with civil society and other pertinent civic actors to advance these goals, especially women, peace and security, citizenship and women’s participation.
- Together with CO-colleagues, especially with Development Communication Officer, actively engage in identifying and developing news articles, media products and advocacy materials to advance policy messages.
- Effective, needs-based training and capacity building support for UNDP staff, project staff, Government officials, private sector and civil society on gender, social inclusion, and human rights based approaches to programming
- Development of a human rights based, gender and social inclusion sensitive UNDP Country Programme.
- Orient CO staff on workplace related gender issues in collaboration with the Learning Committee and Human Resources Specialist.
Competencies
- Creates effective advocacy strategies
- Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
- Provides information for linkages across programme activities to help identify critical points of integration
- Provides information and documentation on specific stages of projects/programme implementation
- Provides background information to identify opportunities for project development and helps drafting proposals
- Participates in the formulation of project proposals
- Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda
- Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners
- Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings
- Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals
- Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations
- Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking
- Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor
- Analyzes information on potential bilateral donors and national counterparts to recommend a strategic approach
- Identifies and compiles lessons learned
- Develops a resource mobilization strategy at the country level
- Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches
- Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms
- Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines
- Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally
- Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments
- Demonstrates comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments
- Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
- Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it for use at country level
- Anticipates client needs
- Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider
- Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective
- Solicits feedback on service provision and quality
- Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
- Building support and political acumen
- Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
- Building and promoting effective teams
- Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
- Creating an emotionally intelligent organization
- Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards
- Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
- Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking
Required Skills and Experience