Background

The United Nation’s engagement in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka will be further strengthened through better collaborations between UN Agencies that would help meet the objectives of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) by 2017. This work is largely done through the Gender Theme Group (GTG), which comprises UN agency staff members, who undertake agency specific work on gender.

The Gender Consultant will support the work of the GTG and at the Resident Coordinator’s Office that falls within the framework of the 2013-2017 UNDAF. S/he will support areas of normative assistance, advocacy and programming, including effectively mainstreaming gender across the work of the UNCT in Sri Lanka.

This consultancy is expected to result in a strengthened UN engagement in the area of gender equality, contributing to women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka and increased awareness and advocacy to address women’s issues. This assignment will support processes for ensuring gender sensitivity in the UNDAF (2013-2017) and mainstreaming gender across the work of the UNCT in Sri Lanka.

The Gender Consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Head, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO).

Duties and Responsibilities

Manage coordination and liaison functions for the GTG and related UNDAF activities:

• Provide support to the Chair of the GTG in preparing for and convening bi-monthly GTG meetings, consolidation of meeting minutes, providing an update at meetings and through emails, and inviting inputs.
•  Liaise with Government Ministerial officials as required and identified by the GTG by convening meetings and supporting inputs for the Chair etc.
• Provide gender related inputs into action plans developed by UNDAF Pillar Groups of the UNDAF.
  

Support the provision of substantive and technical inputs to the UNRC and UN Country Team:

• Lead the preparations and implement activities for UN Days as identified.
•  Support the Head of the UNRCO to prepare periodic reports to the UNCT on the gender situation as required and consolidating material and preparing drafts of briefing notes/speeches for the Resident Coordinator. 
•  Support the inter-agency communications group and UNCT to advocate on gender issues with partners and the media, including preparing key messages, advocacy strategies, public information materials, newsletter contributions and press releases.
  

Assist in mainstreaming gender into development initiatives:

• Work together with the M&E Group and the GTG in developing performance indicators and targets to enhance gender-responsive UN programming and operations.
•  Collate available gender-responsive tool kits and checklists for monitoring and evaluating relevant development programmes.
• Promote awareness and dissemination of relevant resource materials on gender mainstreaming to UN staff, including compilation of information on gender policies of donors and the government.
  

Provide management and oversight functions:

• Manage contracts, budgeting and operational tasks related to the initiative including liaising with the donor.
•  Support the Head of RCO to manage consultants and service providers who work on specific assignments.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the Head of the RCO/ and/or the GTG Chair.

• A functioning and dynamic Gender Theme Group, which includes preparation before meetings, organizing meetings and ensuring that decisions taken at these meetings are implemented, producing meeting minutes, supporting and finalizing a gender mapping exercise detailing gender focused and integrated initiatives, managing activities related to the Gender Platform (a multi-stakeholder advocacy initiative), maintaining a roster/database of gender and capacity development experts with appropriate subject specializations, language skills and field experience, and managing research initiatives implemented through existing funding;
• Managing service providers who have undertakenresearch initiatives implemented under the current programme and facilitating activities related to International Women’s Day in 2014 in February and March, including planning and managing activities related to the event with other members of the GTG, UNWOMEN, UN agencies, civil society and relevant Government institutions;
• Supporting gender mainstreaming into development initiatives and the UNDAF through a detailed analysis of available data and UN thematic evaluation and assessment reports; finalization of the shadow indicators for the UNDAF logframe and ensuring these are gender sensitive and providing selected input as instructed by the Head of the RCO into project and programme proposals and activities;
• Supporting plans for mobilizing funding in order to continue gender work at the RCO, which includes a continuation of ongoing focus related to the UNDAF and GTG as well as bringing in new focus areas as relevant in the context of Sri Lanka. In addition managing existing funds and reporting requirements will have to be met. 

Competencies

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda

• Skills in analysing the gender situation and creating effective advocacy and communication strategies to address gender issues.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

• Developing and identifying links across programme activities to help mainstream gender

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

•  Able to seek a broad range of perspectives when developing project proposals;
•  Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking.

• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
•  Demonstrates a knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments .
  

Required Skills and Experience