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.

The Markets for Change - Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Projects (hereinafter referred to as the M4C Programme) is a six year initiative aimed at ensuring that marketplaces in rural and urban areas in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are safe, inclusive and non-discriminatory environments, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The M4C Programme aims to promote the gender, social and economic empowerment of market vendors, with specific attention to the needs and aspirations of women market vendors. Through the creation of representative groups in marketplaces, a focus on economic security, the strengthening of local government institutions, procedures and development approach, and the design and building of gender-responsive infrastructure, market vendors will be able to influence decision-making on market management and resource allocation, supporting the economic and social empowerment of market vendors, and the advancement of women market vendors. In Solomon Islands, a total of 3 Market, Honiara Central Market, Auki Provincial Market and Kukum market (Kukum Market’s inclusion in the M4C project will be dependent on year 1 negotiations with Honiara City Council) will be reached over the course of the Project. Evidence to date underlines support by provincial and local government and market management. 

Markets for Change (M4C) Programme will use a multi-sectoral approach to build on previous work done by UN Women, and other UN agencies and partners, to strengthen the present network of market vendors, empower women market vendors and create an enabling environment for their growth. M4C will also support gender-responsive and universally accessible infrastructures regarding market extensions and refurbishments. For the Markets for Change project in Solomon Islands, UN Women will act as the Implementing Agent with UNDP acting as the Responsible Party for the delivery of Outcome 2 of the project as part of the programming for Women’s Economic Empowerment.

Under the direct supervision of the Representative of the Fiji Multi-Country Office (Fiji MCO), supported by the Programme Specialist Women Economic Empowerment and the Solomon Islands Country Programme Coordinator, the Project Manager will act as the team leader for the M4C project with the overall responsibility for the project management and implementation in the Solomon Islands office, ensuring high quality of work for project implementation, strategic partnerships, financial and human resource management, and knowledge building.
 
The Project Manager will adopt an approach focusing on quality and result oriented management. He/ She will work in close collaboration with UN Women Fiji MCO and Solomon Islands programme and project teams as well as its Operations Unit, in addition to the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and Pacific and HQ teams, in order to implement project activities and ensure maximization of the impact of M4C projects’ beneficiaries, and to exchange information and ensure complementarity in service delivery with sister UN agencies and other national/international stakeholders, while ensuring consistency with the Solomon Islands UNDAF and other National Development priorities and adequate responses to emerging challenges and opportunities

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:
  • Management of UN Women’s M4C project activities in Solomon Islands;
  • Determining the direction of UN Women’s M4C programming in Solomon Islands;
  • Building partnerships and supporting resource mobilization for UN Women and M4C interventions in Solomon Islands;
  • Managing the financial and human resources of UN Women’s M4C projects in Solomon Islands.

Description of Key Functions:

Management of the M4C Project:
  • Supervise and lead the development of project work plans, budget plans, procurement plans and operational plans with the related detailed budget allocations for project implementation;
  • Lead and supervise the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and other activities related to the implementation and sustainability of the projects;
  • Manage the M4C project resources and administration to ensure proper accountability for and utilization of allocated funds;
  • Continuously monitor the implementation of activities and budget expenditures and ensure that projects’ implementation is in line with agreed upon work plans and related time frames;
  • Ensure evidence based and disaggregated data collection and prepare narrative reports on projects’ progress, oversee projects’ review and ensure UN Women’s visibility across projects’ implementation is compliant with UN Women’s rules and regulations;
  • Work closely with governmental and local partners to ensure ownership and delivery of projects’ results;
  • Ensure that close cooperation and coordination is maintained with project partners and existing and future consultative committees for project implementation;
  • Ensure regular technical briefings for M4C project donors;
  • Oversee the procurement actions under the project.
Direction of M4C Programming in  Solomon Islands:
  • Provide inputs into planning, monitoring and evaluation of UN Women’s work in Solomon Islands related to women’s rights and protection, including the identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation;
  • Contribute to M4C programme strategies and other programming documents, and ensure their effective implementation;
  • Create linkages and synergies between M4C project and other UN Women programmes and projects to maximize impact for targeted beneficiaries;
  • Liaise with governmental and non-governmental national stakeholders to maintain discussions and ensure proper planning for addressing strategic priorities;
  • Ensure technical support and advice on issues related to women’s rights and protection is provided, as needed, to governmental counterparts and non-state actors and UN Agencies;
  • Identify and share with the office, emerging protection planning related to women’s rights issues.
Partnership and Support to Resource Mobilization
  • Liaise, within the overall framework of UN Women MCO Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, with implementing bodies, governmental organizations, donor agencies, UN Agencies and NGOs in order to strengthen the network of support to women’s rights and protection-related issues and widen the potentialities of the M4C managed project;
  • Liaise with donors, raise and maintain interest in areas of women’s protection and rights relevant to the Solomon Islands context, including emerging areas;
  • Support resource mobilization efforts for ensuring the sustainability of existing M4C project and funding new ones.
  • Formulate funding proposals and prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, analyze and research information on relevant donors, and support the identification of opportunities for cost-sharing;
  • Ensure wide strategic communication of the project’s findings, good practices and lessons learned to local, national, regional and global partners including UN agencies.
Ensure that the M4C Projects have the human resources and capacities needed to respond to requests for assistance and to deliver on project commitments
  • Supervise personnel assigned to M4C project;
  • Support M4C monthly planning of the work and regularly follow up on developments and challenges.
  • Hold regular M4C project staff meetings;
  • Coordinate M4C projects’ staff participation in external coordination meetings and other activities related to M4C work;
  • Provide clear direction and monitor performance of staff working on the projects based on specific benchmarks. 
  • Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing including synthesis and dissemination of lessons learnt and best practices in procurement and operational areas;
  • Ensure linkages are established and maintained with other UN Women programmes and projects;
  • Provide constant briefing/debriefing of senior management, staff and project teams on issues relating to area of work;
  • Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Impact of Results:

The overall impact of the M4C Project Manager’s portfolio will manifest in terms of: improved services and facilities for women, enhanced capacities among national stakeholders, better informed and engaged partners and donors, increased visibility and impact of the work of UN Women in the field of women’s economic empowerment. The key results have an impact on the efficiency, effectiveness and overall quality of delivery of the M4C project. Proper management and execution of the project in addition to provision of support to strategic and policy development will ultimately enhance the capacity of the M4C project’s teams and programmes and promote the image of UN Women as an effective contributor to women’s rights and protection in Solomon Islands.

Competencies

Core Values and Guiding Principles:

Integrity:
  • Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
Professionalism:
  • Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
  • Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.
Core Competencies:
Ethics and Values:
  • Demonstrate and promote ethics and integrity by creating organizational precedents.
Organizational Awareness:
  • Build support for the organization and ensure political acumen;
  • Environment of creativity and innovation.
Work in teams:
  • Build and promote effective teams. Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
Communication and Information Sharing:
  • Create and promote an environment for open and effective communication.
Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:
  • Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.
Conflict Management:
  • Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
  • Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Share knowledge across the organization and build a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
  • Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Ensure fair and transparent decision making processes and manage risk.

Functional Competencies:

  • Ability to fully assist in formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
  • Ability to substantially support strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
  • Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
  • Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/ attitudinal change.
  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
  • Lead teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
  • Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
  • Focuses on impact and result for the partners and responds positively to feedback .

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in International Development, Gender, Human Rights, Applied Anthropology, or in other related Social Sciences.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in international development work preferably focused on or strongly involving gender equality at national, regional or international levels;
  • Professional experience in project development/ management and coordination, as well as in budget preparation.   UN experience is considered an asset.

Language:

  • Fluency in English is required. 
  • Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset .

Application Information:
  • All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment;
  • 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;
  • UN Women will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.
Note:

In July 2010, the United nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment.