UN WOMEN Jobs - 3998- Programme Manager China

Programme Manager China

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Beijing, CHINA

Type of Contract :

ALD International

Starting Date :

01-May-2008

Application Deadline :

21-Mar-08 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

ALD-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

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

UNIFEM established its project office in China in 1998 and provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster gender equality and women's empowerment. UNIFEM works in partnership with UN organisations, governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and networks on gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment strategies.

UNIFEM is the managing agency for the China Gender Facility (CGF), an initiative designed to promote advocacy and social dialogue on gender equality and women's empowerment in the development and implementation of policies and laws in China. Composed of government, UN agencies, multi-lateral and bilateral development agencies and civil society partners, CGF provides funding for innovative and catalytic proposals within the framework provided by the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) in China. The focus of CGF includes:

Working with and for gender advocates to develop strategies which will be translated into information and materials for dissemination through various means, including websites;
Promoting better understanding of gender issues among those influencing policy (by equipping them as gender advocates e.g. press, trade unions, employers and academia)
Increasing the gender awareness and capacity of policy-makers;
Promoting dialogue among women's movement, policy-makers as well as donors

UNIFEM implemented a joint programme on HIV/AIDS in 2006 entitled, "Strengthening Party and Government Leadership in Addressing HIV/AIDS from Gender Perspective in Guangdong Party School" with particular focus on mainstreaming the gender and HIV/AIDS prevention component into the Guangdong Party School training curriculum. This project was successful in raising and strengthening political leaders' awareness of the integral relationship between gender and HIV, and the need to incorporate gender concerns when developing policy response towards HIV. A continued phase of this project has been designed based on request from Guangdong Party School as well as the Central Party School to replicate model curriculum on Gender and HIV/AIDS used in Guangdong Party School for the Central Party School and will begin implementation at the end of 2007.

To address the above, UNIFEM will be enhancing its country presence in China through the recruitment of a UNIFEM Programme Manager (international position), based in Beijing, China

Duties and Responsibilities

The UNIFEM Programme Manager, China will work under the supervision and guidance of the Regional Programme Director (RPD), and will work closely with the focal point Programme Specialist for China, UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office (ESEARO), both based in Bangkok, as well as maintain close communication with the Technical Advisor (TBC) for China Gender Facility based in Beijing. Specific duties include:

Manage ongoing programme activities in China, more specifically (a) Coordinate, manage and monitor UNIFEM country programme implementation to ensure synergy and results, ensuring that gender equality principles are mainstreamed into China's Plan for National Economic and Social Development; provide strategic and technical support to government counterparts to advance implementation of the concluding comments and the Outline for the Development of Chinese Women; facilitate engagement of NGO actors with a view to supporting strategic collective action between NGOs as well as improved cooperation between NGOs and the government; and ensure that the Programme work plan is effectively implemented to deliver anticipated results; (b) Provide oversight and technical support to the management of the China Gender Facility; (c) Provide technical support to the implementation of the UNIFEM HIV/AIDS project entitled, "Strengthen the capacity of women's groups and reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV", implemented as a joint programme administered by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
Identify strategic programme opportunities and develop further programmes, which include a programme on gender and HIV/AIDS in the railway sector and a joint programme on migration that are underway. Other emerging issues for programming such as Gender and Trade should also be addressed as well as programming on the implementation of the CEDAW Committee's Concluding Comments.
Build strategic partnerships and advocacy, which include representing UNIFEM and work in close collaboration with the UN Gender Theme Group and Gender Focal points of different UN agencies towards the development of capacity within the UN; maintaining close contact with the key government agencies, including the All China Women's Federation at the national and provincial levels and other key government agencies; Coordinating with national women's groups and leverage necessary support for the women's groups in China including through capacity development and advocacy support; Promoting UNIFEM's country programme among governments, the private sector, NGOs, research institutes, UN agencies, other bilateral and multilateral aid organizations.
Provide support in resource mobilization, specifically identify resource mobilization opportunities; develop concept notes and/or programme documents in line with its gender-responsive rights-based approach in consultation with key partners in areas mentioned above and assist the RPD in resource mobilization efforts.
Support the development of a communications strategy to ensure the effective positioning of UNIFEM and communication of UNIFEM's work in China, more specifically develop and disseminate key and strategic knowledge products; initiate and coordinate meetings and workshops for/among stakeholders to exchange knowledge and experiences that concretely address various aspects of country programme implementation; ensure documentation and dissemination of lessons learned; identify gaps to be addressed in the future.

Managerial Functions

The Programme Manager will be responsible for the substantive coordination and overall management of the UNIFEM programme office in China and supervising several staff. She will work closely with other UN agencies and relevant Government Departments and civil society organizations working on the ground.
In cooperation with the RPD and Programme Specialist in UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, the Programme Manager is expected to:

Present and/or provide annual briefs on the trend/s and issue/s on women's legal rights, women's political participation and violence against women and their impact on the programme;
Provide information on feedback from partners on critical issue areas that impact on programme implementation;
Fulfil other tasks as assigned by the RPD.

Competencies

Managerial:

Leads teams effectively, motivates and manages teams well, inspiring confidence in others; manages matrices fluidly by encouraging inter-agency collaboration.
Builds strong relationships with both internal and external actors - cultivates productive relationships with donors, partners and other important institutions and individuals.
Manages programmes effectively - consistently ensures timeliness and quality of project work carried out by the office or team Strong oral and written communication skills. Good listener and responsive to the opinions of others. Speaks confidently and exercises diplomacy in dealing with governments, UN system and national partners; demonstrates determination and tact in negotiations.
Displays cultural sensitivity and adaptability - communicates effectively with and relates to people of different cultures, demonstrating an ability to see issues from other perspectives

Technical/Functional:

Substantive knowledge and understanding specifically on gender equality issues as well as more broadly, human rights and development cooperation, with an emphasis on the provision of coordinated support and management of strategic programmes to advance gender equality in China.
Substantive knowledge and experience with the development of fund mobilization and management for the UN's work in support of gender equality.
Experience in results-based and rights-based programming (Results-based Management and Human Rights-based Approach to Programming).

Required Skills and Experience

Experience in evaluation of programme and projects. Required Skills and Experience * Post graduate Degree in social development, sociology, gender or other relevant field;
At minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience for work focused on, or strongly involving a focus on gender equality at national, regional and international levels;
Excellent management, communication, interpersonal and liaison skills;
Work experience in China an advantage;
Strong familiarity with UN inter-agency cooperation;
Excellent written and spoken English; working knowledge of Chinese/Mandarin is desirable.