UNDP Jobs - 6879- Policy Advisor, Sexual Minorities, HIV/AIDS

Policy Advisor, Sexual Minorities, HIV/AIDS

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

200 Series

Starting Date :

01-Dec-2008

Application Deadline :

03-Nov-08 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

L-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

1 year

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

Human rights violations and inequitable gender relations continue to fuel the spread of the HIV epidemic. Protecting the rights of people living with HIV and promoting gender equality are essential for reducing vulnerability to HIV and scaling-up national responses. UNDP supports countries in creating an enabling human rights environment to protect the rights of people living with HIV, with particular attention to women and other most at-risk groups. The UNDP HIV/AIDS Practice in the Bureau for Development Policy’s strategic outcome 11 focuses on Human Rights, Gender and HIV/AIDS. Under this outcome area, UNDP addresses vulnerability of sexual minorities (sexual minorities is a working phrase encompassing men who have sex with men and various transgender/intersex populations that are disproportionately affected by HIV) as part of its efforts to scale-up human rights and gender equality approaches in national, regional and global AIDS responses. Under the Global Task Team’s division of responsibilities, UNDP has been designated as the lead UNAIDS Cosponsor for gender, men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender populations.

Working with the HIV/AIDS Practice in BDP, under the overall guidance of the Practice Director and in collaboration with the Gender Advisor, this Sexual Minorities Advisor will lead global programming on sexual minorities including men who have sex with men and transgender persons.

Practice Approach:

HIV/AIDS Practice
UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The UNAIDS division of labor provides the framework for UNDP’s response to the AIDS epidemic. UNDP is responsible for leading the UNAIDS response in addressing the following:

Development Planning and Mainstreaming

AIDS responses are integrated into poverty reduction strategies, MDG-based national development plans and macro-economic processes.

Governance of the HIV responses

Strengthened national capacity for inclusive governance and coordination of HIV responses, and increased participation of civil society organizations and people living with HIV in the design, implementation and evaluation of HIV programmes.

Human Rights and Gender

Policies and programmes implemented through multi-stakeholder approaches to protect the human rights of people affected by AIDS, mitigate gender related vulnerability and address the impact of AIDS on women, girls and other key populations, including men who have sex with men and transgender populations.

Country Implementation Capacity

Accelerated implementation of AIDS funds and programmes financed through multilateral funding initiatives, including the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Sexual Minorities Advisor will serve as the technical resource person in sexual minorities and HIV/AIDS supporting Country Offices, Regional Offices, as well as leading the UNDP’s global HIV/AIDS Practice.

Summary of Functions:

Policy Development and Advisory Services
Research and Content Development
Practice Advocacy
Management and Coordination

Detailed functions and results in line with UNDP Strategic Plan Results Framework:

1. Policy Development and Advisory Services (40%)

Lead policy development and advisory services for programme support in the MSM, transgender and HIV/AIDS thematic area;
Lead the provision of policy advisory and technical support to Country Offices, UN Country Teams and other beneficiaries in the area of MSM, transgender and AIDS;
Provide technical support to increase the quantity and quality of sexual minority activities at country level by Joint UN Teams on AIDS;
Provide guidelines and technical support to scale-up integration of MSM and transgender issues;
Provide policy advice for advancing gender equality and equity through AIDS programming, including addressing men who have sex with men, transgender populations, sex workers and IDU;
Development and dissemination of enhanced technical guidelines on sexual minority issues in different epidemiological and socio-legal settings, to support country and regional Global Fund applications;
Provide direct technical support to Global Fund and related sexual minority proposal development processes;
Contribute collaborative capacity building efforts targeting:
Men’s networks, transgender networks and groups of men and transgenders living with HIV to strengthen their participation in all aspects of the AIDS response at the national level
Government and Civil Society in addressing gender inequality, gender-based violence, and discrimination against men who have sex with men and transgender populations
UNDP gender and HIV focal points to strengthen their roles in implementing gender and AIDS programmes and as effective advocates for gender equality in the context of HIV/AIDS

2. Research and Content Development (30%)

Advocacy and policy development of normative standards and approaches on sexual minorities and HIV;
Promote the integration of gender sensitive approaches into national development planning;
Promote and disseminate evidence-informed policies and practices in gender-sensitive HIV/AIDS initiatives;
Collaborate with gender and HIV focal points in the Regional Service Centres and Country Offices on HIV/AIDS initiatives;
Provide substantive and technical leadership in promoting gender equality in HIV/AIDS;
Contribute experience and expertise to the formulation of new policies, documenting practice and cross-practice experience and lessons learned;
Monitor trends, good practices and case evidence in gender and HIV including support to address the vulnerability of men to HIV, sexual and gender-based violence in order to provide technical leadership in the field;
Actively participate in the global HIV/AIDS community of practice and in sub-practice activities in the area of gender equality;
Promote knowledge management to enrich the content base for AIDS response strategies by documenting practice experience, lessons learned, and replicable tools from applied initiatives; and
Design and promotion of ‘know your epidemic’ tools linking MSM and transgender issues to gender issues.

Practice Advocacy (20%)

Take the lead in maintaining and developing regional partnerships in MSM, transgenders and AIDS;
Contribute to strengthening partnerships with other UN agencies in developing global MSM/TG strategy through an internal working group;
Development and promotion of guidelines / action tool for Resident Coordinators and other UN country staff on why and how to address HIV, MSM and LGBT issues in different country contexts;
Support the involvement of positive women’s, men’s, transgender and people living with HIV groups in the formulation and implementation HIV policies and programmes;
Enhanced partnerships with key civil society networks for advocacy activities, policy input and peer support amongst CSOs;
Promote global, regional and local partnering and exchange, through HIV/AIDS information and learning;
Support networking among partners, including the identification of external support providers; and
Support the communication of UN/UNDP policy positions and practice approaches to external support providers to ensure continuity and coherence in all collaborative efforts.

4. Management and Coordination (10%)

Work closely with the Bangkok MSM and HIV/AIDS Policy Specialist to develop work plans and monitor and report progress in line with the strategic goals of the HIV/AIDS Practice; and
Enlist management solutions to troubleshoot programme delivery difficulties and share best practices.

Competencies

Corporate:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP; and
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional:

Minimum of 10 years national/international working experience in the HIV/AIDS area including considerable focus on sexual minorities as well as other key populations (sex workers, IDU, etc);
Proven professional credibility, as well as senior-level working experience in a governmental, multilateral or civil society organization, in both developed and developing countries;
Work experience in a developing country highly desirable;
Extensive network of international and individual contacts;

Leadership:

Strong managerial/leadership experience and decision-making skills;
Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development experience;
Knowledge and expertise in UNDP’s programming processes; and
Proven ability to lead a practice area and drive for results with a strong knowledge of results-based management and budgeting.

Managing Relationships:

demonstrated well developed people management and organizational skills;
Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff;
Excellent negotiating and networking skills; and
Strong resource mobilization and partnering skills.

Managing Complexity:

Ability to address global development issues;
Substantive knowledge and understanding of development cooperation with the ability to support the practice architecture of UNDP and inter-disciplinary issues;
Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives; andA sound global network of institutional and individual contacts.

Knowledge Management and Learning::

Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP; and
Provides constructive coaching and feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

An Master's degree in a development related area – International Relations, Gender, Social Science, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Health, Epidemiology or other related field.
At least 10 years of overall relevant professional experience as well as a proven professional record in the area of HIV including considerable focus on sexual minorities as well as other key population issues (sex workers, IDU, etc);
Familiarity with human rights and gender equality approaches;
Academic research skills including review and synthesis of public health evidence;
Work experience from a developing country context is a necessity;
A track record of extensive national/international working experience with increasing managerial responsibilities in the development arena and UNDP’s practice areas; and
Experience in leading/managing knowledge product development and dissemination.
Fluency and proficiency in English; working knowledge of another UN language desirable.