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.

UN Women East & Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) maintains a large presence in the region, covering 25 countries, with offices in 13 countries. Ending violence against women (EVAW) is a priority area for UN Women ESARO, which aims to advance integrated approaches to ensure that all women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence. This includes support to Member States, civil society and other partners to advance and monitor comprehensive, evidence-driven approaches to preventing violence against women and girls and ensuring coordinated multi-sectoral quality services are available to survivors, while promoting accountability to legal and policy commitments, in addition to support for women’s rights and civil society movements, with attention to intersectionality and leaving no one behind.

The Generation Equality Action Coalition on GBV has galvanized governments, CSOs, international organizations, philanthropies and the private sector to deliver transformational progress towards the elimination and prevention of GBV through four concrete actions: (1) Creating enabling policy, legal and resource environments; (2) Scaling up evidence driven prevention programming; (3) Scaling up comprehensive, accessible and quality services for survivors; and (4) Enabling and empowering autonomous girl-led & women’s rights organizations to exercise their expertise. In this context UN Women is partnering with the European Union and the UN Trust Fund to end VAW to implement a new programme to strengthen coalition building and advocacy to end gender-based violence against women and girls.

Under oversight of the EVAW Regional Policy Specialist and directly reporting to the ESARO Regional Coordinator, the Programme Associate will provide programmatic, administrative and financial support to the Regional Coordinator. The Programme Associate will provide support to the Regional Coordinator to ensure that the development and implementation of projects are consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. The Programme Associate contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Regional Office and UN Women HQs as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information. The programme Associate will also support the Regional Coordinator with partner and stakeholder management, logistical support in coordinating events, convenings, advocacy spaces and support to civil society organizations (CSOs) and women’s rights organizations (WROs) and partners with partner agreements, monitoring and reporting.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions:

Provide administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes:

  • Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
  • Provide technical guidance to the executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
  • Prepare information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations; 
  • Review programme data from programmes/ projects for the ESARO website;
  • Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers;
  • Support Regional Coordinator in all aspects of partner agreement;
  • Provide support to the coordination of the call/request for proposals, including the organization of technical review committees, and capacity assessment of partners;
  • Support the review, coordinate and monitor the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports;
  • Train partners on Results Based Management and monitor implementation.

Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme:

  • Create projects in Quantum, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
  • Provide administrative support in monitoring budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; including the finalization of FACE forms;
  • Review financial reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
  • Process payment for consultants;
  • Maintain internal expenditures control system;
  • Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects; register good receipts in Atlas;
  • Assist in the preparation and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Atlas.

Provide administrative support to the Programme:

  • Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
  • Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims; 
  • Prepare public information materials and briefing packets; 
  • Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations;
  • Provide guidance and training to any junior staff as needed.

Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization:

  • Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the RO resource mobilization efforts;
  • Organize, compile and process information from donors, ESARO programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

  • Develop background documents, briefs and presentations related to EVAW as requested;
  • Provide substantive technical support to the Regional Coordinator in coordinating meetings, dialogues, advocacy spaces and strategic engagement of different stakeholders, particularly with civil society, women’s rights and feminist networks for the implementation of the programme;
  • Provide logistical support and technical inputs for the coordination of events and participation in global and regional fora and advocacy spaces;
  • Provide administrative support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
  • Provide administrative support to the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Key Performance Indicators:

  • Timely and accurate support to events, workshops, and missions;
  • Full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
  • Timely recording of overall programme unit finances;
  • Timely and accurate tracking of data for CO management and donor purposes;
  • Quality maintenance of internal systems.

Competencies

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity;
  • Integrity;
  • Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

  • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
  • Accountability;
  • Creative Problem Solving;
  • Effective Communication;
  • Inclusive Collaboration;
  • Stakeholder Engagement;
  • Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

  • Good knowledge of programme management;
  • Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
  • Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats;
  • Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
  • Strong financial and budgeting skills;
  • Strong IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

  • Completion of secondary education required.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration is an asset.

Experience:

  • At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support;
  • Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages is required;
  • Experience in the use of ERP systems, preferably Oracle cloud is desirable;
  • Experience in supporting a team is required;
  • Experience in supporting programming on ending violence against women or gender equality is desirable;
  • Prior experience of supporting an EU-funded programme is desirable.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English is required;
  • Knowledge of another UN official working language is desirable.

All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form-en.doc

Please note that the system will only allow one attachment and candidates are required to include in the P-11 form links for their previously published reports and articles completed within the last two years. Applications without the completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

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.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.