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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.
UN Women in Bangladesh supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2022-2026 was launched in 2021 and the corresponding UN Women Bangladesh Strategy Note (2022-2026), defining UN Women’s strategic engagement in Bangladesh, has also been finalized. The country strategy focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s access to decent and safe work; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as other threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in Bangladesh including the government, civil society and women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
UN Women in Bangladesh is supporting the Government of Bangladesh with the Rohingya humanitarian crisis response. UN Women has developed a humanitarian response programme in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to meet the specific needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized Rohingya Refugee Women and Girls and the women and girls in the host communities affected by the refugee influx in Cox’s Bazar. The objective of the programme is to ensure protection, as well as equitable and safe access to and benefit from urgent life-saving humanitarian assistance and information to the most vulnerable, and marginalized Rohingya women while assisting them to live with dignity. The programme also promotes women’s participation and leadership in the camps and host community and peace and social cohesion building activities. UN Women co-chairs the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group for the Rohingya Refugee Response to promote gender-responsive humanitarian action across humanitarian agencies in Cox’s Bazar and established a sub office in Cox’s Bazar in January 2018 to reinforce management of programmes in Cox’s Bazar district.
Under supervision of the Programme Analyst, Gender-Responsive Governance and Protection, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective programmes 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 as well as mentoring Programme Assistants. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme, projects’ staff in the Cox’s Bazar Project Office and Bangladesh Country Office as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information.
Duties and Responsibilities
1.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 Cox’s Bazar Project Office and 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;
- Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers;
- Support to programme/project’s implementing partners, including liaising, coordinating and communicating programme activities, and following up as necessary;
- Monitor schedule of implementation of project activities and budgets and expenditures. Raise issues with Programme Analyst when necessary.
2. Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit
- 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;
- Review and perform spot check of the quarterly financial reports of the implementing partners;
- Prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
- Process payment for consultants;
- Maintain internal expenditures control system;
- Create requisitions in Quantum for development projects; register good receipts in Quantum;
- Assist in the preparation and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Quantum.
3. Provide administrative support to the Programme Unit
- 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 Programme Assistant.
4. Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing
- 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 and accurate reviewing of financial reports and disbursing funds for the project partners;
- 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.
Functional Competencies
- Good knowledge of programme management;
- Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
- Ability to create, edit, synthesize 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;
- Experience in the use of Quantum is an asset;
- Experience in supporting a team.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English and Bangla is required;
- Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.
UNW Statement on 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.)
Application:
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/en/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.