Background

The UN Women (UNW), 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 provides support to Member States’ efforts and priorities in meeting their gender equality goals and for building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality translate into action. UN Women supports improved UN coordination and accountability mechanisms, and up-scaling of the quality of support provided to Member States in addressing national gender equality priorities.

In Zimbabwe, the United Nations is working to enhance system-wide coherence at national level through the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, the ZUNDAF. In 2011 the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office commissioned a Gender Scorecard assessment, and the recommendations were developed into a 2012-2015 work plan to improve the capacities and efforts of the UNCT to deliver on its obligations on gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the ZUNDAF.

The UN Gender Theme Group (GTG) is the main coordination mechanism for gender mainstreaming within the UN at country level, and has the mandate to implement the Gender Scorecard Work Plan, and to ensure gender mainstreaming of the ZUNDAF. UN Women co-chairs the GTG with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development. In 2014 the roll-out of developing the next ZUNDAF will take place. It is also the first year of implementation for the GTG Flagship programme: the Joint Programme for Gender Equality (JPGE), led by UN Women. UN Women has also been selected as the ZUNDAF Programme Management Team (PMT) chair for 2014. With these increased functions UN Women is looking to engage a consultant to provide support in delivering on specific responsibilities in system-wide coordination in gender equality and gender mainstreaming during 2014.

The Gender Mainstreaming and Coordination Consultant reports to the Deputy UN Women Representative who provides strategic guidance and direction to UN Women’s work in Zimbabwe. In carrying out the functions s/he will work closely with counter parts in the GTG, the PMT and the UN Country Team, as well as national stakeholders and relevant units in headquarters, such as Programme and Coordination Divisions. In particular the Gender Mainstreaming and Coordination Consultant will be working closely with the JPGE Coordinator, to ensure that the JPGE coordination functions are directly linked to the overall coordination mandate of UN Women and the GTG.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultancy will include the following tasks:

Provide substantive support to the Joint Programme for Gender Equality Coordinator.

• Support the JPGE Coordinator in the reporting on the Joint Programme for Gender Equality as the Gender Theme Group flagship;
• Work closely with the JPGE Coordinator to keep updated on UN and external initiatives on gender equality and women’s empowerment as reported through the Gender Theme Group and the Programme Management Team, to ensure coordination between the JPGE and other initiatives;
• Provide resource mobilisation support to the joint programme as part of the overall resource mobilisation for the Gender Theme Group and ZUNDAF Outcome 7.1 to close the resource gaps in the current ZUNDAF as identified in the 2013 ZUNDAF Annual Review.

Provide support to the UN Women coordination function

Support the UN Women Country Representative in the role of Co-Chair of the GTG, by managing the implementation of the GTG 2014 annual work plan, including:

• Call regular GTG meetings, preparing meeting agendas and minutes of the meetings;
• Coordinate the GTG ZUNDAF 2014 Mid-Year Review and the 2014 GTG ZUNDAF Annual Review meeting, including preparing for all documentations and undertaking preparatory meetings between the GoZ and UN GTG;
• Coordinate UN support to the GoZ in key 2014 events, in particular Beijing +20 report, CEDAW mid-term reporting, and participation in Rural Women’s Day, The International Day of the Girl Child, and 16 Days of Activism;
• Organise a GTG one-day retreat for strategic planning and strengthening of the capacity of GTG members/Gender Focal Points;
• Engage and manage consultant for the drafting of the UNCT Gender Mainstreaming Strategy, including sharing drafts with the GTG and request feedback, review of drafts, and approval of final document;
• Liaise with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development as the Co-Chair of the Gender Theme Group on a regular basis, sharing proposed agendas for approval and for general involvement in coordination issues;
• Attend the Programme Management Team meetings on behalf of the GTG;
• Provide timely reports to the GTG, PMT and RCO on the above tasks.

Provide support to the roll-out of the next ZUNDAF in 2014

• Engage and manage consultant for gender mainstreaming data collection in the next ZUNDAF, including sharing drafts with the GTG and request feedback, review of drafts, and approval of final document;
• Organise PMT/GTG half-day workshop to follow up on PMT gender training, sharing ZUNDAF gender mainstreaming data results, and other relevant information;
• Review the 2012-2015 ZUNDAF evaluation and the Common Country Assessment (CCA) for the next ZUNDAF to ensure that gender has been adequately mainstreamed throughout;
• Continuously identify and provide advice to the UN Women Country Representative and the GTG on entry points for gender mainstreaming in the development of the next ZUNDAF.

• Organise at least 4 GTG monthly meetings, including drafting of agenda and minutes;
• Organise at least 2 Expanded GTG quarterly meetings, including drafting of agenda and minutes;
• Organise at least 2 Expanded GTG meetings with CSOs, including drafting of agenda and minutes;
• Organise the Mid-Year Review and Annual Review meetings for ZUNDAF Outcome 7.1, including drafting of agenda and minutes;
• Produce the ZUNDAF Outcome 7.1 Mid-Year Review and Annual Review Reports;
• UN support to national events including Rural Women’s Day, The International Day of the Girl Child, and 16 Days of Activism coordinated through sharing of government information and follow up with UN agencies on financial and technical contributions;
• Organise GTG retreat;
• Organise half-day meeting between PMT and GTG as a follow-up on PMT Gender Training;
• Assist UN Women Deputy Country Representative in preparation of at least 5 PMT meetings;
• Inputs from GTG on UNCT Gender Mainstreaming Strategy consolidated and strategy assessed by consultant
• Inputs from GTG on ZUNDAF Data Collection for Gender Mainstreaming report consolidated and report assessed by consultant;
• Consolidated GTG review of ZUNDAF Common Country Assessment and ZUNDAF Evaluation reports submitted to PMT and RCO, including assessment by consultant.

The consultant will in consultation with the UN Women Country Representative respond to emerging requests which might alter the deliverables of these terms of reference.

Competencies

• Ability to conceptualise and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development to experience;
• Demonstrated negotiating, cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills;
• Well-developed people management skills;
• Effectiveness and pro-activity;
• Ability to leverage information technology, executive information systems, management techniques and tools for optimal office performance;
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills;
• Good planning, goal-setting and prioritization and organizational skills.

Required Skills and Experience

• Masters Degree or its equivalent in development related disciplines, international relations, development studies, gender equality or other social science fields.

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible development experience that combines programme coordination and strategic planning;
• Substantive experience in the area of development and gender equality and women's empowerment issues is mandatory;
• Experience with results-based programme planning and management, and the ability to clearly communicate results-based management approaches;
• Experience of reviewing reports and giving substantial feedback on written work;
• Experience in organising meetings, workshops, and trainings is required;
• Experience in coordination work between various partners, including development partners, CSOs, and UN agencies is highly desirable;
• Knowledge of UN system and understanding of inter-agency coordination processes is an asset.

Follow the link for further instructions on how to submit the required documents: http://www.zw.undp.org/content/zimbabwe/en/home/operations/procurement/ .