Antecedentes

Those who previously applied need not apply again.

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. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

UN Women plays an innovative and catalytic role in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since its inception in 1997. UN Women oPt focuses its activities on one overarching goal, namely to support the implementation at the national level of existing international commitments to advance gender equality in line with the national priorities.

In support of this goal and thoroughly taking into consideration the specificities of the oPt context, UN Women concentrates its efforts and interventions toward the realization of following strategic goals:

• Engendering governance, peace and security;
• Supporting women's economic security and rights; and
  
• Promoting women’s rights and protection against violence. In response to calls for increasing need to support women’s economic empowerment and political participation, UN Women will be implementing the programme Spring Forward (2012-2015) funded by the European Commission.

The regional Women’s economic and political empowerment programme (WEPE) “Spring Forward for Women” provides a mechanism to advance the economic empowerment of women living in the Southern Mediterranean region, including Palestine, and to assist them to reposition themselves in the political and decision making spaces so that they may have greater influence in shaping the future of their countries in the on-going democratic transition while protecting their previous gains. The programme works at multiple levels to respond to the specific support needs at the regional and country level, building on local initiatives in priority countries with the recognition that sustainable change must be locally-owned and led.

The overall objective of the programme is to promote the access and effective participation of marginalized women in economic and public life, by addressing the barriers that have impeded the access and engagement of marginalized women in these areas. The programme will pursue the following specific objectives:

• To empower women politically in order to assure women's active engagement in decision making spaces;
• To empower women economically;
• To enhance regional knowledge and experience-sharing on women's political and economic rights.

UN Women is currently looking for a Consultant to provide programme management who will provide assistance in the follow up of Economic Security and Rights and Political Participation in the Spring Forward Programme.

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Special Representative and the Spring Forward Programme (SFP) Project Coordinator.

The Programme Management Consultant will undertake the following tasks, duties and responsibilities to provide effective support to management of the programme’s economic and political components focusing on the achievement of the following actions:

• Support in the administrative and financial management of the SFP, such as procurement plans, budget revisions, projections, and closure of advances; and management of the SFP on ATLAS;
• Monitor and expedite the SFP implementation systematically through facilitation and coordination of project activities, monitor and follow up on the SFP progress against work plan, budget, baseline data, targets and indicators;
• Ensure effective and timely liaison with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally; and efficient use of resources;
• Provide guidance and support to programme partners working under the SFP, especially in relation to the formulation of work plans, budgets, faceforms, pre and post assessments, reports, etc., in line with UN Women regulations; as well as support coordination efforts among SFP partners and ensure flow of information with women’s organizations, government organizations, donors and local NGO’s working in the area of women’s economic and political empowerment and participation;
•  Provide inputs to strategic planning and sustainability of the economic and political empowerment and participation components;
•  Attend the project committee meetings, support maintaining effective partnerships with project partners, conduct regular project site visits in order to monitor and evaluate flow of activities on the ground, and participate and represent UN Women in meetings as requested;
• Assist in promoting and increasing the profile of the project and in developing initiatives between UN Women and other UN agencies, NGO’s, governmental organizations and donors;
• Provide input for the website, newsletters, press releases and other advocacy activities to increase awareness about the project;
• Maintain up-to-date records and status of project progress, draft quarterly and annual reports of the project activities; communicate and follow up with partners and consolidate narrative reports of the implementing partners of the SFP;
• Support in fundraising, including the collection, analysis and presentation of information for identification of areas for support and programme formulation/implementation;
• Arrange for visiting experts, missions and donor representatives to the sites of project activities, assist in the audit and evaluation missions related to the project; and ensure follow up on the implementation of findings and recommendations from the audits and evaluations with the implementing partners;
• Draft the terms of reference, contracts, MoUs, amendments and related documentation for implementing partners, consultants and evaluations, monitor and follow up implementation and submission of high quality progress narrative and financial reports and agreed deliverables, as well as processing of payments;
• Support in the recruitment process of consultants and new project staff, and the identification of implementing partners;
• Perform other duties as requested. 

Time Frame:

• The assignment is expected to start on 1 July 2014 and to be finalized by 31 December 2014. 

Key Deliverables:

A monthly payment will be issued for the following monthly deliverables:

• A detailed six month work plan of the consultancy assignment (July);
• Monthly report on accomplishments (August);
• Monthly report on accomplishments (September);
• Monthly report on accomplishments (October);
• Monthly report on accomplishments (November);
• Final report on accomplishments (December).
  

Competencias

• Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

• Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Results oriented:

• Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals, generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations.

Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrating / Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Developing and Empowering People / Coaching and Mentoring:

• Initiative-taking; coaching and mentoring ability.

Working in Teams:

• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work.

Communicating Information and Ideas:

• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively.

Self-management and Emotional intelligence:

• Creating synergies through self-control.

Conflict Management / Negotiating and Resolving Disagreements:

• Managing conflict.

Knowledge Sharing / Continuous Learning:

• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of other.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in programme management;
• Demonstrated strong coordination and facilitation skills;
• Strong communication skills in English and Arabic (oral and written);
• Able to work in an international environment;
• Able to work under pressure and to deliver on time;
• Results oriented, flexible and problem solving skills.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Project Management or related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience;
• Experience in women’s economic empowerment is an advantage;
• Experience with women’s political participation is an advantage;
• Proven computing skills (word processing, spread sheets, database, internet applications);
• Very good organizational skills;
• Previous experience in the UN system is considered an asset

Language:

• Very good communication and writing skills and fluency in English and Arabic (comprehension, written and spoken).