Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality as 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.

Under the overall guidance and direction of the Deputy Representative, the programme specialist exercises overall responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing UN Women programmes. She/he works in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations team, UN Women HQ staff, UN Women Regional Office staff, Government officials, multi and bi-lateral donors and civil society, ensuring successful UN Women Programme implementation and cordial relations with all partners. The National Programme Officer is also responsible for coordinating staff training.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

  • Provision of top quality policy analysis, advisory and programme development services;
  • Management of the CO programme and supervision of the Programme team;
  • Supporting the Deputy Representative to implement inter-agency programmes;
  • Provision of strategic partnerships and resource mobilization support;
  • Advocacy support and knowledge building and management;
  • Inter-governmental normative support.

Provision of top quality policy advisory and programme development services:

  • Conduct thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country related to the thematic/sectorial areas of intervention of the Country Office and prepare substantive inputs to the Strategic Plan and Country Programme;
  • Constantly monitor and analyze development trends in order to provide timely advice on policy and programme readjustment;
  • Identify priority areas of support and interventions within the relevant thematic/sectorial programme areas;
  • Provide programme advisory support to the Office Management within his/her portfolio.

Management of the CO Programme and supervision of the Programme team:

  • Under the guidance and oversight of the Deputy Representative, exercise overall responsibility for planning, implementation, management, and coordination of all CO programmes/projects;
  • Ensure effective application of Results-Based Management tools and monitor the achievement of results;
  • Track programme budgets end lead the Programme Team in quarterly reporting and budgeting revision exercises;
  • Lead programmes/projects appraisal and evaluation according to results-based management requirements;
  • Coordinate and supervise the activities of programme staff, projects staff, experts and consultants working as part of the technical assistance team;
  • Responsible for the timely preparation and quality control of all substantive technical reports, briefs and required documents;
  • Ensure timely production and submission of all partial and/or progress reports by all members of the project team, contractors and project partners to donors, Regional Office and HQ;
  • Conduct regular field visits to supervise, coordinate and monitor field level activities of portfolio, and produce half-yearly programme field visit reports and recommendations for follow up.

Support to Inter-Agency Programming:

  • Provide substantive support to the Deputy Representative with respect to inter-agency coordination;
  • Provide technical assistance to country-level Common Country Assessment (CCA) and UNDAP processes and similar exercises related to the RC system, ensuring that gender concerns are clearly reflected and mainstreamed in these processes;
  • Prepare substantive inputs to CCA/UNDAP and other documents, informed by quality research and analysis of the country and sub-region’s development context.

Strategic partnership building and resource mobilization support:

  • Implement the Office partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to achieve programme outcomes within the areas assigned;
  • Create and coordinate partnerships with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, the academia and civil society;
  • Determine programmatic areas of cooperation based on strategic goals of UN Women and the Country’s needs;
  • Support Management in seeking and nurturing partnerships and in mobilizing new resources.

Advocacy support and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

  • Provide secretariat support to the national Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG);
  • Support the establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linkages to international networks related to the thematic areas of UN Women;
  • Proactively and substantively support and implement relevant, high-impact advocacy activities and campaigns with key partners, in particular the HeForShe Campaign;
  • Identify and synthesis best practices and lessons learned from the country programme;
  • Proactively contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice, both within and outside the UN.

Inter-governmental normative support:

  • Identify and explore opportunities to support the country in implementing international commitments and protocols on gender equality and the empowerment of women;
  • Drive the process for integration of normative frameworks into the Country Office programmes and into One UN joint programmes;
  • Promote Country’s contribution to the global normative processes including to regular sessions organized by intergovernmental bodies, especially the General Assembly, the Security Council, ECOSOC, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and other bodies;
  • Provide policy guidance for translating global recommendations of relevant intergovernmental bodies into programmes at the national level;
  • Ensure that mandated requirements are met, including the timely submission of all inter-governmentally mandated documentation and reports;
  • Contribute to the substantive Reviews and appraisals of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Sustainable Development Goals and other protocols.

Impact for Results

The post has a high impact on the overall effectiveness and success of UN Women interventions in the country. It is a senior level post for an analytical, highly motivated and team oriented individual. By ensuring effective planning, implementation, and M&E of programmes, building networks and supporting resource mobilization efforts, the incumbent enhances the organization’s capacity and credibility to deliver highly effective programmes with lasting impact.

Competencies

Core Values

Integrity:

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

Professionalism:

  • Demonstrates professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

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

Core competencies

Ethics and Values:

  • Demonstrates and safeguard ethics and integrity;

Organizational Awareness:

  • Demonstrates corporate knowledge and sound judgment;

Development and Innovation:

  • Takes charge of self-development and take initiative;

Work in teams:

  • Demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communication  and information sharing:

  • Facilitates and encourages open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:

  • Stays composed and positive even in difficult moments, handles tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and has a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management:

  • Manages conflicts and addresses them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually-acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

  • Encourages learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:

  • Demonstrates informed and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies:

  • Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
  • Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
  • Ability to formulate and manage budgets, manage contributions and investments, manage transactions, conduct financial analysis, reporting and cost-recovery;
  • Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/attitudinal change;
  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact /results for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Ability to advocate and provide sound policy advice;
  • Lead teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
  • Possesses excellent oral and written communication skills;
  • Focuses on impact and result for the partners and responds positively to feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s Degree in any field of economic development and social sciences, political studies with working knowledge of gender programming.

Experience:

  • Minimum 5 years relevant experience at national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes, resource mobilization and communication;
  • Working experience of gender programming
  • Prior experience in the UN System is an added advantage.

Languages:­

  • Proficiency in English, Kinyarwanda;
  • Working knowledge of French is an added advantage