UN WOMEN Jobs - 69306- Programme Officer

Programme Officer

Advertised on behalf of

UN WOMEN

Location :

Gulu, UGANDA

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

02-Jan-2017

Application Deadline :

15-Nov-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

I year

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

I Year

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The 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, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system-wide efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action. It provides strong and coherent leadership and technical advice in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Gender perspective in humanitarian action is vital to understanding the different needs of women, girls, boys and men in order to generate positive and sustainable outcomes. In times of crisis gender roles and dynamics change, women often resort to negative coping mechanisms and GBV becomes more prevalent. It is essential to capture these issues in Uganda’s humanitarian response, both at the individual programming level in project design and in programme analysis and development.

In recent months there has been a sudden increase in the humanitarian crisis in Uganda. Insecurity in neighboring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, has led to an increase of refugees to Uganda. In addition, food insecurity and malnutrition has risen. The aim of the project is to safeguard Gender Equality in all humanitarian action interventions and coordination mechanisms and ensure women's rights advocates are empowered to voice their needs in humanitarian crisis and beyond.

Under the direct supervision of the Coordination Specialist, the Gender and Humanitarian Officer analyzes political, social and economic trends and supports formulation, management, operation, humanitarian partner support and evaluation of program activities within his/her portfolio and provides advisory services to partners in local government, UN and CSOs in West Nile and Northern Uganda. Through the Gender and Humanitarian Specialist, provides analysis for formulation of strategies and briefings to senior management while being based in Gulu with regular travel to the Refugee settlements in Northern Uganda.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Administration and implementation of humanitarian programmes, processes and procedures;
Finance, administrative and monitoring and evaluation support to Humanitarian programmes;
Advocacy support and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Technical Support

Under the guidance of the supervisor, supports the organisation, coordination, monitoring and support to the activities of UN Women Humanitarian Projects in West Nile and Northern Uganda and partners in relation to the administrative implementation of the project;
Participates in the formulation, design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of UN Women Humanitarian Programmes in West Nile and northern Uganda;
Provide technical advice and support to implementing partners and to apply lessons learnt and recommendations from project evaluation;
Ensure quality and timely implementation of the programme, including documentation of good practices, success stories as well as high quality and timely reporting for results;
In close collaboration with partners, monitor programme delivery and take timely corrective action as necessary, in line with UN Women policies and procedures;
Maintain budget awareness and ensure funds are utilised in line with agreed plan and budgets. Entering projects into Atlas, finalization of contribution agreements; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises, closure of projects through review;
Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the projects, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions;
Maintain awareness of contractual obligations with donors and ensure full compliance of reporting requirements;
Conduct environmental policy scanning on a continuous basis for West Nile and Northern Uganda and regularly update and advise the head office accordingly.

Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

In collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist – collect, compile, analyse and share periodic data/ information on programme performance to inform continued programme efficiency and effectiveness;
Ensure effective application of RBM tools, establishment of management targets (BSC) and monitoring achievement of results, in close collaboration with the M&E Specialist;
Ensure that aggregate reports are regularly prepared and submitted on time.

Administrative and Miscellaneous Duties:

Ensure all travel undertaken complies with all requirements for travel and is approved in line with the travel plan;
Assist in writing program proposals;
Other duties as required.

Competencies

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda:

Preparing information for advocacy;
Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UN Women’s mandate.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management:

Contributes into results through primary research and analysis;
Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
Researches linkages across project activities to identify critical points of integration;
Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Analyzes situation to identify gender and humanitarian programme opportunities in West Nile and Northern for project development and implementation;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly.

Building Strategic Partnerships: Maintaining a network of contacts:

Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues;
Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders, including identifying of areas for strengthening of capacities.

Resource Mobilization:

Providing inputs to resource mobilization strategies;
Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors;
Develops a database of project profiles;
Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors, in close consultation with senior management.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Basic research and analysis;
Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: Fundamental knowledge of own discipline:

Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position;
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks;
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
Creating synergies through self-control;
Managing conflict;
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, especially in gender studies, Gender Based Violence or related field.

Experience:

5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in gender equality and women’s empowerment programming and implementation as well as providing management advisory services, hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
Demonstrate analytical and advocacy skills on gender equality, women’s rights and empowerment of women issues especially with regard to policy advocacy in line with security council resolution 1325, CEDAW and BFPA;
Familiarity and experience with UN inter-agency coordination processes and or results based management for advancing gender equality and women’s rights would be an asset;
Strong links with national networks on gender equality and women’s rights in Uganda;
Experience in capacity building, gender mainstreaming and gender auditing required;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is a must;
Advanced spoken level of local languages in West Nile and Northern Uganda is required;
Basic working knowledge in any of the UN working languages in Uganda is an added advantage.