Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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.

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women Representative to Kyrgyzstan, the National Programme Officer (NPO) coordinates the Country Office (CO) programme as delegated. The main role is to manage the country programme including continued monitoring of implementation and taking the lead on annual reporting of results and on work-planning. The NPO leads the programme team in strategic planning and identifies new programme areas while ensuring consistency with UNDAF priorities and creative responses to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The National Programme Officer leads programme support staff and promotes integration of projects and workplans into an overall programme. S/he works in close collaboration with the operations team. S/he liaises with Government officials, technical advisors at the Regional Office, civil society organisations, development partners and local experts ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation.    

The assignment is advertised for one year only given the leave of absence of the incumbent for one year of academic studies. This position is this not extendable.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Help ensure the strategic direction of UN Women programme;
• Manage aspects of the CO programme and provide guidance to the Programme team;
• Build strategic partnerships and support resource mobilization;
• Provide top quality policy advisory services to Government and facilitation of knowledge management. 

As a member of the CO management team, help ensure the strategic direction of UN WOMEN programme focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation and co-lead development of the 2018-2022 Strategic Note, including updated context analysis, problem analysis, analysis of stakeholders;
• CO business process mapping and establishment of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management, control of the workflows in the Programme Unit;
• Provide strategic advice to the Country Representative regarding national level integration of UN Women programme into socio economic development process through monitoring policy changes and preparing situational analysis reports that serve as the basis for the programme formulation of UN Women in the country;
• Be acquainted with UN Women Strategic Plan (SP) and follow up its application through the implementation of related projects and programmes;
• Provide support to the Country Representative;
• Take part in country level CCA/UNDAF processes and similar exercises related to the RC system ensuring that gender concerns are clearly reflected and mainstreamed in process. Prepares substantive inputs to CCA/UNDAF and other documents thoroughly analyzing and researching the political, social and economic situation in the region;
• Periodically act as Officer in Charge in the absence of the Country Representative, providing overall management of the Country Office and programme including day to day supervision of project offices throughout the country, as well as, representational functions.

Ensures effective management of the CO programme and supervision of the Programme team focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation to implementation achieving the following results:

• Constant monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely readjustment of programme, including maintenance of all programme databases, RMS, DAMS, LEADS, monitoring and analysis and introduction of any necessary updates;
• Follow up on audit recommendations related to programme. All exceptions are timely reported;
• Design and formulation of CO programme within the area of responsibility, translating UN Women priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the partners;
• Supervise the overall Management of the portfolio of on-going projects in the country through technical advice, monitoring and administrative and financial supervision to ensure that project portfolio supports policy-level work, and contributes to implementation of UN Women’s normative mandate;
• Prepare analytical and regular progress reports on UN Women´s program experiences in the reporting systems, to donors, UN Women and the RC system;
• Designing/implementing required research for formulating appropriate interventions, preparing TOR, identifying consultants, and giving them appropriate guidance for project identification, formulation, monitoring, and evaluation missions;
• Ensure the proper application of a monitoring system to track progress on programme results and indicators;
• Supervise the application of UN Women Evaluation Policy at the country level.

Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships and supports the resource mobilization in cooperation with the Management Support and Business Development Team focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Implementation of the CO partnerships and resources mobilization strategies to achieve programme outcomes;
• Creation and coordination of partnerships with the UN Agencies, government institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector, civil society etc.;
• Determination of programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UN Women, country needs and donors’ priorities;
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost-sharing;
• Review and appraise proposals submitted, to ensure that they meet UN Women´s strategic plan requirements and provide capacity building support to counterparts in projects formulation;
• Follow up on resource mobilization activities for fund raising for new projects in coordination with the Country Representative;
• Contribute to programme/project appraisal and evaluation according to results-based management requirements;
• Liaise with UN Women Project Offices and executing agencies on the management of UN Women projects.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Support the establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks. Relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns are implemented with key partners;
• Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme;
• Establish and maintain consultation with governments implementing agencies, women’s organizations and multi/bilateral donors;
• Formulation of quality project proposals in strategic area for UN Women´s intervention, setting models for achieving aspired results according to clear monitoring and evaluation systems.

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-employment-values-and-competencies-definitions-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

• Programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings
• Good knowledge of technical area
• Good organizational skills and ability to pay close attention to detail

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Masters Degree in Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.

Experience: 

• 5 years relevant experience at the national and sub-national, or international level in development, providing management advisory services, including hands-on experience in design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of development projects and establishing inter-relationships among international organization and national governments
• Experience must include work in the field of promoting gender equality and women empowerment;
• Prior experience in the UN System will be an asset.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in English and Russian. Knowledge of Kyrgyz will be an asset.

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In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted! Candidates can only be shortlisted if they profess to meet all the mandatory requirements in the Job Description. All online applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women, UNDP or UN Personal History form (P11) in English which can easily be found via web search. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment which must be the P11. Please carefully respond to the requirements of the Job Description in the P11 that you submit.

Applications need to be submitted by 22 May 2017.

Please indicate the position you are applying for in your cover letter.

Applications without the completed P-11 form are incomplete and will NOT be considered for further assessment!!!