Background

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.

The scope of work of the Programme Coordinator requires experience and in-depth understanding of gender equality and violence against women and girls, to translate UN Women's strategic plans into effective programmes and results. 

The UN Women Pacific Multi-Country Office (MCO) is based in Suva, Fiji and works alongside the 19 other UN agencies in the region and in 14 countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Under its Strategic Note 2018-2022, UN Women Fiji MCO focuses on delivering on four interlinked programme areas underpinned by support for intergovernmental and normative processes:

  • Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership
  • Women’s Economic Empowerment
  • Ending Violence against Women
  • Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action and Disaster Risk Reduction

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls / EVAWG In the Pacific

The Pacific has some of the world’s highest reported rates of violence against women, with studies showing that up to 68% of women are affected.  To respond to the rates of violence in the Pacific, UN Women has developed a comprehensive EVAW programme which takes a transformative approach to prevent violence against women and girls at multiple levels (regional, national and community), and to ensure survivors have access to quality response services. 

UN Women’s EVAW programme is primarily implemented under the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (hereafter referred to as ‘Pacific Partnership’). The Pacific Partnership is a 4.5-year programme that brings together governments, civil society organisations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors. The EUR22.7million programme is funded primarily by the European Union (EUR12.7m) with targeted support from the governments of Australia (EUR6.2m) and New Zealand (EUR3.2m) and cost-sharing with UN Women (EUR0.6m).

The Pacific Partnership is implemented through three coordinating agencies – the Pacific Community (SPC) Regional Resources and Rights Team (RRRT), UN Women and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The Pacific Partnership is funded primarily by the European Union (EU) with targeted support from the governments of Australia and New Zealand.

In Vanuatu, the Government of New Zealand has allocated approximately USD $2,738,880 to UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office and approximately USD $920,000 to the Vanuatu Department of Women Affairs (DWA) as part of an integrated investment under the Pacific Partnership to strengthen  a holistic, transformational and multi-sectoral approach to preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.

The overall goal of the Pacific Partnership programme regionally, and in Vanuatu, is to bring together governments, civil society organisations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors. The three key outcome areas of (a) advancing favorable social norms, attitudes and behaviors promoted at the individual and community levels to prevent VAWG; (b) ensuring that women and girls who experience violence have access to quality essential services (health, social service, police and justice) to recover from violence; and (c); laws, policies and strategies are adopted and implemented in-line with international standards and informed by voices of women survivors in order to prevent and respond to all forms of VAWG, are foundational, inter-related, and structured to progress social change and eliminate violence against women and girls.

The programme’s main partners are the Department of Women Affairs (DWA), Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) and the Vanuatu Christian Council (VCC) who will work together towards the overall objective of preventing VAWG and promoting gender equality. This only will be achieved by challenging negative social norms and practices through innovative approaches to prevention through faith, sports and communities; enhancing awareness and practice of respectful relationships and gender equality among women, men, girls and boys; and increasing access to essential services for survivors of VAWG; and strengthening the capacity of the DWA to lead on overall national efforts to addressing VAWG. 

Under the overall supervision of the EVAWG Technical Specialist, the Programme Coordinator, Pacific Partnership is expected to support the implementation and coordination of the Vanuatu Country Programme, Pacific Partnership in close collaboration with programme partners, including but not limited to: Department of Women’s Affairs, Vanuatu Women’s Centre, Vanuatu Christian Council, and others.  

Reporting to the Technical Specialist Programme, EVAWG, the Programme Coordinator, Pacific Partnership is responsible for coordinating the delivery of Pacific Partnership Country Plan for Vanuatu as well as providing administrative and operational support for successful implementation.  It has an important role to play in ensuring that activities captured under the Pacific Partnership are implemented in a timely manner and continue to enjoy full ownership and buy-in by all Government and CSO partners. Key responsibilities including supporting planning and coordination; supporting implementation of activities; coordination and planning and supporting monitoring and evaluation.

The Programme Coordinator, Pacific Partnership will work closely with other UN EVAWG programmes in Vanuatu, including the Spotlight programme as well as activities being delivered through the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development programme and with national partners and stakeholders, and the monitoring and reporting, and the finances and personnel of the portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the overall coordination of the EVAWG programme in Vanuatu which includes:

  • Develop and implement coordination mechanisms with partners including at the government level and civil society partners for successful implementation of Pacific Partnership Outcome 2 activities.
  • Coordinate closely with the Spotlight and Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development programmes, ensuring all stakeholders are aware of, and well-coordinated across, the various Pacific Partnership programme activities.
  • Ensure clear, consistent and transparent communication among all partners and support establishment of participatory governance and decision-making practice.
  • Organize partner meetings, under the supervision of the EVAWG Technical Specialist.
  • Facilitate and support annual work plans, budgets and results frameworks that align with the Vanuatu Country Plan
  • Consolidate the Pacific Partnership work plan and financial information and work closely with the Fiji MCO Operations team to ensure work plans, financial information is submitted on time.
  • Ensure that all partners work together to deliver and report on programmes in compliance with work plans, time frames and commitments.
  • Facilitate the delivery of the programme outcomes by leading & promoting a coordinated approach to delivery, including generating and maintaining synergies between different outcomes.
  • Support the process of managing financial resources for achieving results in line with the outputs and activities outlined in the joint programme document.

Provide technical support in monitoring and tracking of results against country level targets:

  • Manage the development of country monitoring indicators, monitoring calendars, and monitoring plans and quality assurance processes for Vanuatu EVAWG country programme.
  • Coordinate country annual work plan monitoring, reviews and reporting.
  • Ensure linkage of EVAWG Country Annual Work Plans (AWPs) and corresponding Monitoring and Evaluation and Research (MER) Plans of the Pacific Partnership with the UN Women Strategic Plan/AWP for Vanuatu.
  • Provide support to partners under EVAWG area in Vanuatu in developing Monitoring Frameworks
  • Ensure data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated.
  • Monitor data from partners on a quarterly basis and draft regular management briefs to inform decision making.
  • Visit partners to support monitoring of results and planning processes.

Provide advanced administrative and financial management support to the Pacific Partnership Programme in close collaboration with the MCO based Admin and Finance Team:

  • Monitor the spending of donor funds and other EVAWG country programme expenditures and disbursements.
  • Create projects in Atlas, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project.
  • Monitor budget preparation and the finances of the Vanuatu EVAW programme; prepare periodic reports; finalize FACE forms.
  • Review financial reports pf partners; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects.
  • Maintain compliance to internal expenditures control system, post transactions in Atlas.
  • Create requisitions in Atlas for development projects; register good receipts in Atlas. Prepare and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Atlas.
  • Oversee all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions.
  • Oversee travel arrangements for the EVAWG Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims.
  • Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials.
  • Liaise with programme partners on administrative issues.
  • Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials.
  • Coordinate assets management in the office, prepare and submit periodic inventory reports, coordinate physical verification of inventory items.
  • Lead the preparation of procurement plans for the Vanuatu programme and monitor their implementation. Review procurement requests and initiate procurement procedures for office and project equipment, supplies and services.
  • Organize procurement activities and processes, including preparation and conduct of Request for Quotations, Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposals, the opening and evaluation of tenders.
  • Support the coordination of contract negotiations, prepare request for award of contract for the review and approval of relevant authorities, as required.
  • Prepare Purchase Orders (PO) and contracts in and outside Atlas, create vendor profiles in Atlas.
  • Review procurement processes conducted by the EVAW Programme, submissions to the Procurement Review Committee.

Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies

  • Provide inputs to the development of partnerships and resource mobilization strategies.

Advocate and facilitate knowledge building and management and communication on Pacific Partnership and impacts:

  • Support the programme partners in identifying good practices and lessons learned and documenting this knowledge.
  • Support analytical development work of the team and ensure high quality knowledge products.
  • Support the production of knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration and compatibility with other practice areas.
  • Forge links with other initiatives including joint programmes to identify good practices and share lessons.

Other Programme Requests as required.

Competencies

Key Performance Indicators:

  • Timely and quality implementation of Programme/Portfolio/ activities against set workplans, timelines, and budgets, in line with the Strategic Note;
  • Quality and timely reporting;
  • Strong relations with partners and stakeholders;
  • Regular and timely monitoring of activities;
  • Enhanced best practices and lessons learned documented and circulated 

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

Functional Competencies

  • Good programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
  • Good budget and finance skills
  • Good knowledge of Results Based Management
  • Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings and recommendations
  • Good analytical skills

Knowledge of UN programme management systems

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in public administration, law, human rights, gender equality, management, social sciences or other related areas is required;
  • A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree;
  • A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Experience:

  • A minimum of two (2) years (with Masters’ Degree), or minimum of four (4) years (with Bachelors’ Degree) of progressively responsible experience at the national or international level in managing complex and multi-component programme interventions with national partners, preferably related to thematic area;
  • Experience in coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development programmes and projects is an asset;
  • Strong knowledge of the issue of violence against women, women’s empowerment and gender;
  • Previous experience working in the UN system is an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English is required;
  • Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset;

Knowledge of Bislama is an asset.