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 UN Women Pacific Multi-Country Office is based in Suva, Fiji and works alongside over 20 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 / EVAW

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 implemented under the Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (hereafter referred to as ‘Pacific Partnership’), a new, four and a half year programme which brings together governments, civil society organizations, communities and other partners to change the social norms that allow violence against women and girls to continue; to ensure survivors have access to quality response services; and to support national and regional institutions to meet their commitments to gender equality and prevention of violence against women and girls. The Pacific Partnership is funded primarily by the European Union (EU) with targeted support from the Australian Government and UN Women supporting directly UN Women’s programmatic interventions under the programme.

Reporting to the EVAW Programme Management Support Specialist, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the EVAW Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.  S/he contributes to research, financial management, procurement, HR and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support.

The Programme Associate further supports the EVAW Programme Manager, Programme Management Support Specialist and Finance Officer in their coordination roles towards the Pacific Partnership Programme and is responsible for the organization and provision of secretariat services to the Pacific Partnership Steering Committee and Coordination Committee meetings.  The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the RO and UN Women HQs as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide advanced administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes:

  • Provide advanced administrative support and inputs in the preparation of the EVAW programme work plan, budget, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
  • Provide technical guidance to the country offices and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
  • Coordinate the collection of information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations; 
  • Develop or update of standard operating procedures, guidelines, checklists, templates and business processes in programme and project management;
  • Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers;
  • Organize Pacific Partnership Programme Steering Committee meetings, Programme Coordination Committee meetings, project review and/or evaluation meetings, as needed;
  • Provide Secretariat services to meetings of the Pacific Partnership Programme Steering Committee and Programme Coordination Committee meetings.

 

  1. Provide advanced administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit in close collaboration with the Finance Officer:
  • 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 EVAW programme; prepare periodic reports; finalize FACE forms;
  • Review financial reports; 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.

Provide advanced administrative support to the Programme Unit in close coordination with the MCO Operations Team:

  • Oversee all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
  • Oversee travel arrangements for the EVAW Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
  • Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;
  • Liaise with high level officials on administrative issues;
  • Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials;
  • Provide guidance and training to the Programme Administrative Assistant as needed.
  • 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 office and monitor their implementation;
  • Generate procurement related reports; research and draft responses to enquiries;
  • 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.

Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization:

  • Prepare of cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the MCO resource mobilization efforts;
  • Enter cost-sharing agreements in DAMS;
  • Organize, compile and process information from Programme donors and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

  • Support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
  • Coordinate the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Competencies

Key Performance Indicators:

  • Timely and accurate support to events, workshops, and missions;
  • Full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and procedures;
  • Timely support to programme procurement activities;
  • Timely and accurate tracking of data for MCO management and donor purposes;
  • Quality maintenance of internal systems;
  • Quality background and presentation materials.

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:

  • Strong knowledge of programme management;  
  • Ability to create, edit, synthesize and present information in clear and presentable formats;
  • Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
  • Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems;
  • Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow; 
  • Excellent financial and budgeting skills;
  • Excellent IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

  • Completion of secondary education required.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration is an asset.

Experience:

  • At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support;
  • Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages;
  • Experience in the use of ATLAS is an asset;
  • Experience in supporting a team.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English is required.