Background

In response to EU action on Challenging Gender Stereotypes and Practices in the EaP countries, UN Women and UNFPA regional offices for Europe and Central Asia developed a three-year Joint Programme (JP) to be implemented in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine at the national and regional levels.

It is aimed to shift societal perceptions around gender stereotypes and patriarchal norms limiting women’s rights; improve men’s involvement in care-taking of their children and participation in father’s programmes; and spur the adoption of best practices in perpetrator’s programmes among the ministries of social affairs and Programme for perpetrators in the respective countries. Specifically, the regional component collates global and regional experiences to coordinate activities that will have an impact across all six countries within this proposal.

The JP  is designed based on a situation analysis, lessons learned, consultation with the respective countries and outcomes of intergovernmental processes, re-calibrating its focus on gender norms change for achieving behavioral change and partnering with men and boys for gender equality and elimination of all forms of gender discrimination in the Region.

The JP targets government bodies, civil society organizations, and direct beneficiaries in the respective countries. It envisions a series of intervention strategies designed to contribute to the respective governments’ efforts in advancing gender equality, including promoting social change and addressing the underlying structural gender barriers and norms with particular emphasis on the phenomena of domestic violence and son preference, as well as changing gender stereotypes and improving gender sensitiveness on the related family policies, all by introducing innovative practices in the framework of the national priorities and the respective international normative charters. The programme proposes to collaborate, particularly at the local and community level, with government bodies, civil society organizations, different non-traditional partners and other UN agencies and multilateral organizations.

The JP is led jointly by UNFPA and UN Women, who are globally recognized as leading agencies in the area of gender equality and prevention of discriminatory practices against women and girls. Both agencies have a long experience of addressing challenging gender stereotypes, affecting social change and advancing women’s and girls’ empowerment. The efforts of both agencies are fully complementary and further supported by their work with other UN agencies, civil society, and member states. Both agencies can draw on considerable knowledge globally, regionally, and from the local level, and play a facilitating and convening role to involve all actors in the achievement of SDG 5 and other gender related SDGs targets.

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women ECA RO Deputy Regional Director and matrix supervision of UNFPA Deputy Regional Director, the Programme Manager is responsible for managing the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of UN Women/UNFPA Joint  Programme including providing technical support to the implementation of the UN Women/UNFPA JP, managing the monitoring and reporting for the JP, overseeing and guiding staff and budget management for the programme team, building partnerships and providing support in developing resource mobilization strategies, and managing knowledge building efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Manage the day-to-day implementation of the Joint Programme (EU4GE) (both UNFPA and UN Women related activities):

•  Develop detailed implementation plan and for the programme and be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of country and regional activities;
• Ensure coordination and linkages of the programme across six participating countries and across activities being implemented through UNFPA and UN Women;
• Organize programme steering committee meetings at the regional level and undertake preparatory work and follow-up on their outcomes;
• Report on the progress, present the work plans for approval to the Programme Steering Committee and exchange information on progress and challenges, design joint strategies;
• Draft and discuss narrative donor reports with partners to ensure a quality and timely submission for substance based narrative reports based on the programme reporting schedule;
• Organize activities at regional level and ensure linkages between the programme and relevant aspects of UN Women and UNFPA programmatic, advocacy, coordination, and policy work, as well as building partnerships with additional stakeholders, as relevant;
• Supervise the regional programme team.

2.Provide technical support to the implementation of the Joint Programme:

• Review programme annual work plans to assure compliance with the Joint Programme goals and results-based indicators;
• Analyze and ensure alignment of project budgets with logical framework matrices and work plans;
• Draft reports on activities, outputs and outcomes; and compile information in preparations of country inputs and consolidated donor reports;
• Analyze and ensure alignment of project budgets with logical framework matrices and work plans;
• Manage programme quality control and identification of potential challenges;
• Align programme activities with operations team in close liaison with Operations Managers;
• Build and manage relationships with regional partners, as necessary.

3.Manage the monitoring and reporting for the Joint Programme:

• Recommend and establish programme monitoring standards, criteria, and other indicators for measuring and assessing progress/results;
• Manage the monitoring of mutually agreed results frameworks and performance indicators;
• Coordinate the process of gathering information and preparing progress reports on programme implementation; prepare technical reports;
• Prepare programme team for audits and monitor implementation of audit recommendations;
• Provide training on results-based management to office staff, as necessary.

4.Oversee and guide people and budget management for the Joint Programme

• Lead a team, perform the regional staff performance reviews, ensure capacity development of staff members by suggesting development opportunities and ensure a positive and enabling work environment;
• Monitor and analyze financial situation on the portfolios and programmes to ensure adherence to delivery rates and utilization of resources to meet agreed upon targets and results;
• Ensure effective information flow, communication and coordination across the office, between programmes, projects and operations, and with other UN Women and UNFPA offices and units.

5.Build partnerships

• Develop and implement partnerships strategies to contribute to an overall goal and results of the programme;
• Analyze and research information on donors, finalize substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for resource mobilization and cost sharing;
• Determine programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of the JP and develop the relevant partnerships.

6. Manage knowledge building efforts

• Manage the process of identifying and synthesizing of best practices and lessons learned that are directly linked to the implementation of the programme and contribute to their global dissemination.
• Develop Knowledge Management Plan for the Joint programme and discuss/agree it with the Programme Steering Committee and country level Technical Working Groups
• Lead preparations for regional events, study visits and exchanges planned and ensure development of tools and delivery of technical assistance within the programme for partners to contribute to its key results
• Ensure documentation of knowledge generated within the programme for further dissemination and replication by the programme partners;
• Ensure a quality control for knowledge products to be developed and applied within the joint programme.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Programme team workplans and budgets are developed and implemented in line with UN Women/UNFPA Joint programme’s work plans
• Programme team adhere to UN staff rules and code of conduct and UNFPA and UN Women’s financial Regulations, policies and procedures, using a results-based management approach
• Programmes are implemented according to workplan and budget
• Regular monitoring of programmes, issues/deviations are raised in a timely manner
• Timely and quality reporting and regular dissemination and sharing of information, including best practices/ lessons learned

Competencies

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 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

• Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Ability to develop detailed operational plans, budgets, and deliver on them
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong knowledge of Results Based Management
• Good knowledge of UN programme management systems

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in either Social Sciences, Political Science, Development, Public Administration or Gender 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 would be an added advantage

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in programme management, including programme design, programme coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building;
• Experience in working in a gender related area is an asset;
• Experience in setting priorities, budgets, work plans, participating in programme development and programme writing;
• Experience in leading teams effectively is an asset.

Language Requirements:

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