Gender Programme Specialist, Rapid Response Rosters -Eastern and Southern Africa Region

· Actively participate in Country Management Team (CMT); Programme Coordination Team;partnerships, research, financial and contract review committees; and other key country-specific leadership teams to ensure strategic inclusion of gender in all country-specific programming

· Coordinate with the Regional Gender Advisors and the Headquarters Gender Section to plan, utilize, monitor and report on the Gender Thematic Fund, or other programmatic funds with large gender components that are allocated to the country-specific interventions for the Country Programme, under the Country Office senior management.

· In collaboration with sectoral colleagues and under the guidance of Deputy Representative, participate in the planning and monitoring of the utilization of the budget allocated to sectoral and cross-sectoral gender interventions with sectoral colleagues

· Lead the gender component of the reporting of the routine country-level programme expenditures, including the annual reporting and the RAM.

2- Program development and planning (including emergency contexts)

· Lead and/or support the evidence-based programme planning on gender, incorporating robust measurement and evaluation of results – especially in the event of the Country Programme development and Mid-Term Review.

· Provide technical leadership on integration of gender into country programming phases, including strategic planning, SitAns, strategic moments of reflection, CPDs, CPMPs, mid-term reviews, extended annual reviews, programme component strategy notes and in the programmatic assessment and institutional strengthening components of gender reviews

· In collaboration with sectoral colleagues, identify the areas of focus for gender programming with the greatest potential for impact and scale, in alignment with the GAP and the country/regional priorities.

· Work with sectoral counterparts to incorporate sound gender indicators and measures in programme and policy initiatives, proposals, and advocacy efforts and assist in developing gender-sensitive theories of change models for sector and cross-sectoral programming inalignment with the MoRES framework.

3- Program management, monitoring and delivery of results (including emergency contexts)

· Provide technical support in indicator identification, measurement and performance tracking as it relates to gender mainstreaming and the Targeted Gender Priorities, in collaboration with Planning, M&E and planning section and sectoral teams.

· Lead cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results

· Support the strengthening of data systems and collection, as well as accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress on gender results.

· Support high quality reporting on gender results, and a biannual performance review of GAP specified results.

· Work closely with evaluation colleagues to effectively integrate data collection, tracking, analysis and reporting on the indicators for the GAP into programme results and gender performance benchmarks into M&E systems.

· Support and strengthen the quality of research and evidence building on gender related programming, bringing in the latest learning and insights from the field of gender and development, and putting in place a coherent, well-prioritized research agenda in alignment with the GAP.

· Oversee the planning and implementation of the gender reviews and make sure that the recommendations that come out of the gender review are integrated into the Country Programme strategy and action plans and humanitarian strategies and action plans in emergency contexts.

· Actively represent UNICEF in relevant coordination bodies at the inter-agency level (gender theme group or other networks, GBV cluster if relevant), participate as a member of steering committees, and provide close oversight of inter-agency joint programmes.

 4. Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical support and guidance to national government, NGOs, UN Agencies and other country-level and local-level partners on aspects of gender programming and to ensure incorporation of gender indicators and measures in programmes/projects, policy initiatives, proposals, and M&E systems.

• Provide technical support and advocacy to reporting and follow-up on international and regional gender equality commitments made by the countries

• Support the development of adequate emergency preparedness measures, updating of contingency plans and establishment of early warning mechanisms that reflect gender needs.

• Support the development and of sex-disaggregated databases on information crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency plans.
• Support the development and deployment of emergency training that incorporates gender issues and relevant strategies.
• Lead and/or participate in needs assessment missions on gender, and in the event of an emergency, be deployed as a member of the Emergency Response Team.
•  Identify implementing/operational partners and establish implementing arrangements in order to ensure an effective, gender-inclusive emergency response.

5- Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Liaise and consult with sections, government and other external partners (civil society, NGOs, UN Agencies, private sector) to identify areas for convergence, and develop and reinforce partnerships in gender programming.

• Forge and support internal and external partnerships and networks in the development of harmonized, gender-transformative programme interventions.

• Build strategic alliances for gender equality with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities.

• Collaborate with other UN agencies and partners to enhance robust gender results in sectoral programmes at the country level. If necessary, represent UNICEF in external meetings on gender integration into sectoral and cross-sectoral results, including UN Country Team meetings and UNSDCF preparations.

• Lead mapping of potential new partnerships and leverage existing partnerships to accelerate GAP implementation at the country level in determined priority areas.

6- Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Initiate documentation and sharing of the country-level experience in gender programming and lessons learned, which will be shared with internal network and external partners and utilized for South-South cooperation.

• Represent the gender section at sectoral, country-level and regional-level network meetings, and ensure best practices on gender programming according to 5 GAP principles are highlighted in these forums

• Bring best practices in gender programming and measurement to the attention of senior management and sectoral colleagues, as well as Regional Gender Advisor and gender section staff at HQ

• Support and conduct innovative research on gender at the country-level

• Support Regional Gender Advisor in advancing the technical and research capacity of countrylevel staff, offices and programs on gender to continue to build evidence base for programming and to ensure continuous capacity in gender at Country Office level.

• Support management and HR in the development of systems, tools and processes that enable staff members and external partners to enhance their understanding and adoption of gender sensitive behaviors and to support implementation of the GAP.

 Impact of Results

– Sectoral and cross-sectoral programmes/projects on gender are effectively and efficiently supported and implemented in alignment with the Gender Action Plan’s (GAP) four targeted gender priorities and country/ regional/ sectoral priorities through the timely and systematic provision of coordination and technical expertise on gender. The performance of the gender programmes are timely monitored, analyzed and evaluated, and the findings of the measurement and research are integrated into the planning and reporting. Programmatic financial resources allocated to gender programming and results are effectively planned and managed for cost-efficient utilization, and the progress on the gender programme expenditures are timely monitored and reported.

Knowledge, information and best practices on effective gender programming is generated, managed and shared within internal networks and with external partners to support programmes in changing gender disadvantage and discrimination.

Gender needs for emergency preparedness (response and reconstruction, in the event of emergencies) are identified and integrated into the emergency programme planning and implementation. Overall, this Gender Programme Specialist will support progress in the four target priorities for gender, the five performance benchmarks, and the seven results areas specified globally for UNICEF in the Gender Action Plan (GAP).

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education-

• Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.). · Academic credentials in gender are a strong asset.

Work Experience- 

• Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.
•  Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes on gender and development or any other cross cutting programme, especially at country/field level, experience in emergency response is an asset.
• Experience in and knowledge of UN and IASC policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEA, AAP, GBV and Centrality of Protection. · Proven success in overseeing an office-wide PSEA agenda and workplan including developing and facilitating training and capacity-building activities on PSEA.
•  Strong communication, facilitation and interpersonal skill.

Language Requirement:-

• Fluency in verbal and written English or French (depending on the country office’s official language). Knowledge of another UN language or a local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

• UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children.

The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF.

UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.