Programme Specialist, Gender and Social Norms; Gender, Rights, and Inclusion Branch, P-3, Nairobi (154316)

Job Description

The Position:

The Programme Specialist is responsible for providing integrated programming and technical assistance to integrating gender transformative approaches, and addressing discriminatory gender and social norms. This Specialist will report directly to the Programme Adviser, (Gen/Tech/Prog), P5, 142366. 

Job Purpose:

Contribute to mainstreaming of gender transformative and human rights based approaches into UNFPA’s programmatic areas of work including sexual and reproductive health and rights. It will contribute to building and strengthening evidence-based policies and programmes in addressing social and gender norms in the context of women and girls’ agency and decision-making, harmful practices, family planning, maternal and newborn health, and population data. This role works towards strengthening internal and external multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral partnerships for advocacy, development, implementation and evaluation of gender transformative and human rights-based policies and programmes in sexual and reproductive health. The position will be key to support countries, work closely with regional offices, monitor trends, exchange information and tools, and promote south-south and triangular cooperation.

You would be responsible for: 

Strategic Results Support

• Provide substantive guidance and technical support on issues of gender equality and women's human rights in the context of sexual and reproductive health within UNFPA as well as outside;
• Provide substantive guidance and technical support in the implementation of the gender transformative approaches at the regional and country level;
• Provide technical support to the Programme Division, and Regional and Country offices in the development of programmes, interventions, and tools to ensure the adequacy of programmes;
• Provide technical support for knowledge development, management and sharing, and monitoring and evaluation practices;

Capacity Development

• In collaboration with the Gender Advisor, and in close collaboration with the Chief of the Gender, Rights and Inclusion Branch, contribute to the development of a comprehensive and integrated capacity building strategy for supporting gender transformative approaches, and implementing UNFPA’s Gender Equality Strategy;
• Build capacity of the programme staff in the adoption and use of social and gender norms change approaches in support of women and girls’ decision-making and bodily autonomy for SRHR, family planning and maternal, newborn health, and promoting positive masculinities. 
• Collaborate closely with the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch to support their programmatic work on behavior change towards women and adolescent girls’ SRHR, and in alignment with gender transformative approaches. 

Evidence, Knowledge Development & Dissemination

• Manage evidence and knowledge, related to the gender transformative approaches, and towards the implementation of UNFPA’s Gender Equality Strategy, including updating and informing staff at HQ, regional and country levels on key knowledge products, while also identifying innovative ways to communicate and disseminate newly created tools and resources to staff and relevant partners;
• Responsible for synthesizing and documenting evidence on social and gender norms change  including through direct communication with regional and country offices;
• Manage the editing and distribution process for  gender equality publications.
• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements required for the organization of technical workshops, inter-agency meetings, panel discussions, roundtables, steering committee and other events organized by the Gender, Rights and Inclusion Branch in relation to its gender portfolio (support to NY bureau when needed);
• Draft for internal and external reporting processes, while working directly with the Fund’s Media and Communication Branch and outside partners, including for drafting, synthesizing as well as analyzing reports as needed.
• Support financial and substantive progress of projects, and maintain and update data on relevant  programmes as input to the Branch’s work.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by your supervisor. 

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Advanced university degree in public health, social science, demography, gender, economics, international development. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in gender, gender transformative approaches, gender-based violence/harmful practices, public health or social sciences.
• Experience providing technical support in the development and/or implementation of the gender transformative approaches at global, regional and/or country level;
• Proven ability in managing evidence and knowledge on gender transformative approaches, as well as editing and distributing publications
• Strong verbal and written communications skills in English.
• Field experience is a strong asset.
• UN common system experience, especially field experience, is desirable.

Languages: 

• Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable. 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact 
• Commitment to UNFPA's values and guiding principles
• Developing People, Fostering Innovation and Empowerment, Performance Management
• Knowledge Sharing, Continuous Learning 

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise
• Job Knowledge, Technical Expertise
• Logistical support
• Managing data, information and reports
• Planning, organizing and multi-tasking
• Managing financial processes