Gender Specialist

Job Description

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data-driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP has achieved significant progress in making gender equality and women’s empowerment integral to its work on human development and the achievement of the SDGs. The new UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 builds on the lessons of the previous strategies and has established as its main goal to help governments to shift systems and power structures that generate gender inequalities and women’s disempowerment. It will work through its six signature solutions on poverty and inequality, governance, resilience, environment, energy and gender equality; and promote integrated approaches in each thematic area, stronger investments in data and analysis, and the implementation of innovative solutions to transform social norms, and stronger partnerships with UN agencies and with civil society.

Within the Arab States Region, UNDP is committed to accelerating progress towards closing the gap on gender equality and women’s empowerment, this includes in both crises and development contexts. UNDP works to place gender equality at the core of political, economic, social and environmental policy dialogues with governments; and to ensure that laws and policies are put in place to eliminate gender discrimination, and that more women are proactively participating and making decisions over political, environmental, social and economic aspects of their lives, their communities and societies. UNDP promotes opportunities for gender equality in crisis countries for the restoration of government functions, the rebuilding of social structures, and economic recovery. Addressing gender stereotypes and discriminatory social norms, perceptions, and practices also continues to be an important element of UNDPs work; as well as offering unique data, analytics, and evidence, in partnership with UN Women, other UN agencies, IFIs and other partners. UNDP is also expanding the scope for supporting networks of women activists and local civil society organizations to influence policy processes, constitutional and legislative reforms. Moreover, UNDP is working with relevant regional institutions to improve gender data and statistics and achieve national ownership for policy options to improve gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Gender Equality Team Leader (Amman), the Gender Specialist will work, in close collaboration with specialists from Country Offices, the Regional Hub and HQ (BPPS, CB and RBAS) to reduce gender inequalities in the region, in line with the new Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025. She/he will be responsible for supporting:

• Policy Development.
• Programme Integration and Coordination.
• Partnerships and Resource Mobilization.
• Knowledge Management, Learning and Innovation.

Key Duties and Accountabilities

Policy Development.

Example of Duties:

• Support the development of the Regional Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 and/or Action Plan and the updating/alignment of COs strategies to the new global and regional frameworks.
• Provide quality assurance to ensure corporate alignment to global gender equality policies, including system-wide frameworks and corporate accountability and reporting mechanisms (GSIC, IWP, ROAR).
• Support policy dialogues and help the Regional Hub and Country Offices to place gender equality at the core of political, economic and environmental policy dialogues and decisions, including in fragile and crisis settings.
• Provide substantive advice to the Gender Equality Team Leader (Amman) on challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 in RBAS.
• Support the design of global and regional policy initiatives to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, ensuring perspectives from the different country contexts are represented.
• Identify and support opportunities for cross-regional collaboration, including through the design and resource mobilization for new initiatives/proposals.

Programme Integration and Coordination.

Example of Duties:

• Provide substantive technical support to ensure the integration of gender equality within each thematic portfolio of the RBAS regional hub including the RBAS regional programme, and other regional flagship initiatives such as regional reports and/or events.
• Provide substantive technical support for RBAS Country Offices to strengthen their programmatic (CCA, UNSDCF, CPD, PRODOC and funding proposals), human, and financial architecture for gender equality, including virtual and in-person support (e.g., technical support missions).
• Support the implementation of corporate standards and flagship programmes such as the Gender Equality Seal, and comprehensive portfolio reviews.
• Contribute to strengthening the capacity of the Regional Hub for the development and update of a regional gender analysis to identify opportunities and anticipate future challenges, including data and analysis on socio-economic structures that generate gender inequalities in the region, and other dimensions such a backlash against women’s rights, and potential allies to counter them.
• Support the monitoring of the Regional Hub and Country Office financial investments – using the gender marker- and the follow up of the corporate targets, promoting accuracy of the tracker and increase of resource allocations for GEWE, especially in crisis contexts.
• Support the development of a network of gender experts, especially feminist economists and experts on gender and nature, climate and energy, to provide additional on-call support to CO and regional teams.

Partnerships and Resource Mobilization.

Example of Duties:

• Provide substantive advice and support to strengthen strategic partnerships with UN entities (particularly UN Women but also other specialized UN organizations with complementary skills and capacity), to improve interagency coordination and maximize impact on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Provide substantive advice and support to strengthen strategic partnerships with governments, civil society (particularly women’s organizations) and businesses, among other key actors, to address gender inequalities in the region.
• Collaborate with the Gender Equality Team Leader in the pursuit of new partnerships to bring innovation, change and influence social norms, behaviors and power relations, including with partners such as faith-based organizations or networks of young innovators, etc.
• Support resource mobilization efforts, to strengthen UNDP’s regional and country office portfolios and results in gender equality, including identifying funding opportunities, supporting the preparation of funding proposals, donor briefings, etc.
• Support the internal planning to implement RBAS Regional Gender Equality Strategy/Action Plan, including allocation of internal resources and external resource mobilization.

Knowledge Management, Learning and Innovation.

Example of Duties:

• Engage and proactively participate in the RBAS regional network or Gender Community of Practice composed by gender specialists and colleagues leading and implementing GEWE portfolios in country offices; support the identification of priorities and needs, the coordination of periodic meetings and the co-creation and sense of ownership across the network.
• Provide substantive advice and technical support to the development and implementation of a capacity development/ learning plan on gender equality for regional and Country Office levels, including ensuring regional participation in global/regional learning initiatives such as learning labs and/or mentorship programmes.
• Collaborate with Country Offices and Innovation Labs across the region to foster innovation to advance gender equality in UNDP programming.
• Support RBAS knowledge management for gender equality aligned to the new global Knowledge Management Strategy and Framework for Action (e.g., CoPs, Knowledge Platforms, high-quality Knowledge Products, evidence-based good practices, among others), including by providing technical guidance and quality assurance to content development.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:

The Gender Specialist will support the Gender Equality Team Leader, in the coordination and management of the regional gender team. She/he will:

• Support the formulation and follow-up of the Team’s Annual Work Plan.
• Provide effective support to the overall day to day management of the Regional Hub’s gender equality portfolio, including ensuring timely implementation, monitoring and evaluation (e.g., identifying adequate service providers, coordinate mid-term and terminal evaluations, support corporate, etc.), according to UNDP corporate standards and policies.
• Collaborate with the establishment and maintenance of an inclusive, diverse and harmonious working environment, including by supporting the implementation of corporate policies (e.g., gender parity and zero tolerance regarding sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse), and promoting communication and coordination among staff.

Requirements:

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in gender in studies or related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree in the relevant field with an additional two (2) years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience, providing advice and programme support in the field of gender equality and women’s empowerment (public or private sectors); 9 years with bachelor’s degree; preferably with 3 years of experience in the Arab States Region (global, regional or national organization).
• Proven experience in project management and resource mobilization is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in learning and knowledge management is an asset.
• Excellent communications skills, with public-speaking experience, excellent writing skills, and publications as an asset.
• Fluency in English, Arabic and French is required.

Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Core

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender – Gender and Institutional Development

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender – Gender Mainstreaming

2030 Agenda: People

• Gender -Gender Issues and Analysis

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness.

• Effectiveness – RBM standards and practices for programming

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness.

• Effectiveness – Performance and data analysis and sharing lessons

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness.

• Effectiveness – Development Partnership Architecture

Business Management

• Project Management – Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

For external applicants, please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid applicatio