GENDER SPECIALIST - UNDP - COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

Location: Colombo, SRI LANKA

Application Deadline: 08-Nov-12

Additional Category: Management

Type of Contract: Service Contract

Post Level: SB-5

Languages Required: English 

Duration of Initial Contract: 1 Year

Background

Organizational Context : The UN Country Team (UNCT) is looking to strengthen its engagement in the area of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka. The position of Gender Specialist is being created towards this end to manage and support the work of the GTG and the Resident Coordinator’s Office within the framework of the current (2008-2012) and future (2013-2017) UNDAFs. The position of Gender Specialist will be located in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator and s/he will advise the Resident Coordinator, the GTG and the UNCT on gender issues. The Gender Specialist will extend support especially in the areas of normative assistance, advocacy and programming. The Specialist will play a key role in supporting the facilitation and coordination of the GTG and its work, while also supporting gender to be effectively mainstreamed across the work of the UNCT in Sri Lanka. The Gender Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator and will report on day-to-day work and priorities, including with regard to the overall gender situation, progress of joint programmes, projects and activities which contribute to the UNDAF as well as relations with government, civil society and UN partners, to the Chair of the GTG.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions / Key Results Expected Summary of key functions: Support the UNRC and UNCT on gender related advocacy, communications and resource mobilization. Support UNCT Sri Lanka in strategically mainstreaming gender into development initiatives. Assist UNRC and the GTG in coordinating the UN’s work on gender, through other inter-agency groups and relevant development partners. Support the UN’s normative work on gender in Sri Lanka. Support the UNRC and UNCT on gender related advocacy, communications and resource mobilisation: Analyze the gender situation, flag gender issues and concerns, and recommend ways to address these. Prepare periodic reports to the UNCT on the gender situation and briefing notes/speeches for the RC.  Support the inter-agency communications group and UNCT to advocate on gender issues with partners and the media, including preparing key messages, advocacy strategies, public information materials, newsletter contributions and press releases. Assist in the preparations for International Women’s Day and the 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children. Provide support for gender related resource mobilisation, including monitoring donor priorities, drafting concept notes and mainstreaming gender into project proposals. Contribute to knowledge sharing through participating in knowledge networks and communities of practice. Support UNCT Sri Lanka in strategically mainstreaming gender into development initiatives: Support the UNCT in drafting a Gender Strategy for the operationalisation of the UNDAF 2013-2017 and its review in the following years, in consultation with all relevant national and international partners. Draft and/or review UN programme and policy documents to ensure that gender is mainstreamed.  Develop gender-responsive toolkits and checklists for monitoring and evaluating relevant development programmes. Promote awareness and dissemination of relevant resource materials on gender mainstreaming to UN staff, including compilation of information on gender policies of donors and the government. Develop performance indicators and targets to enhance gender-responsive UN programming and operations and support the UNCT in developing tools to monitor progress and achieve targets. Organize, facilitate and act as a resource person in training events to enhance the capacity of UN Staff and partners in gender mainstreaming.  Provide technical as well as managerial support and advice to UN agencies to implement their gender focused interventions.  Maintain a roster/database of gender and capacity development experts with appropriate subject specializations, language skills and field experience. Assist UNRC and the GTG in coordinating the UN’s work on gender, through other inter-agency groups and relevant development partners: Coordinate and facilitate regular meetings of the GTG, by proposing agenda items in line with the UNDG guidelines, UNDAF priority areas and joint programme initiatives. Help the different UN Theme Groups to develop action plans to address the needs of women in Sri Lanka through a detailed analysis of available data, UN thematic evaluation and assessment reports. Support the formulation of clear and measurable goals and expected outcomes related to gender equality and women’s empowerment in programmes planned by UN agencies. Work with the UNCT, GTG and others to ensure that the agenda of internal meetings, as well as UN-convened special events and seminars and workshops with stakeholders from Government and civil society are appropriately engendered. Support the implementation of the UNCT Performance Score Card on Gender Equality to ensure greater accountability to gender issues. Support the UN’s normative work on gender in Sri Lanka: Facilitate the UN’s reporting obligations on CEDAW as well as the implementation and monitoring of CEDAW. Support the implementation of the Security Council Resolution 1325. The Gender Specialist is also expected to perform any other duties, relevant to the post, assigned by the Resident Coordinator and/or the GTG Chair. Impact of Results: The key results of the post are strengthening UNCT’s engagement in the area of gender equality, contributing to women’s empowerment in Sri Lanka and increased awareness and advocacy to address women’s issues.  This post will ensure gender sensitivity in the UNDAF (2013-2017) and ensure that gender is effectively mainstreamed across the work of the UNCT in Sri Lanka.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:  Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda Expertise in analysing the gender situation and contributing to the formulation of institutional responses Skills in creating effective advocacy and communication strategies to address gender issues Results-Based Programme Development and Management Developing and identifying links across programme activities to help mainstream gender Awarness and provision of contextual information to identify opportunities for project development and proposal formulation Building Strategic Partnerships Has excellent networks with relevant actors which enable opportunities to build strategic alliances to address gender issues Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of UN staff on gender issues and mainstreaming Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms to address gender issues Innovation and Marketing New Approaches Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments Core Competencies: Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents Building staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation Building and promoting effective team work Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication Creating an emotionally intelligent organization Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning Promoting learning and knowledge management Fair and transparent  decision making; calculated risk-taking

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s degree in social sciences, gender studies, development studies or other relevant subjects Experience: 5 to 10 years of experience in: Working on gender issues in the context of human development and Sri Lanka. Experience in developing and implementing gender mainstreaming strategies, and training UN experience, particularly in development programming in Sri Lanka, would be an asset. Language Requirements: Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English. Fluency in Sinhala and/or Tamil would be advantageous.

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.

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