Afghanistan: Programme Specialist, Women, Peace and Security (Research and Analysis)

Oct 13, 2023 | United Nations Women
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Background

 UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

 Afghanistan is one of the world’s most complex emergencies, and the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Afghan people are grappling with the impact of conflict, poverty, economic decline, and natural disasters. In this context, Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and require urgent support as gender inequality is interwoven with conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. It is essential that Afghan women and girls can continue to shape the development of their country, and that their gains are protected. UN Women remains fully committed to supporting Afghan women and girls and to putting them at the center of the global response to the crisis in Afghanistan.

UN Women has been in Afghanistan for two decades. UN Women’s programming approach is informed by analysis of the political, economic and humanitarian situation, risks to and capacities of partner organizations, and needs of Afghan women and girls. UN Women Afghanistan currently has four key programme priorities: (1) Gender in Humanitarian Action, (2) Ending Violence Against Women, (3) Women’s Economic Empowerment, and (4) Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

Reporting to the Programme Manager, the Programme Specialist exercises overall responsibility for designing, implementing, and managing UN Women’s research and analysis within the WPS portfolio. The Programme Specialist works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN Women HQ staff, Government officials, multi and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation under portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.  Design and develop research initiatives related to WPS and women’s rights/gender equality more broadly

  • Design and formulate programme/ project proposals and initiatives related to advancing research on WPS and women’s rights/gender equality more broadly;
  • Design, manage, and/or commission knowledge products, including country -wide analysis of the status of gender equality in Afghanistan;
  • Analyze quantitative and qualitative data and draft reports for publication;
  • Supervise technical consultants and other specialists required to implement research initiatives;
  • Track and monitor developments related to WPS, gender equality and women’s rights;
  • Draft inputs to country strategy documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to WPS;
  • Coordinate dissemination of knowledge products and related policy-advocacy;
  • Organize and implement seminars, launches, and meetings related to research/analysis. 

2.  Manage the implementation and management of the WPS programme with a special focus on research/analysis

  • Finalize the annual workplan and budget and manage their implementation;
  • Manage the technical implementation of the programme/project; ensure synergies with other teams and UN agencies;
  • Manage all research and analysis components of the WPS portfolio; 

3.  Manage the monitoring and reporting of the programme/ project related to research/analysis

  • Manage the monitoring of programme/ project implementation and finances using results based management tools;
  • Oversee field missions and review reports on monitoring missions;
  • Write quarterly reports and donor reports, focusing on results, output and outcomes;
  • Contribute to office donor and UN Women reports.

4.  Manage the people and financial resources of the WPS programme related to research and analysis 

  • Manage the programme budget and draft financial reports;
  • Supervise Programme Analysts and Technical Specialists (including consultants); mentor and coach personnel and conduct performance assessments;
  • Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary.

5.  Contribute to inter-agency coordination on gender equality and women’s rights to achieve coherence and alignment of UN Women programmes with other partners  in the country

  • Provide technical support to the Representative and Deputy Representative on inter-agency coordination related activities by attending meetings, events, and participating in groups and committees as needed;
  • Coordinate with other UN agencies, government departments, donors and NGOs to ensure the projects’ capacity development programme is harmonized and aligned with other in-country efforts.

 6.  Manage advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

  • Develop and review background documents, briefs and presentations related to WPS;
  • Represent UN Women in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to WPS as necessary;
  • Develop advocacy strategies and oversee their implementation;
  • Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide programme improvement and strategy planning;
  • Develop knowledge management strategies, products and methodologies on WPS.

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 Women’s Core Values and Competencies:  https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies

  • Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
  • Strong knowledge of Results Based Management
  • Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making
  • Strong knowledge of WPS, particulary in the area of knowledge production and analysis
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising and develop strategies

Required Skills and Experience

Education and certification:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, research, statistics or a related field 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 work experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
  • Technical experience in research/analysis in crises contexts related to gender equality and women’s rights;
  • Experience using statistical software and qualitative analysis tools;
  • Experience in designing and managing country-wide assessments and/or research initiatives;
  • Experience coordinating inter-agency entities and/or donors is an asset;
  • Experience working in the UN System is an asset;
  • Experience in leading/managing a team is an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English is required;
  • Working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset;
  • Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto is an asset. 

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from Application and recruitment process | About us: Careers at UN Women | UN Women – Headquarters  Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

 Note: 

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW, and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

 Inclusion Statement:

UN Women is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits employ, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If a candidate needs any reasonable accommodation to support participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in the application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (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.)