Gender Specialist, Institutional Transformation and Gender Equality Seal for Development Extern[...] - UN News : Job Details

Background

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 for a 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. The new UNDP Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025 builds on the lessons of the previous strategies. It has established as the main goal to help governments toshift systems and power structuresthat 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.

The Gender Team (BPPS) has the leading role in the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2025, including through the implementation of Gender Equality Global Program 2023-2025 and the Gender Equality Seal which will continue to be the UNDP global initiative for operationalizing this strategy.

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

Reporting to the Head of Gender (BPPS- New York), the Gender Specialist, Institutional Transformation and Gender Equality Seal for Development will: Lead the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal for Development; Build and maintain strategic partnerships and strengthen resource mobilization; Ensure effective knowledge sharing and learning; and Provide strategic advice and support for the implementation of the institutional transformation aspects of UNDP's Gender Equality Strategy.

As such, the incumbent will have to demonstrate a level of agility and breadth of knowledge and skills to manage competing demands while delivering quality outputs of high standards.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal for Development.

• Lead the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal for Development, including the rollout of the Fifth Round for Country Offices and its potential expansion to Regional Hubs and Headquarters Teams.
• Liaise with key internal actors for the effective implementation of the Seal, with a particular focus on Regional Hubs (RH) and Country Offices (CO).
• Provide strategic advice and oversee the overall Seal offer, including the technical support for participant Country Offices and Central/Regional Bureaus (e.g., assessments and missions), and the learning and knowledge management plans.
• Ensure effective management of the Seal initiative, including budgeting and managing financial resources; and recruiting/training personnel as needed.

2. Build and maintain strategic partnerships and strengthen resource mobilization

• Represent UNDP and the Gender Team in UN interagency coordination spaces to advance UNDP's strategic thought leadership on institutional transformation for gender equality.
• Provide substantive advice and support to strengthen strategic partnerships to advance UNDP's strategic agenda on institutional transformation for gender equality.
• Strengthen resource mobilization efforts for the expansion of this area of work, including by identifying funding opportunities, preparing funding proposals and donor briefings, setting up new and innovative funding mechanisms (e.g., cost-recovery), among others.
• Attend meetings, prepare concept notes, presentations, briefs and talking points for Senior Management as needed, including to communicate and propel ambitious results of the Seal.

3. Ensure effective knowledge sharing and learning.

• Contribute knowledge management on institutional transformation for gender equality, aligned to UNDP's new global Knowledge Management Strategy and Framework for Action.
• Ensure synergies between the Gender Equality Seal's Knowledge Management and Learning Plans and other Knowledge Management and Learning initiatives implemented by the Team, including to lead knowledge sharing and management in newer priority areas.
• Ensure that data and good practices collected from Gender Seal assessments are in accessible format and helps to strengthen the narrative of the implementation of the GES 2022-2025; prepare briefs and presentations accordingly.
• Keep the Gender Team and the GPN abreast of the main advances on institutional transformation for gender equality.

4. Provide strategic advice and support for the implementation of the institutional transformation aspects of UNDP's Gender Equality Strategy

• Ensure the Gender Equality Seal continues to be the UNDP global initiative for operationalizing the Gender Equality Strategy.
• Provide strategic advice and contribute to the implementation of the institutional transformation aspects of the current GES 2022-2025.
• Contribute to the drafting and implementation of the institutional transformation aspects of the upcoming Gender Equality Strategy.
• Ensure the different tracks of work on institutional transformation are aligned to the GES, coordinated and synergies and identified and leveraged.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Gender Specialist, Gender Equality Seal for Development (TA P3), IPSA and IC as needed.

Competencies

CoreAchieve Results:

• Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact.

Think Innovatively:

• Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems.

Learn Continuously:

• Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences.

Adapt with Agility:

• Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands.

Act with Determination:

• Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results.

Engage and Partner:

• Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

• Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical

2030 Agenda: People - Gender:

• Gender Equality Seal for Development

2030 Agenda: People - Gender:

• Gender Equality and Institutional Transformation.

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness - Effectiveness:

• RBM standards and practices for programming.

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness - Effectiveness:

• Performance analysis on programming.

Partnership Management - Relationship management:

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutualunderstanding.

Business Management - Portfolio Management:

• Ability to select, priorities and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment.
• Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Business Direction and Strategy- System Thinking:

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Gender in Studies or related fields is required, or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in the above-mentioned areas, with an additional two (2) years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years (with master's degree) or 9 years (with bachelor's degree) of professional experience in gender equality and development, particularly institutional development, and gender mainstreaming is required.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in project management and coordination, particularly in complex initiatives including different levels (global, regional, and country levels) is desirable.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the integration of gender equality in UNDP's work including institutional transformation aspects, at the global, regional and/or country level, is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in partnerships and resource mobilization is desirable.
• Proven experience in learning and knowledge management is highly desirable.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency in English, both written and oral, is required.
• Working knowledge of Spanish or French is highly desirable.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.