UNIFEM, Country Programme Manager, Deadline May 23, 2010.

 

Country Programme Manager

Location :Dili, Timor Leste
Application Deadline :23-May-10
Type of Contract :FTA International
Languages Required : English 
Starting Date : (date when the selected canditate is expected to start) 01-Jul-2010
Duration of Initial Contract :1 year

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Background

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is the United Nations agency tasked to promote gender equality and women's empowerment.   The four major focus areas of UNIFEM are: (a) reducing feminized poverty, (b) ending violence against women, (c) halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, and (d) promoting gender responsive democratic governance in the time of peace and at the time of war. UNIFEM has had an office in Timor-Leste since 2000. It has facilitated the implementation of national commitments to gender equality and enhancing state and public accountability. Our work focuses on the implementation of CEDAW though a gender mainstreaming approach and advocating for gender responsive budgeting. It ensures women’s contribution to politics and decision-making by bridging women leaders both actual and potential at the national (women legislators) and local (village and municipal) levels.   UNIFEM also supports community-led initiatives to develop local and national responses to sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) and spearheaded the The “Say No to Violence Campaign” as part of the Secretary-General’s Campaign – Unite to End Violence against Women. The activities involve working with male networks in Timor-Leste to advance women’s human rights and eliminate SGBV.

UNIFEM is the lead agency for the three year Spanish MDG Achievement Fund that started in late 2008 on Supporting Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Nation Building of Timor-Leste to improve the protection of girls/women and uphold their rights, and reduce their vulnerability to domestic violence and human trafficking through regulatory frameworks, socialization campaigns, and capacity building efforts at governmental and civil society levels.  At the same time the programme is envisaged to improve the social and economic situation of girls/women through a fair allocation of resources that are reflected in gender sensitive budgeting within National Action Plans In the future, UNIFEM Timor-Leste will be taking the opportunity provided by the tenth anniversary of 1325, as well as by the three recent Security Council women, peace and security resolutions (1820, 1888, 1889) to address implementation and accountability of the UN SRC 1325 by strengthening women’s security and voice in peace building at community, national and international levels to affect women’s lives in post-conflict countries and to build domestic constituencies of women in peace building. Furthermore, it is interested to continue supporting the gender mainstreaming efforts in Timor-Leste in security sector reform and to build capacity to prevent conflict-related sexual violence

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the Regional Programme Director (RPD) of the East and South East Asia Regional Office (ESERO) in Bangkok, the Country Programme manager will provide strategic direction and technical and programme support services to ensure high quality programme/project delivery with accuracy and consistency of work for UNIFEM’s programmes and projects in Timor Leste.

The results of the work of the Country Programme Manager greatly impacts on the standing and reputation of UNIFEM in the country. The Country Programme Manager represents UNIFEM in international and national fora, undertakes negotiations with external clients and interacts independently on behalf of UNIFEM with a broad range or constituencies at high level including ministers and senior civil servants, local and international media, civil society as well as counterparts from other international organizations. As the manager of UNIFEM, the Country Programme Manager ensures a coherent team, timely and effective delivery of the UNIFEM programme and a proactive response of UNIFEM to changes in the country context.

The Country Programme Manager will respond to strategic opportunities by developing new programmes and projects to identify resource mobilization opportunities; ensure effective programme management; undertake effective networking and partnership with international and national partners, including government counterparts, civil society and non-governmental organizations, women's groups, bilateral and multilateral donors and UN agencies, and implement effective operational management of the Timor Leste Office in Dili in areas of finance, human resources and procurement.

1.     Strategic Policy Advisory and Coordination
 

• Monitor political, economic and social developments trends and issues affecting women in Timor Leste for a strategic response to opportunities and challenges within the context of UNIFEM’s programmes in Timor-Leste
• Advisory support to the national women’s machinery (SEPI) in relation to implementation of their 5-year Strategic Plan, gender mainstreaming efforts and the development of the National Gender Policy to effectively implement national commitments on gender;
• Co-chair with the Secretary for the State of Promotion of Equality, the Programme Management Committee of the MDG-F Achievement Fund;
• Build strong partnerships with donor agencies in Timor-Leste focusing on gender issues to ensure synergy with government commitment;
• Participate in and represent UNIFEM in various UN coordination mechanisms and activities related to gender equality and women’s empowerment issues to ensure strategic partnership and to actively seek opportunities to strengthen collaboration with sister UN organizations.

2.     Programme development and management

• Develop and implement UNIFEM Country Strategy for Timor-Leste;
• Provide technical and management support to country programmes from design to implementation and assessment of programme effectiveness;
• Responsible for the management of UNIFEM programme and activities, in particular in the areas of women in politics, sexual and gender-based violence, gender budgeting and gender mainstreaming in sectoral ministries for gender-sensitive policies and programmes, and implementation of CEDAW Concluding Comments in line with UNIFEM rules and regulations;
• In close consultation with the CEDAW Programme Manager in the UNIFEM office in Bangkok, provide advice and guidance to the CEDAW programme in Timor Leste with a view to ensure effective support to government and civil society partners in implementation of CEDAW Concluding Comments and to ensure effective overall results and coordination across programmes for UNIFEM Timor Leste;
• Monitor progress and evaluate UNIFEM programmes and projects to ensure timely delivery and results, including development/strengthening of M&E frameworks;
• Assess implementation, analyse work plans, prepare progress reports, draft summary reports to RPD and donors on a quarterly, bi-annually and annual basis as required;
• Recommends actions and solutions, analyse objectives, results, distil and document lessons learned.
• Prepare annual report and donor reports on Timor-Leste for project review and approval by the RPD
• Ensure the implementation of the joint MDG-F Achivement Fund programme by collaborating closely with UN partners in this regard. 
• Provide close guidance and direction to ensure strategic focus, results orientation and effectivenss and efficiency in all aspects of UNIFEM’s operations and programmes.
• Support the UNIFEM Timor-Leste programme staff

3. Advocacy and Partnership building

• Ensure leading role of UNIFEM in fora and meetings related to the gender equality and, including the High Level Coordination Mechanism for Gender Equality.
• Maintain relationships with UNIFEM’s external partners including donors, government agencies, and NGOs, on matters related to the promotion of national commitments to gender equality with a view of ensuring strategic partnerships and strengthening collaboration
• Advocate a positive and accurate image of UNIFEM and its work in the country through effective communication and media strategies;
• Identify innovative communication opportunities to communicate and advocate for UNIFEM programmes, results and activities in Timor Leste; disseminate programme/project results; mainstream communication and advocacy into programme/project activities; share UNIFEM experiences with national and international partners;
• Initiate and coordinate strategic advocacy activities to maximize support of the UN system, government and civil society partners on gender equality in line with international commitments to CEDAW, Beijing, MDGs and Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820.
• Ensure prescriptive content on gender equality is continuously updated and available through the UNIFEM ESEARO website;
• Alert RPD to high level government, donor and civil society meetings that RPD should attend in Timor-Leste;

4. Resource Mobilization
 

• Identify and follow-up on strategic opportunities for resource mobilization for UNIFEM’s programming in Timor-Leste to support national priorities on gender equality.
• Builds partnership and and mobilize resources for programme implementation including new programme development to respond to evolving situation and critical areas of concern.

5. Operations and Human Resource Management

• Ensure implementation of corporate operational strategies and ensure the full compliance of operations with UNIFEM rules, regulations and policies in the operations of the Timor Leste Office;
• People management through UN recruitment process, performance and career management of professional and support staff; learning management, establishing learning plans and ensuring staff meeting their professional development needs;
• Ensure provision of efficient procurement and logistical services and focus on compliance with UNIFEM rules and regulations of procurement including sourcing strategy, supplier selection and quality management;
• Ensure proper services and management in compliance with UNIFEM rules and regulations such as oversight of the management of office premises, office vehicles, office assets, office and staff security;
• Represent UNIFEM in the monthly Security Management Team (SMT) chaired by the Designated Official and is responsible for efficient implementation in UNIFEM of security measures agreed in the SMT and for compliance with security policy;
• Alert Bangkok Office and follow-up on partnerships with other UN agencies regarding establishment of common services, maintenance of coordinating mechanism to ensure integrated activities on common services and implementation of UN reform where strategic opportunities arise;.
• Carry out other duties assigned by the RPD.

Competencies

Functional:

• Substantive knowledge and understanding specifically on gender equality issues as well as more broadly, human rights and development cooperation,
• Knowledge of Timor Leste system of governance, including political and social situations of the country.
• Strong knowledge of results-based and rights-based programming (Results-based Management and Human Rights-based Approach to Programming)
• Demonstrated ability in management evaluation of programmes and projects

Managerial
 

• Ability to lead a programme team, ability to multi-task, coordination ability, a high sense of team player, innovative and strategic thinking.
• Builds strong relationships with both internal and external actors - cultivates productive relationships with donors, partners and other important institutions and individuals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Good listener and responsive to the opinions of others. Speaks confidently and exercises diplomacy in dealing with governments, UN system and national partners; demonstrates determination and tact in negotiations.
• Displays cultural sensitivity and adaptability - communicates effectively with and relates to people of different cultures, demonstrating an ability to see issues from other perspectives

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master's degree in social science, development studies or related field.

Experience

• At least ten years of relevant experiences, in programme management and working on development issues, including 3-6 years of senior-level management responsibilities or similar size and complexity
• Knowledge and experiences in working with UN agencies are assets.
• Past experience in working in a conflict country and experience in nation & peace building areas preferred.

Language

• Fluency in English is required.

How To Apply
Applications should be submitted on line and must include an up to date UNIFEM Personal History Form (P11) posted at http://www.unifem.org/attachments/about/employment/UNIFEM_personal_history_form_P11.doc .