National Consultant-Women Economic Empowerment Officer-WEE

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.

Sudan has passed through a long history of conflict, and political fragility, and negatively impacted by its consequences. The high poverty rate, vulnerability, and low socio-economic status of women, men, girls, and boys are manifestations of how people pay the price of war and the fragility. The demonstration, and the uprise that have been taken place in 2018 have significantly contributed to the overthrown of the former government, and the country entered an era of new democracy. Women’s movement groups, and Women-led organization embarked in claiming women’s rights due to the vulnerability women live in. The integration of women’s political rights in the 2018 constitution, and Juba Peace Agreement of 2020 were representing positive signs of advancing women’s rights. However, the 25th of October coup has created unprecedented effects on women’s advancement, and has exacerbated their suffering.

On 15th  of April, the war erupted in the country between the RSF, and SAF, and has led to a massive displacement of the population to safer states. The conflict continued its negative consequences as women, and girls experienced severe violation of human rights including SGBV, loss of livelihoods and assets.

UN Women continued its economic support to vulnerable women, and girls, and prioritizes its interventions in line with its strategic note, and UNDAF. The humanitarian situations of the country have urged the office to embark in strengthening the humanitarian -development nexus in the WEE domain, and to implement livelihood interventions to cater for the needs of displaced women, and girls, and women in the settled communities.

Against this background, UN Women- Sudan country office seeks to recruit WEE officer to support the strategic positioning of the WEE portfolio in the current context of war, and to foster the implementation of the country strategic note that prioritizes WEE in the development, and humanitarian context, and align it with the updated UNDAF to contribute to achieving the national priorities.

The consultant will be reporting to Women’s Economic Empowerment Specialist.

The WEE officer will be monitored by WEE specialist. A work plan will be developed by the officer. It includes key deliverables, outputs, and indicators, and will be used as standard to measure the progress, and the performance evaluation

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

1. Programme Development, management, and implementation

• Ensure linkages between the WEE, and other thematic areas of UN Women work, and provide updated information on the situational analyses and intervention planning, and to ensure timely monitoring, evaluation, and documentation of interventions.
• Support maintaining humanitarian-development nexus in the WEE programmatic interventions.
• Support rapid, multi-stakeholder assessments and field visits for the identification of appropriate interventions by the UN Women Sudan and its partners.
•  Provide technical review and support to UN WOMEN partners activity development and implementation on WEE.
• Ensure that UN Women Sudan programming on Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) builds on the overall UN Women’s comparative advantages, adds value to existing UN support, and strengthens contribution to the attainment of national priorities.
• Inform UN Women Sudan- Programme Specialist as appropriate on area of responsibility, as well as represent UN Women Sudan in forums relevant to the thematic areas.

1. Programme Development, Management and Implementation:

• Provide strategic guidance, and technical support to programme development, management, and implementation, including proposal development on WEE, and other related thematic areas.
• Thorough analysis and research of the political, social, and economic situation in the country pertaining to women’s economic empowerment and preparation of substantive inputs to inter-agency UN assessments and plans and UNDAF.
• Work closely with other portfolios to maintain the synergy and the linkages with WEE.
• Support drafting projects documents, concept notes, and TORs for the implementation of WEE project activities.
• Ensure effective management and implementation of the UN Women supported programme activities within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned, focusing on quality control from design to implementation, paying attention to the effective application of RBM and the UN Women assessment tools, establishment of management targets and monitoring the achievement of results.
• Provide technical inputs to CO knowledge products and reports; and manage knowledge products.
• Ensure systematic monitoring and reporting Programme implementation and results.

1. Effective management and accountability of the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) portfolio:

• Develop results-oriented work plans, undertake effective monitoring and supervision and providing technical assistance to their implementation and reporting on the project activities.
• Analyze reports from partners for quality control, undertake field missions, analyzing key events and changes in context and provide substantive and appropriate advice and briefs and support, sharing experiences/reflections sessions of good practices, and dissemination of lessons learned.
• In collaboration with WEE Specialist, and the M&E Programme Specialist/Analysts, undertake financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the WEE programmes and projects, identification of operational and financial problems and development of solutions.

1. Creation of strategic partnerships, and coordination

• Contribute to the development and strengthening of the partnership with key stakeholders including but not limited to academic institutions, local authorities, women’s, and young women-led organizations, UN agencies and bi-lateral development partner organizations, and the private sectors to ensure optimal collective knowledge of gender equality and women’s rights issues within the context of women’s economic empowerment.
• Ensure effective UN Women coordination and communication with relevant key stakeholders.
• Support establishing/strengthening networking, and coordination among stakeholders to further enhance the achievement of GEWE.
• Strengthen the coordination within the UN agencies to support women’s economic empowerment agenda and work.
• Analysis and research of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.

1. Resource Mobilization:

• In close consultation with UN Women Sudan Programme Specialist, and WEE Specialist, support resource mobilization through the development of concept notes and project proposals / documents, identifying potential sources of funds.
• Sustain donor confidence in UN Women’s capacity to deliver by supporting the implementation of set procedures for donor reporting, and the provision of timely, regular, and quality donor briefs and reports as may be required from time to time.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by UN Women Sudan Programme Specialist, WEE Specialist, and Country Representative.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy

Competencies

Core Values: 

• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity
• Integrity 
• Professionalism 

Core Competencies: 

• Accountability 
• Creative Problem Solving 
• Effective Communication and information sharing
• Inclusive Collaboration 
• Leading by Example
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence 
• Conflict Management
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence
• Ability to work in a multicultural, multiethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Self-development
• Appropriate and transparent Decision Making

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards, shows commitment to UN Women’s mission, vision, values and strategic goals of UN Women’s and displays cultural, gender, religion, race, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships with government institutions, donors, civil society partners and other UN agencies. Has proven expertise in resource mobilization and strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent personal and professional communication and presentation skills abilities.
• Has the ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor the progress of the projects and activities within the area of responsibility and achieve planned results.
• Strong teamwork spirit and interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavor.
• Ability to build trust through operating with transparency and creating an open, positive and enabling environment.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills, with the ability to make effective timely decisions.
• Results based programme development and management.
• Ability to work under minimal supervision and be proactive and initiative.
• Ability to lead effectively, as well as conflict resolution skills.
• Generate new ideas and approaches for communication and visibility of UN Women.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree) in economics, gender studies, administration, social sciences, peace and security or another related field.

Experience:

• At least 3 years’ experience in development work with specific emphasis on gender equality and women’s empowerment focusing on women economic empowerment.
• Recognized experience in the field of gender and development.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems
• Proven Computer skills – MS Office word and excel, internet and communications.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
• Knowledge of the other UN official working language is an asset.

How to apply:

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.