Programme Associate – Women’s Empowerment for Textiles (WEFT) (Open to Indian Nationals Only)

Background

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

The Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) portfolio in India focuses on creating an enabling and safe environment for women’s greater participation and leadership in economic activities.

UN Women is undertaking efforts to address gender-based inequalities faced by women workers in the garment supply industry.

India has a total workforce of 520 million people, and the textile and garment sector is the third largest employer in the country after agriculture and construction, employing 45 million people. India is the second largest textile and garment exporter worldwide after China and the sixth largest exporter of garments globally. In November 2017, India’s textile and garment sector had a total turnover of USD 150 billion, the largest portion of which went to the domestic market and USD 36 billion of which was in the form of exports. Ready-made garments constitute the largest sub-sector, accounting for 43 percent of total textile exports in the first nine months of 2016-17. While the EU and the US are the main export markets, making up 47 percent of all textile and garment exports, China represents the main import country and accounts for 16.6 percent of all textile and garment imports to India.

Tamil Nadu is regarded as numero uno in textiles and garments in India. It has at least one-third of the textile business in the country, with 2,032 spinning mills (total mills in India: 3,542), 5.63 lakh power looms (India: 24.86 lakh), 1.55 lakh handlooms (India: 23.77 lakh), and nearly 15,000 garment units (close to one lakh units nationally).  The State houses clusters of the entire textile value chain –spinning, weaving, processing, and garmenting.

A study on ‘Socio-Economic profile of women working in textile units of Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu’ by Dr. P Mala in 2016 reveals that in Tamil Nadu, the textile industry is female dominated.  Women workers are about 65% and mostly unskilled. Yet, despite being one of the largest employers of women, the conditions continue to be discriminatory, isolating and exploitative for women and girls. Studies by the Fair Wear Foundation and other organizations have indicated absence of formal contracts, long working hours in cramped spaces, insecure contracts, wage discrimination, absence of creches, widespread sexual exploitation and abuse. The predominance of small firms, low qualification of the workforce and limited trade union presence, contribute to this exploitation and discrimination particularly in terms of women.

The Project ‘ Women’s Empowerment for Textile’ forms part of UN Women’s WEE  Programme and its intersections with UN Women’s Flagship Programme Initiatives [Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces for Women and Girls and global initiatives (SASA , RESPECT)]  to end Violence against Women and Girls.  It is an innovative and catalytic initiative aimed at preventing and responding to sexual harassment at the workplace and prevention of other forms of gender-based violence against women and girls in select community locations of the Textile Industry in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Women’s Empowerment for Textile (WEFT) project is designed to forge and strengthen a multi-sectoral coalition in Tamil Nadu (Textile/Apparel) to effectively prevent and respond to sexual harassment of women and girls at the workplace, and other forms of gender-based violence, through targeted interventions.  Convened by UN Women the coalition will comprise of global brands suppliers/manufacturers, government, industry associations, trade unions, civil society organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.

The coalition will facilitate an enabling legislative and policy environment focussed on effective prevention and response strategies and mechanisms to end violence against women. It will focus on factory and community interventions to promote favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviour at worksites, public spaces, community, and individual levels to prevent violence against women. The coalition will comprise suppliers/manufacturers, government, industry associations, trade unions, civil society organisations, businesses, global brands, etc.

Reporting to Project Coordinator – WEFT, the Programme works with and provides support to the members of the Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.  The Programme Associate contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the county office and UN Women regional office and headquarters as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide advanced administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of WEFT and WEE projects/programmes:

• Provide advanced administrative support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
• Provide technical guidance to the country offices and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
• Coordinate the collection of information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;
• Contribute to the development or update of standard operating procedures, guidelines, checklists, templates and business processes in programme and project management;
• Review programme data from programmes/ projects for country office website;
• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers.

Provide advanced administrative support to the financial management of the WEE unit:

• Create projects in Quantum system, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
• Monitor budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; prepare periodic reports; finalize FACE forms;
• Review financial reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
• Maintain internal expenditures control system; post transactions in Quantum system;
• Create requisitions in Quantum system for development projects; register good receipts in Quantum system;
• Prepare and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Quantum system.

Provide advanced administrative support to the WEE Programme Unit:

• Oversee all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Oversee travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
• Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;
• Liaise with high level officials on administrative issues;
• Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials;

Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization:

• Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the county office resource mobilization efforts;
• Organize, compile and process information from donors, country office and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
• Coordinate the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.
• Develop background documents, briefs and presentations related to WEFT and WEE projects
• Provide logistic and administrative support for advocacy campaigns, events, trainings, workshops and knowledge products;
• Coordinate the development of knowledge management methodologies, and products on WEFT and WEE projects
• Support in collating and preparing quarterly and annual donor reports;

         Any other tasks as assigned by the Supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Workplan for the assignment
• Timely and effective delivery of the project
• Coordination between key stakeholders ensured
• Timely submission of partner reports
• Knowledge building and dissemination facilitated
• Financial reports for the project
• Organizing events successfully

Competencies

Core Values / Guiding Principles:

• Integrity – Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism – Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity – Demonstrates an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Ethics and Values – Demonstrates and safeguards ethics and integrity.
• Organizational Awareness – Demonstrates corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Work in teams – Demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing – Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence – Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behaviour towards others.
• Conflict Management – Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
• Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing – Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Functional Competencies:

• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Focuses on impact and result for the partners and responds positively to feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum Secondary Education
• University degree is an asset;
• Master’s in administrations/finance related field is an advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years of progressive experience in programme management/support.
• Relevant professional experience in the areas of women’s economic empowerment and intersections of violence against women.
• Experience of working in the textile supply chain would be given preference.
• Relevant experience and expertise in managing multi stakeholder/partners projects.
• Substantial relevant expertise and experience in working with the private sector on gender mainstreaming in policies and initiatives beyond Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
• Experience in high quality documentation and reporting skills desirable.
• Experience of working in the UN System.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Hindi is required.
• A working knowledge of Tamil language is desirable.

Application Information:

Interested applicants should apply to this announcement through UNDP jobs site: jobs.undp.org

Application Information: Interested applicants should apply to this announcement through UNDP jobs site: jobs.undp.org

• All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from
• 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;
• UN Women will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.

Inclusion Statement:

• At UN Women, we are 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 you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your 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.)

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.