UN Women: Technical and M&E Specialist

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.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is among the most pervasive and serious violations of human rights, with inextricable links to broader peace and security. Globally, one in three women have been subjected to violence; the global cost of violence against women has been estimated at approximately US$ 1.5 trillion.

Against this background, Spotlight Initiative was launched in 2017 as the world’s largest effort to end violence against women and girls. A pooled fund of the United Nations (UN) system, Spotlight Initiative is an SDG Accelerator, a United Nations’ High Impact Initiative to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and a model for localization, unifying communities, civil society, governments, donors, and experts under a common approach rooted in local needs. Spotlight Initiative is also a model for operationalizing the UN Development System reforms.

Spotlight Initiative has over 6 years, delivered proof of concept across 25 countries and 5 regions and will now scale up to greater investment and reach, bringing on board new countries and new partnerships. The Initiative will deepen its “whole-of-society” approach, placing the goal of ending violence against women and girls at the centre of national development priorities. Spotlight Initiative promotes a multi-sectoral approach to the complex issue of violence against women and girls and its variety of root causes. The Initiative’s workstreams include four main pillars: 1. Laws, policies, and institutions; 2. Prevention and social norms change; 3. Response and services for survivors and perpetrators’ accountability; and 4. Support to civil society and women’s movements.

Under the leadership of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and following the guidance received from the Spotlight Initiative’s Governance Mechanisms, the day-to-day management of the Spotlight Initiative is led by a Secretariat, housed within the Development Coordination Office (DCO) with a reporting line to the Office of the UN Deputy Secretary-General and servicing the whole UN System.

The Secretariat’s core technical responsibilities are to support the design, implementation and monitoring of comprehensive and effective country programmes on EVAWG, to contribute to increased global awareness, knowledge sharing and networking on EVAWG as well as to ensure that the achievements and results of the Spotlight Initiative are expanded and sustained. Specifically, the Secretariat is responsible for the following outputs: 1) data and research on GBV and various forms of violence at the global and regional levels is enhanced and disseminated; 2) technical package in line with the Spotlight Initiative model, and evidence-based strategies, knowledge, and tools on violence against women and girls is consolidated and made available for new programmes and advocacy purposes 3) global and regional strategic partnerships are expanded to advance efforts on ending gender-based violence, including through communication, behavior change strategies, events and campaigns; and 4) increased expertise at country level to ensure the development and sustainability of comprehensive programmes to end violence against women and girls in line with Spotlight Initiative model. 

Under the direct supervision of the Technical Specialist, the Technical and M&E Specialist is responsible for developing and implementing the result framework for the Spotlight Initiative, including overseeing evaluations, thematic studies, and assessments. The Specialist will support the development of methodologies and tools to monitor progress and assess the efficiency and efficacy of interventions, as well as roll out comparative research on violence against women and girls and contribute to the production of reports for the Initiative.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide technical assistance for the development and implementation of the M&E tools and research/data on GBV for the Spotlight Initiative.

• Lead the development/revision of the Global Spotlight Initiative Result Framework in coordination with implementing agencies.
• Develop, update, and ensure the effective use of M&E-related guidance documents by Spotlight Initiative programmes and provide guidance on monitoring and tracking of results of Spotlight Initiative
• Oversee the production and dissemination of data and research on GBV in close collaboration with the implementing agencies.
• Oversee mid-term assessment, thematic evaluations, and final evaluations for the Spotlight Initiative
• Ensure the integration of evaluation/assessment results for the continued implementation of the Spotlight Initiative and in the design and appraisal of new programmes.

Contribute to the development and implementation of the Spotlight Initiative data platform and support reporting activities.

• Oversee the development and implementation of a data platform for the Spotlight Initiative indicator/results reporting.
• Support capacity development workshops on the data platform for the Spotlight Initiative programmes.
• Provide substantive support to the Spotlight Initiative programmes teams on indicator reporting and support quality assurance of data.
• Analyze the data from the platform and other related exercises to consolidate and summarize Spotlight Initiative results and trends to be used for reports and publications by the Spotlight Initiative Secretariat.

Provide capacity development support on monitoring and evaluation, and EVAWG programming for Spotlight Initiative stakeholders.

• Support the design, review and appraisal of new Spotlight Initiative programmes and accompanying programme result frameworks.
• Lead the coordination of capacity development workshops for Spotlight Initiative programmes on result-based reporting, baseline data collection, monitoring and evaluation based on Spotlight Initiative M&E guidelines, tools, and requirements.
• Undertake country mission and monitor Spotlight Initiative programme implementation.
• Support research, development, and presentation of analytical reports, research papers, briefing notes, background papers, and summaries on issues related to the Initiative.
• Coordinate the provision of evidence-based EVAWG knowledge including research, upstream policy analysis, design and development of guidance and operational tools aimed at strengthening response to EVAWG through the Initiative’s programmes.
• Oversee cooperation of Spotlight Initiative programmes and support knowledge sharing and exchange and global convenings, events, and campaigns on EVAWG, and represent the Initiative.

Support knowledge management, dissemination, and use of data on the elimination of violence against women and girls

• Facilitate the efficient flow of monitoring and evaluation data within implementing agencies, civil society partners, donors and in close coordination with Spotlight Initiative Communication Specialist
• Identify, document, and disseminate good practices and lessons learned and facilitate the sharing of such practices in collaboration with the Knowledge Management Specialist.

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

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:  

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Strong technical knowledge of EVAWG and gender-quality programme design and implementation
• Strong technical experience in results-based reporting, monitoring and evaluation of EVAWG programmes.
• Ability to collect reliable, valid and accurate information objectively.
• Ability to process and systematize large amounts of data.
• Good understanding of human rights-based and LNOB approaches to EVAWG programming.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• An advanced university degree in human rights, international development, or other social science fields 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.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience at the international and/or national level in the areas of Results Based Management, monitoring and evaluation preferably in the context of gender and/or ending violence against women programming is required.
• Knowledge and experience of programmes that address gender quality and violence against women and girls is required.
• Strong quantitative, qualitative, and analytical research skills and experience coordinating global research and assessment on GBV is required.
• Demonstrated experience in designing conceptual and results frameworks on GBV is required.
• Experience working with the UN system or other international development organizations, preferably in a country office is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official working language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Application:

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.

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.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, 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.)