Background

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) persists in every country in the world and is one of the most systematic and widespread human rights violations. One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. The immediate and long-term physical, sexual, and mental consequences for women and girls can be devastating, including death.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development places gender equality at its core to achieve the SDGs, with the elimination of violence against women and girls as a crucial component. To this end, Spotlight Initiative was launched in 2017 with a seed funding of more than $500 million from the European Union and constitutes the world’s largest global, multilateral effort aimed at ending all forms of violence against women and girls. Through its whole-of-society approach, Spotlight Initiative has achieved transformative results in ending violence against women and girls, accelerating progress across the SDGs. Following five years of implementation across more than 30 programmes worldwide, national budgets to address GBV increased 13-fold and conviction rates for perpetrators of GBV doubled across 13 countries; nearly 550 laws and policies were signed to end violence against women and girls; USD 195 million were delivered to civil society organizations; nearly 3 million women and girls accessed GBV services; among other critical results.

Building on these impactful results, the wealth of knowledge acquired as well as lessons learnt during the first phase of the Initiative (2017-2023), Spotlight Initiative is now embarking on a second phase of programming to further galvanize efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls and expand global outreach. Spotlight Initiative 2.0 programmes adopts a comprehensive approach implementing activities on the 4 pillars of Spotlight Initiative’s Theory of Change, including (1) strengthening institutions, laws, policies and data, (2)  prevention, (3) access to essential services for survivors of violence, and (4) supporting civil society and the women’s movement.

The Spotlight Initiative Programme in Sierra Leone is looking for a Programme Specialist to coordinate stakeholders and ensure effective delivery of all activities under these 4 pillars. The Programme Specialist will work under the overall authority of the Resident Coordinator and direct supervision of the Head of RCO and will manage a team composed Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting, and Knowledge Management Specialist, Advocacy and Civil Society Coordination Specialist ,Operations Officer (Finance and Administration)  analyst. She/He will work in close collaboration with participating UN Agencies, Government counterparts and civil society organizations.

Duties and Responsibilities

1) Ensuring the implementation of a common strategic direction and planning process among the 4 implementing agencies and achievement of objectives and results, focusing on achievement of the following results: 

• Ensure the global programme coordination common strategic guidance and planning, and oversee a coherent and effective implementation of the programme through adopting results-based approach, creativity and innovation according to the needs of the programme;
• Coordinate the elaboration of common annual work plans and budgets, ensuring coherence among the 4 agencies;
• Oversee the implementation of approved common plans and budgets and provide oversight on technical and financial management of the various components of the joint programme in line with the agreed plans and budgets;
• In coordination with the M&E officer, undertake regular monitoring of field-operations in close liaison with the 4 participating agencies;
• Coordinate the drafting of project proposals in line with the common strategic direction and identify additional financial resources to support the joint programme;
• Organize and prepare Steering and Technical Committees;
• Maintain excellent relations with donors and coordinate joint meetings with the agencies

2) Ensuring effective and coherent technical and financial management and reporting in close collaboration of participating agencies, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• In close collaboration with the M&E officer, analyze reports on programme achievements in terms of achieved results and consolidate narrative and financial reports received from the participating UN agencies according to the planned annual calendar of the programme and in particular;
• Revise the agencies´ quarterly and annual consolidated report for the programme to be submitted to the donor(s) in close collaboration with the agencies;
• Ensure the development of the annual work plan, monitoring and evaluation plan;
• Ensure programme budget monitoring: expenses monitoring to ensure service delivery in line with the approved programme budget;
• Undertake monitoring missions and regular meetings with all involved stakeholders, including programme partner, and advice on the strategy of intervention;
• Ensure that reports are of high quality and transmitted on time to the donor and other stakeholders of the programme;
• Ensure the preparation and the participation in the Project Board and/or in the Technical Committees and the Secretariat function for such meetings

3) Effective management of advocacy, knowledge building and communications efforts, in close collaboration with participating agencies, focusing on achievement of the following result:

• Support the design of accurate monitoring and communication tools: a communication strategy and plan, terms of reference for evaluations, reporting system;
• In close collaboration with the Communication officer, review background documents, briefs and presentations related to the elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG) produced by the agencies participating in the programme and propose common communication and advocacy material ensuring coherence and visibility of the joint programme;
• Synthesize joint programme learnings and best practices;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• In close collaboration with the Communication officer follow up with agencies´ communication experts to coordinate information on the programme in social media and agencies´ websites, etc.

4) Support and advise on the alignment and synergy of agency-specific strategies with the joint programme’s vision, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Facilitate periodic strategic reflection sessions with focal points from each implementing agency to ensure programmatic alignment, knowledge sharing, and unified messaging across all components of the EVAWG programme.
• Carry out any other tasks as assigned by the supervisor or Resident Representative to support the effective delivery and coordination of the joint programme.

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

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance of the RCO, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative and the Team Leader of Governance and through the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist, the Programme Specialist will be tasked to deliver distinct outputs of the project, to ensure quality implementation of the Programme.

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 mutual understanding.

2030 Agenda: Engagement & Effectiveness

• Effectiveness: Programming principles & standards and development effectiveness principles.

 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master”s degree or equivalent) in International Development, Social Sciences, Gender/Women’s Studies, Public Policy, Human Rights, or related field is required;
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above-mentioned field in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years (with master’s degree) or Seven (7) years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in Programmes/Project Management is required.

Required  skills:

• Experience in designing and managing complex multi-stakeholder and multi-year programmes, policy research and advocacy for the elimination of violence against women, ideally with strong experience working in developing countries;
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), and web-based management systems, and up-to-date, advanced knowledge of data management tools and database packages;
• Experience in strategic planning and project management;
• Proven ability to draft, edit and produce written results-focused reports including financial reports.

Desired additional skills:

• Experience in Coordinating joint Programmes, working with and building partnerships with government, donors and Civil Society organisations internationally and in the field;
• Experience in designing strategic plans, aligning goals across departments or contributing to institutional planning;
• Experience conducting applied research projects and reporting on findings;
• Proven technical knowledge of the results-based management cycle and monitoring and evaluation;
• Proven experience in designing monitoring and evaluation systems and designing development projects or integrated portfolios;
• Proven leadership experience managing a team. Supervision of staff or coordination roles;
• Experience developing roadmap, led annual planning or facilitated strategy workshops.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.

 

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.

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