UN WOMEN: INTERNATIONAL SENIOR GENDER ADVISOR

Background

On 18 March 2013, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Ms. Mary Robinson of Ireland as his Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region. As part of her mandate, Ms. Robinson will work closely with the members of the United Nations family, both at Headquarters and those in the field, to coordinate United Nations system-wide efforts to support the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region by the signatories. The Special Envoy will undertake good offices on behalf of the Secretary-General to strengthen relations between the signatories of the Framework, particularly between the leaders of DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda; to foster agreements to revitalize the implementation of existing accords; and to coordinate international engagement and mobilize public interest in support of the implementation of the Framework, including through the mobilization of resources. With an aim to contribute to the initiatives to reach durable solutions in the region, the Senior Gender Advisor will support the Special Envoy’s efforts to mobilize women from the Great Lakes countries to play an active role in support of the PSC Framework. S/he will provide technical assistance to the Special Envoy’s team, and liaise with all relevant actors and institutions, including the African Union, the UN system, national governments and civil society actors to strengthen women’s meaningful contribution to the implementation of existing accords and of the PSC Framework.   Under the direct supervision of the Special Advisor to the Special Envoy, the Senior Gender Advisor (P5) will contribute to incorporate a gender perspective in the good offices of the Special Envoy, including through the development of specific initiatives to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence, consult with women’s organizations, strengthen women’s participation in mediation efforts and mainstream within the work of the Office of the Special Envoy the full range of commitments in Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent Women Peace and Security resolutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions: Technical assistance and strategic partnerships Policy dialogue and analysis Technical assistance and strategic partnerships Provide systematic guidance and support to the Special Envoy to ensure implementation of commitments to promoting women’s representation and addressing women’s needs in conflict resolution and prevention efforts, and build strategic links with the work being done under international frameworks on women, peace and security; Strengthen and enhance partnership/cooperation/consultation/coordination with UN entities, national and international civil society actors, especially women's organizations, to ensure women’s engagement in the implementation of the PSC Framework and existing accords that promote regional economic integration in the Great Lakes; Identify relevant actors/forums, seize advocacy opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships to facilitate access of national women’s organizations peace building forums organized or supported by the United Nations and/or other relevant stakeholders; Liaise with key international, national, regional, and local stakeholders from Government and civil society to build up and strengthen strategic partnerships to increase women’s political participation, both elected and appointed; and address gender discrimination in policy & guidelines for electoral processes. Policy dialogue and analysis Carry out a systematic gender analysis of policy and programme documents in connection with the national and regional commitments of the signatories of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework as well as the relevant commitments of the United Nations (SCR 1325 (2000); SCR 1889 (2009); SCR 1820 (2008); SCR 1888 (2009) and SCR 1960 (2010)); Consult with UN Country teams, UN Women country offices, and relevant stakeholders located in the Great Lakes region to oversee and coordinate all work related to gender activities including monitoring of the activities; Ensure appropriate information flow with relevant stakeholders to promote women’s leadership in peacemaking and peace building, including through the development of joint statements and press releases.

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:  Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity. Core Competencies     Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and promote ethics and integrity by creating organizational precedents. Organizational Awareness: Build support for the organization and ensure political acumen Development and Innovation: Support staff competence development, and contribute to an environment of creativity and innovation. Work in teams: Build and promote effective teams. Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Communication and Information Sharing: Create and promote an environment for open and 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 behavior 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: Share knowledge across the organization and build a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Ensure fair and transparent decision making processes and manage risk.  Functional Competencies: Substantive experience and record of accomplishment in the area of women peace and security, gender and development, and gender mediation. Demonstrated People Management Skills. Familiarity with the UN system and good knowledge of UN Women. Proven ability to advocate and provide policy advice. Ability to lead strategic planning, programme development and implementation, results-based management and reporting. Ability to develop and maintain strong partnerships and mobilize resources.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the fields of gender and international affairs, political science, development, law and/or security studies. Experience: 10 years of progressively professional experience with management and supervisory experience for programming in the areas of international peace building and development or related areas. Experience should be geared to support women's empowerment and rights, with particular experience in complex and multi-component programmes on gender responsive governance, peace and security and particularly mediation and peace negotiations; Familiarity with political analysis and peace talks process issues (planning, design of table and agenda, engaging excluded groups); Familiarity with Special Political missions, good offices, work of special envoys, etc. is desirable; Experience writing project documents, fundraising proposals and project reports; Experience in developing advocacy strategies and public speaking highly desirable; Experience in building partnerships and engaging with civil society groups and/or women’s organizations; Prior experience in the Great Lakes Region highly desirable; International peace building experience and multi-cultural exposure. Language Requirement: Fluency in both written and spoken English and French. Working knowledge of another UN official language is an asset. 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.   All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment   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.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.