Gender in Humanitarian Action Programme Assistant

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.  

On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, causing widespread death, destruction, displacement and suffering.  The war in Ukraine is impacting women and men, girls and boys, in their diversities, in different ways and threatening progress made in recent years towards greater gender equality, disability inclusion and reinforced human rights. In 2024, approximately 14.6 million people, or 40% of those living in Ukraine, will require humanitarian aid due to the ongoing war. Out of the 14.6 million people in need of assistance, 56 per cent are women and girls, and 15 per cent are people with disabilities, of which women make up the largest proportion. Women account for 58 per cent of those displaced and 60 per cent of people aged 60 and above. The need is most critical in the eastern and southern regions, where intense conflicts have led to extreme and catastrophic conditions for communities on the front lines. Over 3.3 million people in these areas need assistance, facing challenges in accessing basic rights and services like water, food, shelter, and healthcare. Additionally, nearly 4 million internally displaced persons across Ukraine, including around 111,500 in collective sites, are nearing a breaking point due to prolonged displacement, loss of income, and increased risk of exploitation.

UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that the commitments to gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action in humanitarian response plans. In Ukraine, UN Women is the co-lead of the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, providing technical, advisory and programmatic support to the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and the Inter Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG). The GIHA working group is comprised of gender focal persons from the clusters and sub clusters and provide critical support to ensure gender analysis, and advocacy is adequately coordinated, disseminated, and utilized, through the ICCG, including for strategic planning purposes such as Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).

Under the overall guidance of the Head of Humanitarian Programme and direct supervision of the Gender in Humanitarian Action Programme Specialist, the Gender in Humanitarian Action Programme Assistant 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 Assistant provides programme, administrative, and logistical assistance including research, coordination, and production of knowledge products as well as supporting efficient monitoring and evaluation of the programme at country level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes 

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements, including tracking the delivery of funds; 
• Provide administrative support to the executing agencies / responsible parties on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;  
• Provide administrative support for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;   
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers, in collaboration with the Programme team.  

Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme 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;  
• Provide administrative support in monitoring and preparation of budget and the finances of programmes/projects, and in the preparation of Financial Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure Forms; 
• Compile necessary documents for hiring of new or amending contracts of current consultants or companies
• Prepare non-PO vouchers for projects; 
• Process payment for consultants, as deleaged; 
• Create requisitions in Quantum system for projects; register good receipts in Quantum system. 

Provide administrative support to the Programme Unit:

• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions; 
• Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims; 
• Ensure that travel arrangements and authorizations, passport and visa requests and extensions, flight bookings and all other matters related to travel of international and national staff are properly and timely authorized and processed
• Actively engage in various GiHA WG-related activities, such as meetings, roundtables, and conferences that includes planning, execution, and post-event wrap-up. Ensure detailed meeting minutes are recorded and distributed.
• Draft minutes in meetings, as delegated;  
• Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations, in collaboration with the Programme team; 
• Provide support for translation of documents, presentations, emails from English to Ukrainian and vice versa.
• Organize and coordinate filing of documents; maintain mailing lists. 

Schedule and Meeting Management

• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to schedule meetings and manage and regularly update calendars for the GiHA WG
• Assist in preparing meeting agendas in consultation with senior team members, distribute them ahead of time, and arrange for any required materials.
• Attend meetings to take minutes and distribute minutes promptly after meetings.
• Track and remind stakeholders of upcoming deadlines and action items generated during meetings.

Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Provide administrative support to the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.
• Take the lead in developing and maintaining a specialized database that houses documents, knowledge artifacts, and publications pertinent to the GiHA WG.
• Ensure the database is continually updated and accurately categorized. Periodically review the quality and relevance of stored assets to enhance data integrity.
• Participate in the collection and analysis of project-related data, ensuring all files—both electronic and paper-based—are meticulously maintained.

Research Assistance

• Under the supervision of the GiHA Humanitarian Programme Specialist, provide assistance in collecting relevant data using a variety of methods including surveys, databases, and interviews.
• Perform initial literature reviews by identifying pertinent publications, summarizing key findings, and outlining gaps in current research.
• 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:

• Knowledge of programme management; 
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats; 
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow; 
• Good financial and budgeting skills; 
• Good IT skills. 

Required Skills and Experience

All applications must include a completed and signed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from 

Applications without P11 may be treated as incomplete and may not be considered for further assessment.

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).