The role of the Gender Programme Manager is primarily technical and programmatic, with the normative advocacy and coordination roles serving as a secondary function. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance/operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results contributing to gender equality in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he supports the development, implementation, and monitoring of high quality gender programming across sectors in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he 1) supports senior programme colleagues and management of the Country Office to advance one or more of the four Targeted Gender Priorities in the Gender Action Plan with support from the Regional Gender Adviser. S/he also plays a role in working with one or more of the 7 UNICEF sectors to mainstream gender by prioritizing key gender results within the sector(s) with a strong gender relevance; 2) leads cross-sectional collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results; 3) works with programme colleagues and management so that gender results are effectively defined, measured, and reported, and high quality assessment, research, evidence generation and evaluation on gender programming is undertaken and utilized, including through the application of the MoRES framework and effective theories of change; 4) Supports/leads effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management on gender; 5) Supports the assessment and identification of gender needs for emergency preparedness and response, and provides gender relevant guidance and technical input on emergency programming.

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For every child, a calling.

II. Organizational Context and Purpose for the job

Gender equality is essential to realizing the mandate of UNICEF to uphold the rights of all children. The UNICEF Gender Action Plan (GAP), 2022–2025, operationalizes the UNICEF Gender Policy, 2021–2030, by specifying how UNICEF will promote gender equality across its programmes and workplaces. It affirms that promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the responsibility of everyone, regardless of organizational role.  Recognizing that gender discrimination has lifelong and intergenerational impacts, the GAP advances gender equality throughout the life course. At the same time, it promotes targeted actions to advance the leadership and well-being of adolescent girls, as girls are both disproportionately affected by gender inequality and have tremendous potential to be leaders for change. This dual-track approach goes beyond responding to the manifestations of gender inequality to tackle its underlying drivers, including by engaging boys and men as allies; advancing upstream financing and policy solutions; and supporting girls’ agency and voice.

Today, 1 in every 2 children or 13.6 million children in Sudan need urgent humanitarian relief. The situation in conflict zones and in some IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) concentration points is dire.  At the frontlines of responding to women’s and children’s needs are women leaders, women frontline service provides as well as women-led and girl-centered CSO (Civil Society Organization) partners.  Gender responsive humantarian action across the clusters as well as partnerships with women lead and girl-centered organizations is critical.

Job organizational context

In order to increase dedicated gender capacity and expertise in Country Offices, the GAP Steering Committee has specified that Gender Programme Specialists at Level 4 be senior enough within the office structure to carry influence in their own right, and be given an office-wide mandate to engage with sectors in meaningful programming.

Thus, this Gender Programme Specialist GJP at Level 4 will allow for the effective recruitment of dedicated Gender Programme Specialists in moderate to large-sized Country Offices where the Representative is at the P5/D1 level. The Gender Programme

Specialist reports to the Deputy Representative who is at the P4/P5 level, and this position serves as the primary gender expert in the Country Office.

Purpose for the job: In alignment with the GAP, the role of the Gender Programme Specialist is primarily technical and programmatic, with the normative advocacy and coordination roles serving as a secondary function. The Specialist provides authoritative technical guidance/operational support throughout all stages of programming to facilitate the management and delivery of results contributing to gender equality in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he supports the development, implementation, and monitoring of high quality gender programming across sectors in alignment with the Gender Action Plan. S/he 1) supports senior programme colleagues and management of the Country Office to advance one or more of the four Targeted Gender Priorities in the Gender Action Plan with support from the Regional Gender Adviser. S/he also plays a role in working with one or more of the 7 UNICEF sectors to mainstream gender by prioritizing key gender results within the sector(s) with a strong gender relevance; 2) leads cross-sectional collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results; 3) works with programme colleagues and management so that gender results are effectively defined, measured, and reported, and high quality assessment, research, evidence generation and evaluation on gender programming is undertaken and utilized, including through the application of the MoRES framework and effective theories of change; 4) Supports/leads effective review, assessment, planning, capacity building, and knowledge management on gender; 5) Supports the assessment and identification of gender needs for emergency preparedness and response, and provides gender relevant guidance and technical input on emergency programming.

How can you make a difference? 

III. Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Management and/or advisory support to Deputy Representative, Senior Gender Programme Specialist or Representative
2. Program development and planning
3. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
4. Advisory services and technical support
5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building
6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

1. Management and/or advisory support to Deputy Representative, Senior Gender Programme Specialist or Representative

• Actively participate in Country Management Team (CMT); Programme Coordination Team; partnerships, research, financial and contract review committees; and other key country-specific leadership teams to ensure strategic inclusion of gender in all country-specific programming 
• Coordinate with the Regional Gender Advisors and the Headquarters Gender Section to plan, utilize, monitor and report on the Gender Thematic Fund, or other programmatic funds with large gender components that are allocated to the country-specific interventions for the Country Programme, under the Country Office senior management. In collaboration with sectoral colleagues and under the guidance of Deputy

1. Program development and planning (including emergency contexts)

• Lead and/or support the evidence-based programme planning on gender, incorporating robust measurement and evaluation of results – especially in the event of the Country Programme development and Mid-Term Review, as well as periodic humanitarian preparedness and response planning (EPP, HAC, HRP)
• Provide technical leadership on integration of gender into country programming phases, including strategic planning, SitAns, strategic moments of reflection, CPDs, CPMPs, mid-term reviews, extended annual reviews, programme component strategy notes and in the programmatic assessment and institutional strengthening components of gender reviews
• In collaboration with sectoral colleagues, identify the areas of focus for gender programming with the greatest potential for impact and scale, in alignment with the GAP and the country/regional priorities. Maintain and update a Gender Brief outlining sector strategies and partnership during the humanitarian response, providing guidance on entry points and capturing best practices for learning and programme monitoring.
• Work with sectoral and cluster counterparts to incorporate sound gender indicators and measures in programme and policy initiatives, proposals, and advocacy efforts and assist in developing gender-sensitive theories of change models for sector and cross-sectoral programming in alignment with the MoRES framework.

1. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results –

• Provide technical support in indicator identification, measurement and performance tracking as it relates to gender mainstreaming and the Targeted Gender Priorities, in collaboration with Planning, M&E and planning section and sectoral teams.
• Lead cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on gender, ensuring coherence, maximization of synergies and efficiency in utilization of resources and delivery of results
• Support the strengthening of data systems and collection, as well as accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress on gender results.
• Support high quality reporting on gender results, and a biannual performance review of GAP specified results.
• Work closely with evaluation colleagues to effectively integrate data collection, tracking, analysis and reporting on the indicators for the GAP into programme results and gender performance benchmarks into M&E systems.
• Support and strengthen the quality of research and evidence building on gender related programming, bringing in the latest learning and insights from the field of gender and development, and putting in place a coherent, well-prioritized research agenda in alignment with the GAP.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of the gender reviews and make sure that the recommendations that come out of the gender review are integrated into the Country Programme strategy and action plans and humanitarian strategies and action plans related to the emegency context.
• Actively represent UNICEF in relevant coordination bodies at the inter-agency level (gender theme group or other networks, including the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) and IASC Cluster/AoR working groups.), participate as a member of steering committees, and provide close oversight of inter-agency joint programmes

1. Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical support and guidance to national government, NGOs, UN Agencies and other country-level and local-level partners on aspects of gender programming and to ensure incorporation of gender indicators and measures in programmes/projects, policy initiatives, proposals, and M&E systems.
• Provide technical support and advocacy to reporting and follow-up on international and regional gender equality commitments made by the countries
• Support the development of adequate emergency preparedness measures, updating of contingency plans and establishment of early warning mechanisms that reflect gender needs.
• Support the development and of sex-disaggregated databases on information crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency plans.
• Support the development and deployment of emergency training that incorporates gender issues and relevant strategies.
• Lead and/or participate in needs assessment missions on gender, and in the event of an emergency, be deployed as a member of the Emergency Response Team.
• Identify implementing/operational partners, and establish implementing arrangements in order to ensure an effective, gender-inclusive emergency response.

1. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Liaise and consult with sections, government and other external partners (civil society, NGOs, UN Agencies, private sector) to identify areas for convergence, and develop and reinforce partnerships in gender programming.
• Forge and support internal and external partnerships and networks in the development of harmonized, gender-transformative programme interventions.
• Build strategic alliances for gender equality with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities.
• Collaborate with other UN agencies and partners to enhance robust gender results in sectoral programmes at the country level. If necessary, represent UNICEF in external meetings on gender integration into sectoral and cross-sectoral results, including UN Country Team meetings and UNDAF/UNAF preparations.
• Lead mapping of potential new partnerships and leverage existing partnerships to accelerate GAP implementation at the country level in determined priority areas.

1. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Initiate documentation and sharing of the country-level experience in gender programming and lessons learned, which will be shared with internal network and external partners and utilized for South-South cooperation.
• Represent the gender section at sectoral, country-level and regional-level network meetings, and ensure best practices on gender programming according to 5 GAP principles are highlighted in these forums
• Bring best practices in gender programming and measurement to the attention of senior management and sectoral colleagues, as well as Regional Gender Advisor and gender section staff at HQ
• Support and conduct innovative research on gender at the country-level
• Support Regional Gender Advisor in advancing the technical and research capacity of country-level staff, offices and programs on gender to continue to build evidence base for programming and to ensure continuous capacity in gender at Country Office level.
• Support management and HR in the development of systems, tools and processes that enable staff members and external partners to enhance their understanding and adoption of gender sensitive behaviors and to support implementation of the GAP. 

IV. Impact of Results

Sectoral and cross-sectoral emergency programmes/projects on gender are effectively and efficiently supported and implemented in alignment with the Gender Action Plan’s (GAP) four targeted gender priorities and country/ regional/ sectoral priorities through the timely and systematic provision of coordination and technical expertise on gender.  Implementation of the Gender CCC – including gender analysis for programming, partnerships with women’s and girl-centered organizations and GBV Risk Mitigation – integrated in the CO planning, communications/advoacy and response.

The performance of the gender programmes are timely monitored, analyzed and evaluated, and the findings of the measurement and research are integrated into the planning and reporting. Programmatic financial resources allocated to gender programming and results are effectively planned and managed for cost-efficient utilization, and the progress on the gender programme expenditures are timely monitored and reported.

Knowledge, information and best practices on effective gender programming is generated, managed and shared within internal networks and with external partners to support programmes in changing gender disadvantage and discrimination.

Gender needs for emergency preparedness (response and reconstruction, in the event of emergencies) are identified and integrated into the emergency programme planning and implementation.

Overall, this Gender Programme Specialist will support progress in the four target priorities for gender, the five performance benchmarks, and the seven results areas specified globally for UNICEF in the Gender Action Plan (GAP) in the context of the conflict in Sudan.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  Gender Programme Manager_P4_NEW_SUD24086.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

•  Education: Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, social policy or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.).
• Experience: Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

The following desirables:

• Academic credentials in gender are a strong asset.
• Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes on gender and development or any other cross cutting programme, especially at country/field level, experience in emergency response is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

ii) Core Competencies (For Staff with Supervisory Responsibilities) *

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.