Technical Project Analyst for the Project ‘Empowering Women for Rural Development in North Albania’

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. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women leads and coordinates the United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. 

While Albania has made significant progress in promoting gender equality, women continue to face barriers in fully enjoying their human rights. Women are less likely to participate in the labour market, with a labour force participation rate of 15.9% lower than men’s. Stereotypes and gender norms continue to be pervasive and contribute to the persistent marginalization of women, especially those belonging to minorities, including rural women. Young people also face specific challenges: at 27.1%, their unemployment rate is about twice as high as that of the working-age population. Most of the young professionals and students leaving Albania look for opportunities to stay in the host country, rather than returning.

Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment is a key priority for Albania, underpinning all actions listed in the recently adopted National Strategy for Sustainable Development and European Integration 2022-2030. The Strategy also recognizes rural development as key for Albania’s sustainable development. Agriculture is the sector that employs the majority of Albanian citizens, accounting for approximately 33.8 % of the employees during 2021, however, agricultural activity is challenged by increased transport and production costs, limited maximization of investment limited efficiency of distribution channels. Meeting national and international quality and food safety standards and building an administrative capacity to support these processes also remain a challenge.

Women play an important role in agriculture and rural development in Albania, making up 40% of the agriculture workforce, although in most cases invisible and informal. Male gender roles in agriculture are predominantly associated with tasks that involve control over agricultural assets and implements, mobility, decision-making and access to market; whereas female gender roles are associated with manual work, including pre-harvest and post-harvest activities, food processing, quality control, and household tasks. Furthermore, women’s access to technical and financial resources and information through agricultural extension service remains very limited, and women represent only 10 % of all beneficiaries of extension services. Women are rarely members of, or represented in, formal associations or committees. Their limited access to transportation in rural areas has direct implications for their access to health and social services, education, employment and participation in decision making, making them dependent on male relatives and putting them further at risk of marginalisation. This is especially alarming with the persistence of patriarchal attitudes in rural areas, which often result in GBV.

Women are also strongly discriminated compared to men in term of access to property, While existing legislation guarantees women’s property rights and co-ownership, the implementation of the legislation has been too often hindered by discriminatory cultural and social attitudes, practices at the institutional and community levels, and women’s lack of knowledge of their rights. This has affected women’s inheritance rights as well as entitlements.

To address these challenges, UN Women with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and funding from the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will implement a project aiming to improve the empowerment of women in Northern Albania and promote their role as active contributors to sustainable rural development.

Overall, this project will contribute to the realization of SDG targets 2.3, 5.a, 8.3. The intervention is aligned with the EU Gender Action Plan III, (NSGE) 2021-2030, the National Strategy for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, and responds to the CEDAW Concluding Observations for Albania (2023)..

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the International Team Lead/Programme Management Specialist, the National Coordinator/Technical Project Analyst will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the project, work planning, engagement of relevant technical expertise and responsible parties, monitoring and reporting. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Technical Support in Project Implementation
2. Results based monitoring and evaluation and knowledge building
3. Finance and Administration
4. Other support

Description of Functions:

1. Technical Support in Project Implementation

• Ensure timely and adequate implementation of project activities in line with the project document and workplan;
• Prepare a detailed work plan and performance monitoring plan to implement proposed activities in Albania in coordination with the Project Management Specialist and ensure links with UN Women’s commitment under United Nations’ Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and UN Women Albania’s Strategic Note (2022-2026); 
• Design, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of relevant project activities with implementing partners, the whole project team, and other UN Women Albania personnel;
• Maintain close communication with national authorities, development actors, civil society organizations and other key stakeholders working on human rights and ending violence against women;
• Provide overall supervision of the work of implementing partners and external consultants engaged as part of the project to ensure the achievement of the expected outputs.
• Ensure proper identification of and follow up with civil society groups, national institutions and consultants who will be involved in the implementation of activities under the relevant project outcome areas;
• Provide technical support and expert advice to implementing partners and key stakeholders on specific issues related to the project component scope;
• Assume responsibility for the smooth functioning of all operational activities related to project implementation;
• Hold consultations with the project partners and other stakeholders in order to ensure timely information about the project implementation;
• Ensure timely implementation of all project component activities and monitor the proper use of funds according to signed agreements and work plans;
• Prepare complete documentation necessary for signing Project Partner Agreements (PAs) with implementing partners, and contracts with individual and other service providers; and
• Provide support to implementing partners to manage related outputs and activities.

2. Results based monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge building

• The technical analyst is responsible for regular monitoring and contribute to the overall project reporting as well as for timely submission of quality progress reports and agreed-upon monitoring deliverables;
• Regularly review planned activities, and make necessary adjustments when needed in response to any emerging circumstances;
• Review partners’ reports and provide technical support and capacity building for improved results based reporting of project partners;
• Provide evidence-based advocacy inputs to inform UN Women and the project’s advocacy efforts, as well as its communications and partnership strategies for the empowerment of rural women;

3. Finance and Administration of the project component

• Support management of the project financial resources in accordance with UN Women rules and regulations;
• Manage project files and support information collection and dissemination;
• Contribute to the development of technical documents, including those needed to initiate and generate momentum, such as implementation/action plans for project activities; prepare terms of reference, etc. ;

4. Other support

• Foster partnerships with development partners, UN Agencies, government institutions, private sector, academia, media and civil society, etc., on empowerment of rural women to enhance collaboration, resource mobilization and policy agenda setting;
• Draft concept notes and follow-up on resource mobilization efforts at the country level in coordination with the Project Management Specialist, Head of Programmes and the Country Representative;
• Support building partnerships at the country level, coordinate with the relevant stakeholders as deemed necessary;
• Contribute to UN Women bi-annual monitoring reporting and annual reporting;
• Provide programmatic and technical support to UN Women in Albania as deemed necessary.  

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

• Good knowledge of project management;
• Good knowledge or gender equality and WEE;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
• Strong financial and budgeting skills;
• Strong IT skills. Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, internet, etc.;

Required Skills and Experience

How to Submit the Application: To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Download and complete the  )
• Merge your UN Women Personal History Form (P11) and Cover Letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded.
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement).
• Click ‘Apply Now’ button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click ‘Submit Application;’
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above).
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

Notes:

• UN Women retains the right to contact references directly. Due to the large numbers of applications, we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
• The consultancy post is open to local (Albanian) individuals or foreign individuals with valid temporary or permanent residence in Albania.
• The individual consultants should take the mandatory learning security course prior to commencement of assignment– details will follow before the issuance of contract.

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.)