The Position:

Under the overall guidance of UNFPA Deputy Representative and with direct supervision of the Humanitarian Specialist, based in Yangon, the Programme Specialist, GBV is located in the suboffice in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar with frequent travel to Lashio, Northern Shan State. The Programme Specialist, GBV also acts as the head of Kachin Sub-Office, manages the UNFPA Kachin Sub-Office, and has direct oversight of the Lashio Sub-Office including the coordination and oversight of staff managing and implementing the UNFPA Programme. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives; delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.  Advancing gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women are key priorities that are newly formulated in the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2018-2022.  

UNFPA has launched the second phase of the “Women and Girls First” Programme (2019-2022), which is a large multi-year, multi-donor initiative, including EU, that provides knowledge and technical leadership in partnership with civil society organizations and a wide range of national stakeholders to advance:  gender equality, improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, responding to and preventing gender based violence (GBV) and integrating of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). Furthermore, support integration of gender equality and women's rights perspectives into national policies, development frameworks and laws. 

 Emergency preparedness and humanitarian assistance are integrated in UNFPA’s work in Myanmar and are an important aspect in its proposed fourth country programme (2018-2022). UNFPA, in line with its global strategy, contributes to strengthening national capacity to provide sexual and reproductive health services, gender based violence prevention and response and the use of population and rights-based data in humanitarian settings. 

The programme specialist will oversee UNFPA’s humanitarian and multi-sectoral GBV prevention, response and coordination efforts in Kachin and northern Shan States as well as providing oversight for the implementation of UNFPA adolescent and sexual and reproductive health programming. This will include the provision of high quality technical, advocacy and coordination support in order to ensure compliance with international standards across the areas of UNFPA mandated areas of work.  The programme specialist is directly responsible for the implementation and coordination of GBV programming with state government, NGOs and civil society partners; representation of UNFPA in humanitarian coordination mechanisms; management of the Kachin and northern Shan sub-offices as well as direct supervision of sub-office staff based in Myitkyina and Lashio.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

Advanced University degree in social work or other social sciences, public/community health, gender, legal advice as it relates to gender and GBV, and development or related field;

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 5 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience, including experience in programme management, including large multi-sectoral projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners;

• Knowledge of gender issues in development, particularly GBV, including relevant international human rights standards; 

• Understanding of male engagement and behavior change approaches including familiarity with SASA! strongly preferred

• Knowledge of reproductive health, HIV and protection issues in humanitarian and post-conflict recovery settings preferred;

• Prior training in gender and GBV issues and their application in humanitarian, conflict, recovery and development settings;

• Experience in utilizing the following internationals tools and systems: GBV Standard Operating Procedures; GBV Information Management System; IASC GBV Guidelines; IASC Gender Handbook; GBV Minimum Standards; GBV Coordination Handbook; WHO Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Researching, Documenting and Monitoring Sexual Violence in Emergencies; the global Essential Services

• Package for Women and Girls;

• Operational and advocacy experience implementing UNSC resolutions on Women Peace and

• Security (1325, 1820, 1888, 1889 and 1960, 2265) and Youth, Peace and Security (2250);

• Experience in implementing MHPSS interventions and prior experience in counselling and psychosocial support will be an asset;

• Demonstrated management and oversight experience with capacity to lead diverse teams, strongly preferred; 

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required; Working knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.