The Position:

The Technical Adviser post is located in the UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office, Fiji, and works under the direct supervision and guidance of the UNFPA Pacific Director and Representative. S/he is the principal technical adviser for the Pacific region for integrated technical, programme and policy guidance, assistance and support for Gender and Human Rights. S/He will work in an integrated manner with the technical and programme staff across UNFPA Pacific within the context of a Multi-Country Office approach, servicing three UNCTs and countries across the Pacific.

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 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 being eroded, we need principled and ethical staff who embody the international human rights norms and standards, and who will work to respect, promote and defend them boldly, visibly and vocally. 

UNFPA is seeking candidates who 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:

The Technical Adviser will provide strategic technical, programming and policy support with leadership responsibility in Gender and human rights to ensure that UNFPA Pacific remains abreast of UNFPA’s policy and programme policies as well as current thinking and academic advance affecting the ICPD Programme of Action and supporting country level implementation of the Nairobi Summit Commitments. S/he maintains primary responsibility for coordination of provision of technical assistance and programme support to the countries in the Pacific region in gender and human rights across a multi country office context.  S/he analyses regional, sub-regional and country trends and contributes to strategic action in response of these, and advocates for these analyses to be positioned within national development frameworks and programmes, including achievement of the SDG’s. S/he also works to support States in human rights monitoring and reporting requirements as well as submission of UNFPA’s contributions to UNCT human rights reporting. This includes progressing an advocacy agenda through human rights based approaches. 

S/he will support technical and programmatic coherence within UNFPA Pacific countries in tackling regressive social norms and structural issues on gender equality and young women’s empowerment while contributing to improved and meaningful participation of young people in policy formulation and implementation of programmes for their well-being. 

  S/he will also work to integrate gender responsive climate action across UNFPA areas of work to ensure that women and young people are able to realise their sexual and reproductive health and rights and the right to be free from violence are prioritized in national development and humanitarian planning.  

In all activities, s/he works within an inter-disciplinary team providing integrated programme and technical support to the region. S/he liaises with Programme and Technical Divisions and the UNFPA Technical network, ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, relevance and quality of technical support to UNFPA operations.  Working across three Multi Country Offices requires high level skills and competencies in interagency collaboration, advocacy, joint policy development and programming. 

The primary roles of the Technical Adviser for Gender are:

a) Strategic policy, advocacy and technical advice and dialogue with an emphasis on gender and social norm change, addressing those being left furthest behind first – women in remote settings, adolescent girls and the cultural context of teenage pregnancy and harmful practices, Gender-based violence in humanitarian settings, LGBTQI and sex worker communities, advocacy for climate justice and its differential impacts on women and young people, addressing persons with disabilities, 

b) Advanced programme management across a multi country context and management of implementing partners

c) Collaborative and respectful partnership building with civil society partners, key development partners, regional partners, and UN sister agencies

d) Quality control for capacity development 

e) Using data on violence against women trends to shape national and local responses to GBV

f) Resource Mobilization

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

 Advanced degree (Masters) in gender studies, anthropology, feminist studies, public health, medicine, sociology, human rights, law, cultural studies, international development, or other field directly related to Gender is required;

 A PhD in social anthropology, law and women’s rights, sociology, gender, cultural studies, human rights, or other field directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post is strongly desired.   

  Knowledge and Experience: 

 Minimum Ten (10) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the substantive area, of which seven years at the international level; Field experience is strongly desirable.     

 Demonstrated expertise in the substantive area of work and broad experience in gender programming is essential;

 Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;

 Demonstrated ability to network within the academic and development community;

 Essential experiences needed are good understanding of Human Rights dimensions of Gender, advising and supporting initiatives to eliminate Gender Based Violence, Gender budgeting understanding and culturally sensitive programming;

 Knowledge and experience of working on legal issues and Civil Society involvement in related security & protection; demonstrated expertise in policy dialogue is desirable;

 Knowledge and experience of working in areas related to harmful traditional practices; 

 Strong verbal and written communications skills in English Language;

 Familiarity with management and monitoring tools is desirable;

 Familiarity with ICT/ERP is an asset;

 Computer Skills: Proficiency in MS Office packages and the Internet

Languages: 

Proficiency in both spoken and written English is required. Working knowledge of Pacific languages is an asset.