TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT

Duration: 364 days (Temporary Appointment)

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The Position:

The Programme Specialist provides the lead responsibility for programme activities, research & networking, communications and monitoring and evaluation for the Spotlight Initiative programme in Vanuatu. This will include support for UNFPA programme implementation specifically under the Spotlight Initiative as well as coordination across the other Recipient UN Organisations (RUNOs)  namely UNDP, IOM and UNICEF. S/he will also work in coordination with UNWomen as an Associated Agency under the Spotlight Initiative in Vanuatu. A range of coordination mechanisms will also be supported including the National Steering Committee and the Civil Society Reference Group in partnership with the Resident Coordinator’s Office.    S/he will be part of the UNFPA Vanuatu Programme team, which provides integrated programme and technical support within a systems strengthening approach fundamental to implementation of UNFPA’s overall strategy in Vanuatu and the Pacific. Reporting to Gender Technical Advisor, UNFPA Pacific, based in Fiji, the Programme Specialist will also be responsible for programme management and coordination oversight of the Spotlight Initiative for UNFPA regionally and in Samoa.  

How you can make a difference:

The European Union (EU) and the UN are embarking on a new multi-year programme, called the ‘Spotlight Initiative,’ which is focused on eliminating violence against women and girls (VAWG) and harmful practices (HP). In Vanuatu, the Spotlight Initiative is deploying a targeted, large-scale investment to improve the rights of women and girls, helping them to live lives free of violence for which UNFPA will be leading technical coherence. 

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.

Further, in order to ensure the highest level of support for the implementation of the Spotlight programme, 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 in collaboration with UNICEF and UNDP as RUNOs and UNWomen as an associated UN agency.

Job Purpose:

The Vanuatu country programme of the Spotlight Initiative will focus on eliminating intimate partner violence. Through a comprehensive approach, the Spotlight Initiative will focus its work on eliminating intimate partner violence through six key pillars: I) developing and implementing relevant legislation and policies, II) strengthening national and sub-national institutions, III) preventing violence through evidence-based programmes and campaigns, IV) ensuring the collection and use of prevalence and incidence data, V) establishing essential services for victims and survivors, and VI) partnering directly with women’s movements and civil society.

UNFPA is the lead Technical Coherence Agency to coordinate the implementation of the Vanuatu programme and a recipient UN agency (RUNO).  UNDP, IOM and UNICEF are also RUNOs that will jointly implement resources and provide technical assistance for the implementation of these programmes alongside UNWomen as an Associated Agency. 

UNFPA also programmes on the Spotlight Initiative in Samoa and regionally for which this position will have programme management and coordination support responsibilities.  

In a global organisation, where many of our people are based in challenging environments, you will play a vital role in ensuring the coordination, technical coherence and quality of the Spotlight Initiative in Vanuatu as well as communications, monitoring and evaluation and implementation of UNFPA activities. You will build close relationships with stakeholders including the Resident Coordinators Office, based in Suva, UNFPA implementing partners and the CSO Technical Reference Committee. 

Requiremetns:

Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

Advanced university degree in international development and gender, public health, medicine, social sciences, humanitarian response, demography, gender, international relations, international development or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of Five (5) years of relevant experience in increasing positions of responsibility working on gender based violence programming including programme management in an international organization. 

• Experience in support monitoring and evaluation of GBV programmes across multi sectoral response and prevention areas of intervention;

• Prior work experience in providing similar support to programmes and projects within the United Nations and/or an International Organization is desired; 

• Strong organizational skills; 

• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment respecting diversity of work teams

• Strong coordination, interpersonal and communication skills

• Strong analytical, coordination and organizational skills, and an enthusiastic team player who seeks to empower others;

• An understanding of the Pacific cultural contexts in relation to gender issues and other UNFPA related issues would be an advantage;

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Fluency in a Pacific language is an advantage.