Job Description

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.

In order to contribute to this result, the UN Women Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, in collaboration with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) implements the project "Transforming economies. Towards the Recognition, Reduction and Redistribution of Unpaid Domestic and Care Work in Latin America and the Caribbean". The objective of the project is to increase the economic autonomy and well-being of women in Latin America through their access to comprehensive care policies and systems. To this end, at the regional level, the project works on the generation of applicable knowledge and public positioning on comprehensive care policies and systems in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). At the national level, the project is implemented in Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic, strengthening national and local capacities to provide care services and infrastructures at the national and subnational level as an impetus towards the construction of a National Care System, placing special emphasis on the generation of inspiring practices at the local level. Likewise, in its mission, the project seeks to strengthen bi-regional cooperation between Latin America and the Caribbean with Europe, taking advantage of the impulse that feminist foreign policy in both regions is giving to the development of comprehensive care policies and systems.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Regional Director, the Regional Programme Specialist will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and comprehensive management of the care program. The incumbent will substantively and operationally coordinate the implementation of programmed care activities, ensure effective articulation between the different components of the project, and ensure the achievement of results and implementation of activities in accordance with the Project Document approved by UN Women and the donor and other applicable reference documents. The Regional Programme Specialist will work closely with the economic empowerment team, specifically the technical care specialists and operations team of the UN Women regional office, as well as the economic empowerment teams of the UN Women country offices in Latin America and the Caribbean. Likewise, in coordination with UN Women's country offices, the incumbent will maintain communication with national and local partner institutions to ensure the implementation of the activities foreseen in the project in the prioritized countries and contribute to the development of regional activities and the achievement of results. Availability is required for travel within Latin America and the Caribbean.

Key Functions and Accountabilities :

1. Lead the implementation of the project "Transforming economies. Towards the Recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid domestic and care work in Latin America and the Caribbean" at the LAC regional level
2. · Lead the implementation of activities developed under the regional component of the care project, ensuring high standards of quality and efficiency and fostering synergies between regional, national, and local components. This includes the coordination, monitoring and substantive review of the products and actions developed in the field of care.
3. · Lead strategic project planning and collaborate with country offices to develop and implement Annual Work Plans, evaluating progress, budget execution and results, and providing technical guidance for efficient management.
4. · Establish and strengthen coordination mechanisms between the countries involved in the program and the levels of work, including the subnational level (local governments, civil society, among others), to ensure fluid communication and effective articulation of actions;
5. · Contribute to the establishment and strengthening of strategic alliances with institutional partners and key actors, create synergies with other donor initiatives in the region, and broaden the base of collaboration through consultation and mapping processes of relevant actors in the care agenda.
6. · Facilitate inter-agency relations between UN Women and its partners through planning, coordination, and active participation in dialogue spaces such as technical meetings, workshops, field missions, and other related events;
7. · Maintain a channel of permanent consultation and coordination with the technical teams of the country offices, the specialized technical advisors, the UN Women regional team, national and/or local partners and the donor, to contribute to the articulated implementation of the project activities;
8. · Coordinate the organization and governance mechanisms of the Project (Regional Steering Committee, National Steering Committee and Operational Working Group) and provide relevant technical inputs such as presentations, key data, executive reports and supporting documentation;
9. · Collaborate in the implementation of communication and advocacy strategies to make visible the results of the project and the work of UN Women in care, providing technical inputs for communication products, and defend the care agenda in key spaces at the regional level;
10. · Lead the design and implementation of the project's monitoring and evaluation strategy, develop tools for monitoring results and indicators, evaluate the impact of activities, and oversee the preparation of technical and financial reports in accordance with UN Women and donor standards.
11. · Plan, organize and participate in missions, events, workshops and other activities related to the area of care promoted by UN Women or other partners;
12. · Advise ACRO management and country offices on project execution, providing technical inputs to support decision-making and the quality of interventions;
13. · Respond to any other requests or requirements from the UN Women regional office or in relation to the implementation of the project or the work of UN Women at the regional level.
14. Provide technical advisory support on UN Women's actions in the field of care at the regional level within the framework of the care project in LAC.

· Provide specialized technical advice to country offices, government partners, and civil society organizations to develop and/or strengthen care systems, policies, frameworks, and strategies in the region.

· Develop context analysis, programmatic proposals, and methodological tools that contribute to evidence-based policymaking, as well as resource mobilization around the care agenda.

· Collaborate in the organization and facilitation of spaces for dialogue, meetings and face-to-face and virtual workshops, aimed at different strategic actors, in order to expand the processes of training, learning and articulation in the region.

· Manage the production and review of technical knowledge (policy documents, guides, case studies, tools, etc.), and evaluate experiences developed by UN Women in the region, ensuring their articulation with the regional care agenda.

· Create mechanisms for dialogue and participation with key actors to defend the political and technical commitment to the implementation of comprehensive care systems, in line with the Tlatelolco Commitment and other regional initiatives.

1. Manage the development of partnerships and resource mobilization as it relates to the care project in LAC.

· Provide technical support and guidance to MCO and COs on managing activities and other promotional events to engage bilateral and multilateral institutions/donors, private sector and civil society to expand and/or sustain interest and resources for UN Women programmes and joint UN system programmes;

· As part of strategic planning, provide support and advice to MCO and COs in forging and implementing strategic partnerships to increase UN Women’s positioning in country;

· Liaise with key stakeholders from Government, academia, civil society, the private sector and key international actors to build and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships on women’s rights and gender equality initiatives.

1. Facilitate knowledge building and sharing within the framework of the care project in LAC.

· Support and oversee the reporting and produce regional analysis including global trends and identifying challenges.

· Lead the development and dissemination of good practices and lessons learned on coordination and gender mainstreaming.

· Provide capacity development support to regional and country level colleagues on coordination mandate and gender mainstreaming.

· Develop capacity development initiatives on gender-related issues and priorities as needed.

1. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

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 Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues
• Excellent knowledge of UN system and understanding of inter-agency coordination processes
• Ability to think innovatively;
• Ability to conduct policy research and knowledge products;
• Ability to interact with donors, identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising;
• Ability to advocate and advise on policy.
• Excellent knowledge of program development and delivery, results-based management, and reporting.

Recruitment Qualifications :

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in international development, public administration, public policy, economy, international cooperation, or other relevant social science field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in the design, implementation, coordination and evaluation of gender equality strategies and agendas, policies and programmes is required.
• Experience related to gender equality and women’s rights, especially in care policies and social protection, is required.
• Experience in leading and coaching staff in international settings is required.
• Experience working with international organizations and/or in development cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean region is required. Additional Experience in other regions is desirable.
• Experience in mobilizing resources and managing strategic partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, and donors is required.
• Experience working in developing countries within the UN system, Agencies, Funds or Programs is desirable.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), spreadsheet and database packages is required.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.

Languages :

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
• Fluency in Portuguese is desirable
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian)

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.