UN Women: Programme Officer (Gender Responsive Budget), Open for Nepali Citizens Only

Background

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women 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, UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations System efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of national priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with government, civil society and other relevant actors.

In Nepal, UN Women focuses on strengthening women’s voice, agency and leadership across sectors to advance women’s rights, provide space for women’s meaningful participation and to demonstrate tangible differences in their lives. The agency’s programme adopts a holistic and integrated approach across UN Women’s five thematic priorities. It is guided by Nepal’s stated priorities (including those from the Three-Year Plan 2016-2019) and its commitments to relevant normative frameworks, the country’s United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2013-2017, the CEDAW Concluding Observations (2011) and UN Women’s Corporate Strategic Plan 2014-2017. The programme promotes national ownership, capacity development and institutionalization, inclusiveness, coordination and partnerships, and knowledge generation and management, and seeks to prioritize engagement with and support to key duty bearers who are responsible for advancing women’s human rights and with rights holders so they can exercise voice and agency. UN Women is in process of developing UN Women’s Corporate Strategic Plan 2018-2021.

UN Women has been supporting Ministry of Finance (MOF) for the implementation and institutionalization of GRB system in Nepal since 2001. The GRB system was institutionalized in Nepal with the establishment of GRBC at the MOF in 2005 with the mandate to recommend for the formulation of gender responsive policy, plan, budget, and implementation and monitoring, capacity building, tracking expenditure and evaluation. MOF formally introduced the GRB system with the recommendation of GRBC since Fiscal Year 2007/2008. This has been strengthened with the integration of GRB system in the MOF’s Budget Management Information System (BMIS) and Line Ministry Budget Information System (LMBIS) in 2007/08 through UN Women support. With the technical and financial support from UN Women MOF has revised GRB classification criteria in its budgeting system in 2012.? UN Women also providing support to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MOFALD) for the localization of GRB.? To strengthen this GRB initiative at the national and local level, a GRB-TE service is required. The GRB-TE will provide support to the MOF and other line ministries for strengthening and institutionalization of GRB system and provide support to the MOFALD to facilitate the adoption of GRB principles at the local level. S/he will work closely with relevant government line ministries to support, policy advocacy and trainings, coalitions and lobbying for strengthening capacities of the relevant government officials at various levels.

Under the overall guidance of the deputy Representative, and direct supervision of the Programme Specialist/Unit Head (Economic Empowerment Unit) of UN Women Nepal and working in close collaboration with Governance team, the Project Officer will be responsible for providing specialized technical support to MOF, MOFALD, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MOWCSW) and other line ministries as well as the civil society organisations for the strengthening and institutionalization of GRB system at national and local levels.  S/he will maintain a network with colleagues from UN Agencies, government officials, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society; and promotes good cooperation and coordination between UN Women and Government counterparts.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Implementation of GRB initiatives and strategies under the project;
• Management of GRB initiatives undertaken;
• Creation, maintenance and nurturance of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to sustain and accelerate GRB initiatives;
• Provision of top quality research and advisory services for stakeholder coordination, Government partnerships; and
• Facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Ensures implementation of programme strategies focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation in the country and preparation of substantive inputs to UN Women country office programme planning;
• Design and formulation of GRB programme, translating UN Women’s?priorities into local interventions;
• Identification of areas for support and interventions within the thematic/sectoral areas assigned;
• Country Office business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management.

Ensures effective management of the GRB programme?focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation of the country programme achieving the following results:

• Undertake effective monitoring and documentation of GRB results onto the Result Based Management (RBM) tool;
• Coordination of programme implementation with the executing/partner agencies: support in initiation of a project, entering project functions into UN Women’s e-programme Atlas, finalization of contribution agreement; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises and closure of project upon reporting and review;
• Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the project partners, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions;
• Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;
• Aggregate reports are regularly prepared on activities, outputs and outcomes;
• Preparation of donor reports.

Ensures creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy in cooperation with the Management:

• Formulate and sustain partnerships within UN Agencies to realize the One-UN system, government institutions across all levels, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector and the civil society and non-government organisations based on coordination goals of UN WOMEN, country needs and donors’ priorities; and
• Analysis of information on donors, preparation of substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for initiation of new projects, active contribution to the overall office effort in resource mobilization.

Ensures provision of top quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification and updating of information related to policy-driven issues;
• Provide quality advice to government and non-government partners on strengthening GRB initiatives;
• Conduct trainings on GRB for government and non-government partners;
• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice within UN Women and among its partners;
• Communication/documentation of programmes for internal and external reports, website etc.

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

Functional Competencies

• Programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings
• Good analytical skills
• Good knowledge of GRB system

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Economics, Gender and human rights related disciplines, Social sciences or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum five years experience in programmes on gender equality and women's empowerment with a focus on GRB;
• At least two years of experience in programme management;
• Experience of working with UN organizations is desirable;
• Experience of working with or exposure of government planning, programming and budgeting processes at national and or local level is an added advantage.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Nepali is required.