Program Associate on Women, Peace and Security

Background

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women will work 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 of 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 Member States' priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.  UN Women works in four thematic areas i.e. Governance and Participation, Ending Violence Against Women, Women Economic Empowerment, and Women Peace and Security (WPS). 

On Women Peace and Security, UN Women is catalyzing the UN system and supporting Afghanistan to deliver on the women, peace and security agenda and enhanced capacities and opportunities for gender equality advocates to participate in peace processes at all levels.  UN Women ACO assists the Government of Afghanistan to implement their commitments on women, peace and security and more women and civil society organizations and those actors with gender equality agendas, influence peace, and security processes.  UN Women’s priority outcomes for WPS in Afghanistan are the following: (i) supporting an enabling environment for the implementation of WPS commitments; and (ii) ensuring that women are represented and meaningfully participate in all peace and security, peacebuilding and recovery processes, including formal and informal peace negotiations and forums; supporting gender-responsive security sector and justice reforms.

The WPS Programme Associate will be responsible for providing programme and operational support and will perform the following functions: support to knowledge dissemination of UNSCR 1325/NAP 1325, support to coordination of WPS peace building projects, and initiatives; support to development and implementation of advocacy campaigns around WPS; support to WPS programme implementation, monitoring and reporting; liaising with all partners, beneficiaries and key stakeholders; the provision of assistance in donor and other reports writing; and providing inputs in WPS strategic planning and work plan development. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Functions:  

Under direct supervision of Head of Women Peace and Security Programme, the Program Associate will provide support to the members of the WPS programme team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations.  S/he contributes to information management and data collection, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support.  The Associate will share the responsibility in implementing of women WPS programmes aligned with the Development Result Framework (DRF) and Organization Effectiveness and Efficiency Framework (OEEF) obligations through monitoring and reporting.

The WPS Programme Associate is expected to support WPS management in programme coordination and implementation: support to development of programme documents (ToRs, concept notes, workplans, status reports, other programme documents); partnership building, including building a strong and effective network of women’s peace building organizations, partners and beneficiaries; advocacy, including support for advocacy campaigns around UNSCR 1325 and relevant legislations as required; and monitoring and evaluation support for relevant WPS projects and initiatives. 

In terms of financial and administrative support for the WPS programme, the programme associate will assist in relation to procurement, assets management, timesheets, raising e-requisitions, budget management, and other financial controls according to UN Women rules and regulations. The program associate will also perform any other related tasks not included in the TOR, as and when assigned, by the Head of WPS Programme

Key Results Expected:

Support in the formulation of WPS Programme Strategies

• Collect and present background information for the preparation of effective application of RBM tools;
• Provide WPS programme and administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals;

• Assemble briefing materials and prepare power-points and other presentations for the Programme Areas;
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers.

Programme Management Support  

• Support the management in coordination, implementation and monitoring program plans/activities;
• Provide necessary information for audit and support implementation of audit recommendations;
• Organize, compile and process information from donors, strategic partners, and programme team;
• Draft reports, including reports on workshops, meetings, etc.  
• As requested, represent the WPS Programme in follow up meetings with partners, to ensure decisions are followed up, and plans and activities progress in smoothly;

Administrative and Financial Management Support

• Review Financial Reports; prepare non-PO vouchers;
• Ensure maintenance of the internal expenditures control system; ensure that vouchers processed are matched and completed; transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas;
• Take timely corrective actions on un-posted vouchers, including the vouchers with budget check errors, match exceptions, unapproved vouchers;
• Support the Programme in implementation of budget control mechanism to ensure expenditure compliance with budget, and tracking and reporting on financial resources; 
• Make budget check for requisitions, POs and vouchers;
• Ensure tracking of outstanding advances and prompt follow up of overdue financial reports;
• Review of financial reports received, review expenditure against source documents maintained by the IPs and raise any significant issues with the supervisor for resolution;
• Communicate as needed with IPs on financial and administrative matters;
• Oversee maintaining proper filing systems; ensure the systematic management and filing of documents.
• Support WPS coordination and working group meetings including logistical, security, operations, and programme support.

Facilitation of Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Support creating/documenting of lessons learned and best practices;
• Support organization of training for WPS Programme staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

Any other tasks assigned by management.

Competencies

CORE VALUES / GUIDING PRINCIPLES

• Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative
• Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication
• Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent and positive behavior towards others
• Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
• Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge
• Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Ability to establish, build and sustain effective relationships with clients, demonstrating understanding of client's perspective; anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly;
• Strong and proven integrity, time management; work prioritization skills, Ability to multi-task; work under pressure and handle numerous tasks simultaneously in timely manner.
• Understanding of UN Women procedures, rules and regulations an asset;
• Ability to work effectively as a team member.
• Demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, tact and courtesy in relation to gender equality and women’s rights, development principles and projects, implementing partners, and national and international personnel of varied nationalities and backgrounds.
• Ability to travel inside and outside the country

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Gender studies, Human Rights, political/social science or other related field with at least 4 years of progressively relevant professional experience. A secondary school certificate with minimum 6 years of relevant experience will be considered.

Skills and Experience:

• A least 4-6 years of experience in program conceptualization, implementation, monitoring and reporting;
• Experience in development and implementation of advocacy campaigns around WPS, gender issues, women’s empowerment, human rights preferably with government and civil society;
• Experience in office management with finance and administration skills.
• A proven ability to effectively work with government, civil society, NGOs, and international organizations;
• Understanding of the social, cultural, and political context of Afghanistan and its impact on women and girls;
• Proficiency in the use of computer, office software packages and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent professional communication skills, written and oral in English, and in Pashto/Dari