The Regional Adviser Gender serves as the most senior gender expert in the Region, supporting the development, application, and achievement of goals and strategies on gender programming for countries of the Region in alignment with UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan (2018-2021).

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For every child, a chance to thrive

The Regional Adviser Gender serves as the most senior gender expert in the Region, supporting the development, application, and achievement of goals and strategies on gender programming for countries of the Region in alignment with UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan (2018-2021) and Strategic Plan 2014-2017. 

S/he provides leadership and support on gender in three specific areas: a) programme excellence; b) strategic vision and coordination; c) accountability and oversight.  The Regional Gender Advisor is a member of the Regional Management Team and works closely with the Regional Director, Deputy Director and other Regional Advisors to provide integrated technical, programmatic, and strategic input on gender as well as coordination and oversight on monitoring and reporting gender results.

The Regional Gender Advisor works with Country Offices(CO), national governments and key partners in supporting the development and implementation of high quality and results-oriented gender-related programmes, policies, strategies and systems across sectors. Working closely with the Country Representative, Deputy Representative, sectoral chiefs, and gender specialists and focal points, the incumbent ensures strategic direction, technical excellence and quality of programmatic work on gender equality as well as enhanced systems, capacity, and cross-sectoral collaboration.

The Regional Gender Advisor works closely with the Head Quarter (HQ) gender team in implementing and monitoring UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan and is responsible for regional oversight of harmonization and gender inclusion in programme strategy implementation, communication and knowledge sharing, resource mobilization, representation, networking and strategic partnership creation.

Purpose for the job:

• Ensure high quality, results-oriented sectoral and cross-sectoral programming on gender equality, in alignment with the Gender Action plan (GAP), is designed, implemented and supported in the region.
• Increased expertise, skills and capacity at RO, CO’s and among partners to develop, implement, monitor, and manage high quality, result-oriented sectoral and cross-sectoral gender programmes.
• Enhanced indicators, research and evidence on gender related programmes produced, used, and shared within the region and strong knowledge sharing mechanism established.
• Increased prominence, coherent articulation, and coordinated implementation of gender in RO and CO programme priorities as well as in the policies and plans of Governments and partners.
• Effective communication and representation, expanded partnerships, heightened visibility, and increased resources and support for UNICEF’s gender work at the regional and country levels.
• Ensure the region is well positioned for meeting and tracking its accountabilities and performance on gender results as specified in the GAP.
• To lead and manage on behalf of ESARO the Female Talent Initiative, ensuring smooth implementation of programme directed at Mentees, Mentors and Line Managers.
• Provide oversight and technical assistance to ESARO and COs in the areas of Adolescent Development and Participation.
• Provide technical input to policies, frameworks and research developed by HQ, Regional Office and Country Offices colleagues.
• Produce and disseminate existing and new global and regional knowledge products on adolescent girls and boys, while maintain regional data.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Technical Leadership, Support, and Quality Assurance

• Provide strong technical leadership on gender and development, enhancing the ability of the Regional Office and Country Offices to lead and deliver high quality programmatic results on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as specified within the programmatic framework of the Gender Action Plan (2018-2021).   
• Work closely with the Regional and Country Management teams, the HQ gender team, and in strong collaboration with sectoral colleagues to develop, model, and scale up effective and innovative programme strategies and approaches that lead to measurable results on gender.
• Foster cross-sectoral programming, helping the RO and CO’s to leverage sectoral synergies on gender to deliver results in multiple result areas.
• Provide high quality technical oversight to country and regional office teams in the specification, design and implementation of priority programming on gender.
• Support the development of effective programme guidelines and tools. 
• Review and analyze technical, programmatic and substantive CO and RO programme documents, proposals, reports, and materials, and provide quality assurance support.
• Provide strategic advice and oversight to country offices in the adolescent development and participation area in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes of cooperation with government counterparts.
• In close convergence with other ESARO sections, provide guidance and direction for programming with and for adolescents, ensuring that the equity, gender equality and the empowerment of girl’s perspective is mainstreamed according to UNICEF’s GAP (2018-2021).
• Stay abreast of country programme implementation in the adolescence area, especially when new strategic choices are being made. 

2. Capacity Enhancement

• Strengthen CO and RO capacity to fundraise, plan and budget for gender equality programmes, to bring on board staff with the relevant gender expertise, to undertake smart and efficient cross-sectoral programming, and to develop the most robust partnerships for the delivery and measurement of gender results.
• Work closely with the HQ gender team to undertake CO and RO trainings and hands-on capacity building efforts that strengthen gender focal points as well as sectoral and management staff.
• Work through both gender and sectoral networks to deliver technical, strategic and measurement training and tools on gender.
• Support the regional adaptation of training materials, manuals and tools on gender and adolescents, and ensure their availability and use in capacity-building activities.
• Help identify and maintain a roster of technical experts on gender and adolescents in the region who can provide support at country and regional levels.

3. Research, Evidence, and Knowledge Sharing

• Strengthen the quality of research and evidence building on gender related programming in the Regional and Country offices, bringing in the latest learning and insights from the field of gender and development, and putting in place a coherent, well-prioritized research agenda in alignment with the GAP.
• Support the RO and CO’s to develop evidence-based programme designs and strategies on gender, incorporating robust measurement and evaluation of results. 
• Work with sectoral counterparts to incorporate sound gender indicators and measures in programme and policy initiatives, proposals, and advocacy efforts.
• Analyze and synthesize substantive trends and innovations in research findings on gender in order to produce new, cutting edge technical knowledge that can be used to guide programme interventions.
• Maintain technical expertise, including open knowledge sharing with the HQ gender team and regional/national institutions.
• Manage and coordinate a regional knowledge network on gender and serve as the focal point for contributing to the global knowledge network.
• Ensure that COs remain abreast of UNICEF’s global resources and leaning as well as current thinking and academic advances in substantive areas of gender programming, with a focus on strengthening innovative and multi-sectoral responses to promote gender equality.
• Ensure that COs remain abreast of UNICEF’s global resources and leaning as well as current thinking and academic advances in adolescent programming, with a focus on strengthening innovative and multi-sectoral responses to promote well-being and participation.
• Review literature and innovations/good practice to improve regional approaches and strategies related to adolescents.

4.  Cohesion, Prioritization and Coordination

• Lead the formulation, adaptation, and communication of a cohesive set of regional strategic programme priorities on gender equality in line with the GAP.
• Advise and support the RO and CO management and strategy teams on the inclusion of a cohesive set of programme, policy, advocacy and fundraising priorities on gender, facilitating harmonization with the overall strategic vision for regional and country programming.
• Prioritize and coordinate synergistic opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration on gender results within country programmes, ensuring consistency and coherence with the GAP. 
• Support coordination of activities and information across sectoral initiatives and country programmes to achieve gender-related programme objectives in the countries and the region.
• Prioritize and coordinate synergistic opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration on adolescent results within country programmes, ensuring consistency and coherence with the global and regional frameworks.
• Support coordination of activities and information across sectoral initiatives and country programmes to achieve adolescent programme objectives in the countries and the region.

5.  Representation, Partnerships, and Resource Mobilization

• Act as Focal Point for ESARO on Adolescent and develop partnerships with related complementary institutions and agencies to ensure increased focus on adolescent development and participation rights and issues.  This includes partnership to build capacity of national and civil society organizations in programming for and with adolescents.
• Represent ESARO regional specific viewpoints and policy positions on adolescent development and participation at regional and international meetings and ensure that country level realities are fed into global process and discussions.
• Build partnerships with UN agencies and other institutions at regional level to ensure UNICEF concerns are mainstreamed in regional and country policy initiatives, and to raise sensitive or cross-country issues.  Such partnerships should also be used to leverage resources for results for adolescents. 
• Liaise with UNICEF HQ to implement global initiatives related to adolescent development and participation key result areas relevant to the Agenda for Young People and the Strategic Plan (2018-2021).
• Promote experience - sharing through issuance of regional publications, research findings and statistical analyses.  Collaborate closely with other Regional Advisers in respect to their specific responsibilities for adolescent education, health, protection, HIV/AIDS, social policy, communication and media, emergencies, M&E/evaluation.

6.  Monitoring, Reporting, and System Strengthening

• Provide support to HQ, RO and CO management and M&E teams in strengthening systems, data, monitoring and accountability mechanisms for the effective implementation of the Gender Action Plan in the Region.
• Work closely with the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor and Country Monitoring and Evaluation Officers to effectively integrate data collection, tracking, analysis and reporting on the indicators for the GAP programme results as well as performance benchmarks into the CO and RO M&E systems.
• Support CO and RO staff to provide high quality reporting on results, reviewing inputs for quality assurance. Periodically review and analyze progress on key indicators and work with relevant counterparts to assess accuracy and provide feedback on both measurement and performance.
• Partner with the CO and RO management teams and the HQ gender team to undertake a biannual regional performance review of GAP specified results in preparation for the semi-annual institution wide performance review by UNICEF’s GAP Steering Committee.
• Examine gender-related programme implementation across sectors, and assess possible improvements based on lessons learned, best practices and technical advances in the area of gender.
• Work with DHR and RO and CO management to establish job requirements and accountabilities in PERs on GAP specified results for senior managers, gender specialists, and gender focal points. 
• Support the definition of terms of reference and accountabilities for working groups, task forces, and other coordination mechanisms in RO’s and CO’s for achieving gender results.
• Provide support to HQ, RO and CO management and M&E teams in strengthening systems, data, monitoring and accountability mechanisms for the effective implementation of the UNCEF Adolescent Framework and Generation Unlimited in the region.
• Examine adolescent-related programme implementation across sectors, and assess possible improvements based on lessons learned, best practices and technical advances in the area of adolescents.

Impact Results

• High quality, results-oriented sectoral and cross-sectoral programming on gender and adolescent, in alignment with the GAP, ADAP Framework, and regional priorities, is designed, implemented and supported in Country Programmes.
• RO, CO’s and partners have increased expertise, skills and capacity to develop, implement, monitor, and manage high quality, result-oriented sectoral and cross-sectoral gender and adolescent programming.
• Enhanced indicators, research and evidence on gender and adolescent-related programmes produced, used, and shared within the region and strong knowledge sharing mechanism established.
• Increased prevalence of well-coordinated programmatic initiatives with a strong gender component at RO, CO’s and relevant governments and partners.
• Emergency preparedness assessed, gender needs for emergency support identified, and emergency responses with effective coordination provided. 
• Results specified in the GAP achieved by the region.
• Enhanced human resources and institutional capacity for gender and adolescent programming.
• Effective communication and representation, expanded partnerships, heightened visibility, and Increased level of resources and support for UNICEF’s gender and adolescent work at the regional and country level

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

An advanced university degree (master’s or Ph.D.) in the social sciences (i.e. sociology, demography, psychology, political science, or economics), public health, public policy, or international development. A concentration in gender is a strong asset.

Experience:

A minimum of twelve years of relevant professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming and research on gender and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.

Experience in delivering results-based programmes on gender and development is essential.

Experience in programme management and leadership, especially at country/field level is a strong asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are…. 

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies 

• Communication (III) 
• Working with People (III) 
• Drive for Results (III)

Functional Competencies:

• Leading and Supervising (III)  
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts (III)        
• Analyzing (III)
• Relating and Networking (III)
• Deciding and Initiating Action (III)      
• Persuading and Influencing (III)
• Applying technical skills (III) 
• Entrepreneurial thinking (III)          

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.