Project Manager - Gender Seal

Sarajevo

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Sarajevo
Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
- Women's Empowerment and Gender Mainstreaming
- Project and Programme Management
- Managerial positions
Closing Date: 2023-05-20

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Gender equality is a principle that flows through the engagements of UNDP in its internal and external activities. With the participation of CO BiH in the Gender Equality Seal (2022-2023), gender equality is becoming increasingly mainstreamed in UNDP-supported policies, strategies, action plans and projects on development, environment, community engagement, digital actions, etc.

When it comes to gender equality, in the past few years, BiH has made significant progress in terms of legislative and policy development and harmonization - it set up the legislative and policy frameworks for gender equality and has become a regional leader in that area. Important legal steps have been taken with Conventions, Laws and Gender Action Plans promoting gender equality, strategies adopted to reduce domestic violence, and institutional mechanisms set up to mainstream gender.

Despite significant progress, gender-based discrimination in employment and the labour market still represents a significant challenge in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Gender inequality is reflected in lower employment rates for women, with the current labor force participation rate for women in BiH being at 35.2%, while for men it is 58.7% with a difference of over 23 percentage points. Although not with the same intensity as in the private sector, gender-based discrimination in employment within the public sector is also present. Overall, the current labor force participation rate for women in BiH is 35.2%, while for men it is 58.7% with a difference of over 23 percentage points.

In order to prevent the further deepening of the economic inequalities for women and the feminization of poverty, it is necessary to take action focused on creating a better enabling environment and strengthening the position of women at work. These challenges affect the whole region and have therefore been recognized as such in the Western Balkans Roadmap for Women’s Economic Empowerment, where transforming the public sectors to deliver for gender equality is identified as one of the five key drivers of change. The Gender Equality Seal for Public Enterprises and Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions are UNDP’s key organizational instruments for achieving this goal. Experience shows that in addition to work on altering company policies for gender equality, combined effects of awareness raising, capacity building and participatory processes that are put in place during the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal standard, in addition to improving the situation of women at work often result in improved productivity for the company, decreased absenteeism, and in securing more inclusive work environment for all.

With this in mind, UNDP Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to test the interest of public sector institutions in BiH to participate in Gender Equality Seal for Public Enterprises and Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions (GES). The goal of implementing the GES process is to incentivize and support interested companies and public institutions to empower women by adhering to the international conventions that BiH has signed, fully respecting BiH’s legal employment rights and improving company and institutional policies and practices for gender equality.

This also presents an opportunity to achieve impact at scale, with UNDP using its convening capacity and partnerships achieved across its programming in economic and social realms to act as enabler and facilitator of change using the Gender Equality Seal method as a channel. It will also enable UNDP to be more inclusive, coherent and systematic in its approach to empowering women. This initiative is also complementary to an internal Gender Seal transformation process (2021-2022) that the CO currently participates in. It would expand the transformation process to partners in the public sectors.

Gender Equality Seal for Public Sectors is also in alignment with a number of the EU directives to promote the situation of women in the labor market, with actions strongly supporting the BiH transposition of the EU Gender Equality Acquis.

In order to achieve legitimacy for the certification programme, this process would be led under the auspices of Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina (GEA BIH) as the key institutional partner of this initiative, gathering an array of relevant institutions including public institutions, academia, women’s organizations and unions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP’s Justice and Security Sector Leader, the Project Manger will contribute to the implementation of the UNDP Gender Equality Seal programme in public sectors, funded by UNDP CO BiH. The Project Manger will execute the duties and responsibilities outlined below in the following functional areas:

Coordinate the overall implementation of the GES Project activities:

Ensure timely and good-quality implementation of the project activities;
Maintain regular and close coordination and cooperation with the UNDP Gender Equality Global Team members, UNDP CO GES Focal Point and UNDP CO Gender Analyst;
In close coordination and cooperation with the Gender Expert, organize and coordinate project activities such as workshops, studies and publications, subcontracts, equipment and administrative support;
Maintain and support cooperation and collaboration with national partners and stakeholders;
Coordinate and guide personnel and experts engaged in delivering aspects of the project’s work plans;
Prepare annual work plans with indicative scheduling of identified main outputs and activities as guidance documents for the formulation and review of annual work plans;
Promote overall integration of the project into the global and existing planned activities, as well as regional and national policies and plans relevant to the gender equality seal process;
Maintain close coordination with other relevant projects and programmes in the field of gender equality;
Contribute to the achievement of the Gender Seal Project output and results with the required quality standards and within the specified cost and time limits.

Providing technical advice and support to the implementation of the Project activities:

Provide technical support and advice to the Sector Leader in the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal process in the public sectors;
Organize and facilitate the capacity-building and rising awareness activities of key stakeholders regarding the GES process;
Develop relevant policy briefs, lessons learned documents, communication materials, website updates, and other relevant publications;
Facilitate business processes followed by the Project in line with the UNDP Rules and Regulations, applicable procedures and policies and the UNDP Internal Control Framework ensuring:
Ensure all UNDP operational processes in regard to the GES project are followed.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the overall Project deliverables:

Carry out regular follow-up and monitoring of implementation activities;
Carry out regular monitoring and reporting on risks and mitigation measures;
Develop the substantial programmatic input required for the GES Project reports, including narrative and financial reports to relevant parties as well as annual progress and expenditure reports, as per donor requirements;
Provide regular updates on the Project’s progress to the Sector Leader and Gender Equality Focal Point as well as key project partners and stakeholders.

Knowledge management and gender equality:

Coordinate wide dissemination and visibility of project achievements;
Coordinate dissemination of information and knowledge management within the team for effective project implementation;
Ensure that key project results, knowledge tools and other developed products have been mainstreamed within the project fieldwork, as well as within other relevant UNDP interventions and support dissemination and application beyond UNDP scope of work;
Be responsible for the transfer of projects deliverables, documents, files, equipment and materials to national beneficiaries;
Contribute to gender mainstreaming throughout the project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analyzed in detail;
Contribute to the incorporation of knowledge on gender equality in Project knowledge management activities and products.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management Competencies

UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies

Resource mobilization
- Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements
Relationship management
- Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
Knowledge Facilitation
- Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Results-based Management
- Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
Communication
- Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
Entrepreneurial Thinking
- Ability to create clarity around UNDP value proposition to beneficiaries and partners and to develop service offers responding to client needs based on UNDP’s organizational priorities and mandate
General (across the functions)
- Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in law, social sciences, international relations, governance, human rights, or any other related field.
Bachelor`s degree with 2 additional years of qualifying experience is accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree.

Experience:

Minimum 2 years (with Master`s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor`s degree) of professional experience in project management in the field of gender, rule of law, human rights and relationships among international organizations and central, local institutions and communities, with a demonstrated ability to promote change.

Required Skills:

Demonstrated experience in working on policy development and capacity building;
In-depth knowledge and experience in implementation, coordination and policy advice relevant to gender mainstreaming in public sector institutions;
Ability to perform a variety of specialized tasks in highly organized manner with strong analytical and research skills;
Experience in sharing of knowledge and good practices
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Ability to identify discrimination, address it, and maintain an enabling working environment based on fairness, respect and freedom from any forms of harassment and abuse;
Understand the language associated with gender, equity inclusion, and diversity.
Ability to strategically and effectively communicate results from gender lens;
In-depth contextual knowledge of gender relations and social structures in BiH;
Ability to apply knowledge of empirical facts about gender aspects within the thematic/policy area and activities, and the ability to correctly classify and interpret gender-disaggregated facts and data.

Desired Skills:

Negotiation and Influence: Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates ‘win-win’ situations.
Any formal certificate related to post requirements would be considered as an asset.

Languages:

Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills in English and Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) is required.

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Manager will lead a project team and provide technical advice and coordinate the implementation of the different project activities to ensure coherence with the project framework. The Project Manager will contribute to the efficient monitoring of the use of funds and the procurement of services and goods executed by UNDP. S/he will coordinate the Project activities on a day-to-day basis on behalf of UNDP and in close consultations and under the guidance and direct supervision of the sector leader, and in close coordination with the CO Gender Analyst, ensuring that the project produces the required outputs. S/he will be responsible for day-to-day support to project management and will ensure the implementation of all planned activities to the required corporate and donor agreement standards within the work plan timeline and budget.

Required Documents

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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