UNDP - Gender Specialist

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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.

UNDP has made gender equality central to its work. Globally, Gender Equality is one of the UNDP’s Signature Solutions described in the 2018-2021 Strategic Plan, that identified gender equality as a cross-cutting approach which can be applied to any area of development, or to any of the SDGs. Gender Equality is implemented throughout the organization in a two-pronged approach: mainstreaming gender in all core practices and dedicated interventions that empower women and promote gender equality.

• Advice and support to UNDP management, programme, and projects on gender issues
• Advice on the management of CO’ gender programme 
• Support the creation of strategic partnerships for resource mobilization
• Facilitate knowledge management, capacity building and coordination across the organization

• Advice on possible areas for UNDP support and adjustment of on-going programmes to ensure that UNDP programmes are in line with Global and National Gender Equality Strategies.
• Advice and hands on support to CO management, programme, operations and project staff on the implementation of the UNDP Gender Seal.
• Analyze, monitor and report on Gender Seal and Gender Marker progress. 
• Mobilize technical support to the COs, if and when needed, including designing training modules and support sub-regional webinars to enhance understanding of the Gender Seal.
• Contribute to the COs’ en-of-year reporting (ROAR) and project reporting.
• Support and co- implement activities of the CO in designing/formulation of a unique stand-alone gender project (matching GEN 3 gender marker attribute).
• Contribute to the development of ToRs, Project Documents (mostly for GEN3 projects). Conduct gender expertise of the new developing Project Documents. Support project managers of regional GEN3 projects in implementation of activities and liaising with counterparts involved in the implementation.
• Review all external communication materials for gender sensitivity and use of appropriate language.
• Review knowledge products, Project Documents and existing M&E Frameworks to ensure integration of gender issues and that gender equality results are assessed against the priorities of the national Gender Equality Strategies in assigned countries.

• Technical advice and guidance to the CO on the implementation of existing gender equality and women’s empowerment programmes – with particular focus on the regional Spotlight Initiative as needed - by quality assuring annual work plans, budgets, procurment plans, terms of reference, deliverables by contractors and partners, alignment to donor requirements, and ensuring that implementation is aligned to the agreed targets.
• Identify opportunities and facilitate UNDP’s strategic collaborations with UN agencies and task teams that respond to the concerns and needs of women and men in promoting women’s empowerment.
• In coordination with the IRH Gender team, monitor political, economic and social development trends and issues affecting women’s rights in the assigned countries, to inform strategic response to opportunities and challenges, in the context of the Country Programme Document and government priorities.
• In coordination with the IRH Gender team, advice to the CO on the effective application of gender mainstreaming throughout CO’s programme, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and results reporting.
• Advice CO on the collection of gender data, contribute to evalutions of gender-related programme interventions, and quality assure results reporting with focus on gender impact.
• Assist CO in design of CO’s Gender Strategy and Action Plan. 

• Contribute to sub-regional, regional and inter-agency initiatives related to gender issues.
• Represent UNDP gender capacity in different working groups and interagency working groups, including UNCT Gender Tasl Group (GTG). 
• Support CO senior management identify and follow up on strategic opportunities for resource mobilization for implementation of the UNDP and CO’s gender targets.
• Provide technical inputs into the formulation of concept notes and programmatic offer on gender issues and women’s empowerment to build strong partnerships with donors and in coordination with government, and design project documents of gender-related programme interventions for resource mobilization.
• When required, provide substantive inputs for UNDP’s representation in exchanges with government, donors, UN agencies, private sector and civil society advocating for the integration of key gender equality and women’s rights into strategies and programmes.

• In close cooperation with the CO Learning Teams and GFT, organize and conduct training for CO staff on gender advancement, gender equality, women’s empowerment, women’s issues, and social development.
• Conduct training for project beneficiaries as requested by the project teams.
• Identify and formulate lessons learned and recommendations to strengthen UNDP’s gender equality efforts.
• Contribut to regional initiatives, regional and global knowledge networks, peer to peer exchanges, communities of practices, and regional and intra-regional exchanges.

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

• Demonstrate focus on achieving quality results and impact 
• Consistently strive to meet or exceed excellence standards 
• Hold self and others accountable for results
• Efficiently establish appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish goals

• Look beyond conventional approaches and established methods 
• Propose new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems 
• Seek patterns and clarity outside boxes and categories while resisting false certainty and simplistic binary choice

• Actively pursue opportunities for learning and self-development professionally and personally 
• Keep abreast of new developments in one’s professional area 
• Proactively seek feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experiences, both positive and negative 
• Contribute to the learning of others

• Be flexible in handling change, and adopt new ideas, approaches and ways of working
• Seamlessly adapt to working within new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways
• Participate in, support, contribute to or drive meaningful change in UNDP

• Pursue everything with motivation and drive 
• Not give up in the face of adversity and setbacks; demonstrate resilience and composure 
• Demonstrate courage, self-motivation and initiative to act on opportunities without being prompted by others 
• Be authentic and modest, get things done without unnecessary noise

• Act in a way that demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence, showing consideration for the needs and feelings of others 
• Demonstrate and encourage teamwork and co-creation internally and externally to achieve joint objectives and results 
• Establish and develop networks that deliver powerful collaborations 
• Encourage and respect the views of others; accept views and ideas other than one’s own

• Treat all individuals with respect, consider ethical implications and respond sensitively to all differences among people 
• Fully accept and value all people, creating an inclusive environment 
• Understand that inclusion is multi-faceted (e.g. race, gender, age, disability, culture, etc.) 
• Understand and appreciate issues from the perspective of others 
• Treat everyone fairly and equally 
• Demonstrate honesty and transparency

• Masters Degree in Social Science, Gender or Women’s Studies, Development Studies, or relevant disciplines   (or Bachelor's degree with additional two years of relevant working experience)

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in advocacy and programme/project management addressing the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment

• Demonstrated, substantial experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of gender equality and women’s empowerment projects;
• Demonstrated experience in design and organisation of gender equality advocacy and communication campaigns, including online actions; 
• Experience in the use of office software packages, and  handling web-based management systems and web-based interactive conferencing tools.

• Demonstrated experience in researh and policy development on gender equality and gender mainstreaming is an advantage
• Previous engagement with UNDP and other UN agencies, or non-UN development organisations, in the areas of gender equality and women’s empowerment is a strong advantage.
• Good knowledge of UNDP’s rules and procedures is desirable

• Fluency in English and Russian and/or KazakhFluency in English and Kazakh or Russian, including excellent drafting and presentation skills 

Important applicant information

All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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