Project Manager for UN Joint Programme "EU for Gender Equality in Albania

Location : Tirana, ALBANIA

Application Deadline : 14-Apr-21

(Midnight New York, USA)

Type of Contract : Service Contract

Post Level : SB-4

Languages Required : English

Expected Duration of Assignment : 1 year (with possibility of extension)

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.

Background

"EU for Gender Equality in Albania: Implementation of the EU Gender Equality acquis" is a UN Joint Programme developed jointly by UN Women and UNFPA and funded by the EU Delegation in Albania. This 2-year intervention reflects the EU commitment on gender equality as a principle underpinning its external relations within the framework of Albania's accession to the EU and with a focus on the negotiation process. With the overall aim of enhancing transposition of the EU Gender Equality acquis and achieving gender equality outcomes in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 5), it will focus on strengthening gender and socially-responsive governance outcomes at central and local levels, in line with international human rights norms and standards such as CEDAW, the Istanbul Convention, and the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review. The action emanates from the implementation of the UN Women Gender Equality Facility Phase I (2016-18), and intends to complement ongoing programmes on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, including the EUD-funded Gender TA project. [1]

Specific emphasis is placed on supporting the Government of Albania in responding to the significant and gender-specific socio-economic challenges which result from the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, the action adheres to the principles of international guidance on gender-responsive recovery, and the EC's 10 key actions for G7 Member States to promote gender equality and women's economic empowerment in COVID-19-induced crisis response and recovery. It is in line with the EU's "Declaration on human rights in times of the coronavirus pandemic", clearly highlighting women's and girls' rights, and the joint recommendations of women's rights organisations operating in the Western Balkans.

The UNJP has two generic objectives. At

central level, it will provide expert support for the integration of gender perspectives into sector dialogue, policy revisions, recovery programmes, and ongoing reforms. At

local government unit/service provision level, it will strengthen capacities to translate national gender equality goals to the local level by specifically supporting measures that increase resilience. Among a range of concerning effects, the COVID-19-induced crisis has amplified women's precarious status on the labour market, women's and girls' exposure to violence, and made visible the challenges to reaching out and providing essential services to populations in rural areas. [2] Therefore, complementing ongoing UN-supported programmes on preventing violence against women and girls, the proposed action will specifically focus on women's economic resilience, and the empowerment and social inclusion of adolescent girls in underserved, rural areas, also involving adolescent boys as partners in supporting gender equality. The intervention will be implemented under the UN Albania SDG Acceleration Fund jointly by UN Women and UNFPA.

The programme objectives will be achieved by increasing long term capacities of operating structures and public institutions to mainstream gender at all levels and across sectors, with particular focus on strengthening equal opportunities for women and men, girls and boys, notably for those facing the greatest risk of being marginalised, excluded, and left behind. In the medium to longer-term, and in line with EU Gender Action Plan III, the Action aims to secure implementation/application of gender equality legislation, policies and standards through policy dialogue, technical expertise and guidance, development and sharing of good practice, and strategic partnerships and cooperation.

The main stakeholders and partners of the proposed UNJP are: the Ministry of Health and Social Protection/Equal Opportunities Department; the National Gender Mechanism (Gender Equality Officers at central and municipal level, the National Council for Gender Equality, and the Parliamentary sub-commission of Gender Equality and Prevention of Violence Against Women); the Prime Minister's Office/Department for Development and Good Governance; sectoral governance structures of the Integrated Sector-Wide Approach mechanism, their respective Secretariat and Thematic Working Groups in regard to strategic and programme coordination; line ministries (Technical Working Groups and Gender Equality Officers); the Ministry of Interior/Local Self-Government Support Agency; Local Government Units (including the Gender Equality Officer function, Child Protection Unit, staff in charge of youth issues, and the Referral Mechanism for Domestic Violence) and Administrative Units; Youth Councils, platforms, and initiatives; civil society and women's rights organisations and media. Other entities such as the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy/ Public Finance Reform Management Directorate will be partners in specific components of the UNJP. In a broader sense, stakeholders include also the EU Delegation, the Ministry of Agriculture, bilateral donors, international funding institutions, and particularly DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement negotiations.

Under the direct supervision of the UN Women National Programme Officer, the Project Manager is responsible for managing the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of UN Women/UNFPA Joint Programme including providing technical support to the implementation of the UN Women/UNFPA JP, managing the monitoring and reporting for the JP, overseeing and guiding staff and budget management, building partnerships and providing support in developing resource mobilization strategies, and managing knowledge building efforts.

[1] "Technical Assistance to Gender Equality Agenda in Albania in the process of accession to EU" EuropeAid/138778/DH/SER/Multi SIEA 2018.

[2] UN Women. Rapid Gender Assessment of the situation and needs of women in the context of COVID-19 in Albania.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the UN Women CO Albania Representative and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist/Head of Programme Unit, the Project Manager will perform the below key functions in close coordination with UNFPA and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO).

  • Manage the day-to-day implementation of the UN Joint Programme
  • Manage capacity and financial resources of the UNJP
  • Manage results-based monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the UNJP
  • Provide substantive inputs to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts for the UNJP
  • Build partnerships and contribute to inter-agency coordination on Gender Equality.

1. Manage the day-to-day implementation of the UN Joint Programme (UNJP)

  • Develop detailed implementation plan and for the UNJP and be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of activities in coordination with UNFPA;
  • Review programme annual work plans to assure compliance with the Joint Programme goals and results-based indicators;
  • Ensure coordination and linkages of the UNJP across activities being implemented through UNFPA and UN Women and other ongoing initiatives by other actors at the country level and in the region; Organize Programme Steering Committee meetings and undertake preparatory work and follow-up on their outcomes;
  • Report on the progress, present the work plans and budget for approval to the Programme Steering Committee and exchange information on progress and challenges, design joint strategies;
  • Build and manage relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the programme;
  • Assesses and coordinates appropriate implementation strategy in the execution of activities and engagement of UNJP responsible parties, if relevant;
  • Provides technical support to UN Women and UNFPA implementing partners as well as consultants and collaborators, towards the achievement of intended results;
  • Flags in a timely way issues of strategic concern and seeks advice from country office management in finding appropriate solutions;
  • Leads the coordination of the call/request for proposals and selection process of partners, including formulation of TORs for responsible parties and other contractors, capacity assessment of partners, submission for review to the Local Programme Appraisal Committee; partner agreements and letters of agreement with government and non-governmental partners as needed;
  • Provides programmatic and technical support to UN Women in Albania including for the country office annual workplan, strategy documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to gender equality as deemed necessary;

2. Manage the human and financial resources of the UN Joint Programme

  • Manage the UNJPs' financial resources in full compliance with participating UN agencies rules and regulations and EU requirements;
  • Monitor UNJP budget regularly and budget revisions, as well as expenditure tracking and reporting in accordance with UN Women rules and regulations and donor requirements and make budget re-alignments/ revisions, as necessary;
  • Supervise the UNJP Assistant and coordinate with the rest the team contributing to the Joint Programme;
  • Mobilize competent national and international experts that are needed for the UNJP activities. Draft Terms of reference for consultants and supervise and evaluate their performance in delivering required deliverables at the expected quality;
  • Monitor the allocation and disbursement of funds to implementing partners, if relevant;
  • Provide inputs and clarifications related to preparation of financial reports to the donor;
  • Manage programme files and support information collection and dissemination: ensure UNJP documentation (filing) & communication is properly done, tracking system is in place for effective UNJP closure;
  • Ensure effective information flow, communication and coordination across the office, between programmes, projects and operations, and with UNFPA and Resident Coordinator's Office.

3. Manage the results-based monitoring and reporting of the UNJP for both UN Women and UNFPA

  • Application of Results-based management (RBM) tools in establishing management targets and monitoring achievement of results of the UNJP;
  • Manage the monitoring of mutually agreed results frameworks and performance indicators of the UNJP;
  • Financial and substantive monitoring of UNJP activities, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions;
  • Undertake regular monitoring missions to ensure timely delivery and quality of result and prepare reports on monitoring missions;
  • Provide substantive inputs and coordinate the process of gathering information and preparing progress reports (quarterly updates as well as annual donor reports) on programme implementation; prepare technical reports as per donor's requirements (EU) on behalf of both agencies and in coordination with RCO;
  • Provide the inputs to UN Women Quarterly Monitoring Reports (progress against planned activities and outputs) as well as annual reporting;
  • Prepare and coordinate inputs for the mid-year reviews and annual reports for the implementation of the UN Programme of Cooperation for Sustainable Development (PoCSD) and the forthcoming Cooperation Framework (CF) under the guidance of RCO;
  • Manage the submission of UN Women implementing partner's financial and narrative reports as needed; Ensure that progress reports from responsible parties are properly monitored in line with UNJP outputs and timeline before approving;
  • Identify capacity building needs of partners and lead the coordination of technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives to partners.
  • Prepare programme team for audits and monitor implementation of audit recommendations;
  • Provide training on results-based management to UNJP staff, as necessary.

4. Provide substantive inputs to advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts for the UNJP

  • Manage the implementation of the communication and visibility plan of the UNJP in line with visibility guidelines and standards of the donor, the UN SDG acceleration Fund and those of participating agencies;
  • Develop advocacy strategies and oversee their implementation;
  • Develop background documents, project summaries, conference papers, briefing notes and presentations related to the UNJP;
  • Coordinate and organize advocacy campaigns, events, trainings, workshops and knowledge products in cooperation with Communications, Programme and Operations Units of participating agencies;
  • Finalize relevant documentation on donors and potential opportunities for resource mobilization;
  • Provide inputs to UNJP related products, including updates to various stakeholders and donor as requested;
  • Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing.

5. Build partnerships at the county and regional level and contribute to inter-agency coordination on Gender Equality

  • Develop and implement partnerships strategies in coordination with UNFPA and RCO to contribute to the overall goal and results of the programme;
  • Coordinate with other UN agencies, government departments, donors and NGOs to ensure the UNJPs' capacity development component is harmonized and aligned with other in-country efforts;
  • Liaise with the governmental counterpart/s in charge of monitoring and overseeing gender mainstreaming at national level, MoHSP and Deputy Prime Minister's Officer as relevant; the Ministry for Europe and Foreing Affairs; and key governmental partners steering sector reform governace, i.e. PMO (DSGG, NSDI) and IPMGs/Thematic Working Groups as well as INSTAT and ASPA;
  • Foster close collaboration with the National Gender Machinery, i.e. the National Council for Gender Equality and Gender Equality Officers at central and local level;
  • Engage and contribute to regional cooperation and exhanges with other similar projects of UN Women as well as with other EUDs and National Gender Equality Mechanisms;
  • Engage in donor coordination with relevant international development actors;
  • On a continuous basis, communicate progress and coordinate with the EU Delegation in Tirana as well as other UN Women offices implementing similar interventions;
  • Represent UN Women and the UNJP in national and international fora as needed.

Any other tasks and responsibilities as assigned.

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women's Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

Functional Competencies:

  • Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
  • Ability to develop detailed operational plans, budgets, and deliver on them for development results;
  • Solid understanding of gender mainstreaming (across sectors and levels of governance);
  • Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making;
  • Strong knowledge of Results Based Management and results reporting;
  • Ability to establish and maintain broad strategic networks and partnerships with UN agencies and other international partners to promote partnership and build alliances to advance organizational interests and competencies;
  • Ability to advocate and provide policy and technical advice;
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written);
  • Strong organizational and time management skills;
  • Strong analytical skills and team building skills;
  • Ability to handle conflict and sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
  • Capacity to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education/Academic requirements:

  • Master's Degree or equivalent in Human Rights, Social Sciences, Political Science, Development, Public Administration or Gender is required.
  • A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  • A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.

Work Experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in programme management, including programme design, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting with a particular focus on gender equality and women's empowerment. (A minimum of 7 years' experience if education is Bachelor's degree);
  • Experience in providing technical assistance and capacity building on gender mainstreaming at the central and local level;
  • Experience working in governance related areas with the UN system, EU-funded programmes and projects and other similar international organizations would be an asset.
  • Familiarity/experience with EU Gender Equality acquis would be considered an asset.
  • Experience in leading teams effectively is an asset.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Albanian is required.

Application Procedure: Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via the Jobs website: http://www.al.undp.org/content/albania/en/home/operations/jobs.html Applications should contain:

  • Cover letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the online application.
  • Completed and signed UN Women Personal History Form - http://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment

Please make sure you have provided all requested documents.

How to Submit the Application: To submit your application online, please follow the following steps:

  • Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11);
  • Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
  • Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
  • Click "" button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click "Submit Application;"
  • Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents
  • You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system

Special consideration

As this position is under Service Contract modality, only citizens of Albania and those holding valid working permit in Albania will be considered for the vacancy.

UN

Women

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.

cdRRg1F-owT1v

This vacancy is archived.

Recommended for you