Gender and Diversity Advisor (RETAINER), Multiple positions

UNOPS is committed to the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment across its portfolio. For example, it is actively involved in the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan (UN-SWAP) for gender equality and women's empowerment, which assigns common performance standards for the gender-related work of all UN entities. UNOPS has appointed gender focal points at country and partnership offices to facilitate gender activities at the project and office levels and raise awareness on gender-related issues. One of the key gender goals in UNOPS’ Strategic Plan is to integrate gender considerations in projects to better the lives of both men and women in the countries where it operates, and to work towards gender parity in its own offices.

At the project level, UNOPS has developed a gender toolkit to help project managers, developers and teams incorporate gender into all aspects of project activities. It provides concrete guidance on how to better take into account the needs of women, men, girls and boys while implementing projects.

However, it has been widely noticed that successful gender equality work has to tackle gender roles and powers in society. It has to be transformative and mainstreamed in all project activities, rather than being added as an afterthought. As such, gender equality action has to be deeply embedded in a country’s socio-political, cultural and economic context. Gender equality measures and strategies have to be part and parcel of all joined United Nations development frameworks in a given country, as well as in all UNOPS strategic and programmatic approaches.

In particular, strong enhancement of the gender dimensions in the justice, security and resilience actions under the resource facilities, which UNOPS currently establishes on behalf of the European Union and DFID in Somalia and elsewhere in the region, will be important. Experience in the last decade has shown that women have to be active key partners in justice and security sector reforms – rather than only recipients of aid and services. They need to contribute to the shaping of justice and security in order to make those services respond to their needs. Furthermore, women have proven to play an important role in resilience strategies in emergencies, as they are the main caretakers of families and often develop innovative coping mechanisms in crises. Considering gender issues as a key cornerstone in the new resource facilities will be crucial for their effectiveness and for solid results.

In addition, project design requires due consideration of social and other safeguards issues. This includes identification of issues and development of effective safeguards management strategies and operational measures in alignment with international donor standards and international best practice.  

In view of successfully working towards gender equality and women’s empowerment and effective safeguards management in the East and South Africa region, the incumbent will;

• Support the contextualization of the gender toolkit in the countries of the East Africa region, based on sound knowledge of issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the key countries of the region.
• Support the work of the gender focal points with gender and diversity expertise in the design and implementation of programmes and projects;
• Advise on the mainstreaming of transformative gender approaches into programming where required.
• Advise on enhancing the gender dimension of justice, security and resilience in the resource facilities established by UNOPS for the EU and DF
• Advise on the mainstreaming of transformative gender approaches into strategic and policy documents where required;
• Advise on closing the gender gap in UNOPS Offices, where required, based on the results of the general UNOPS audit on gender parity.
• Advise on appropriate measures to identify and address safeguards issues (social and otherwise) in formulation and delivery of UNOPS project interventions.

• Masters degree in Gender Studies or other Social Science or related, is required. A PhD is desirable.

• Minimum of 7 years’ of relevant experience, including experience in gender equality and/or women’s empowerment is required
• Experience working in East Africa Region is desired
• Ability to mainstream gender in strategic and programmatic documents is desired;
• Understanding of gender equality work in the United Nations and general familiarity with the UN system is desired;
• Familiarity with social safeguards issues and experience in supporting project formulation and strategy development is desired; 
• Experience working with international organizations is required;
  
  
  
  

• Full command of English language with excellent demonstrated English writing skills is required

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

1. Contract type; International Individual Contractor Agreement
2. Contract level ; IICA3- Retainer
3. Contract duration 1 year

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information – Kenya Multi Country Office (KMCO)

Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the Kenya Multi Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The KMCO sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and South Africa. This includes primarily transactional projects in partnership with the Nairobi based UN Agencies, UN-Habitat and UNEP, and multiple ‘operational’ projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and several island states.

Through a Nairobi based Technical Services Unit (TSU) UNOPS provides assessment, design and technical oversight services for a range of UNOPS internal and external clients.