Gender Equality Officer

Background: UNOPS

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

Project Background

Project - NCRP (Mozambique Northern Crisis Recovery Project)

The project ‘Mozambique Northern Crisis Recovery Project is based in and around the City of Pemba in Cabo Delgado Province supporting the IDPs living in 20 relocation sites and returnees to the northern districts of Cabo Delgado. The project supports both IDPs and host communities. The project comprises 4 main components:

Component 1: Social Cohesion and Resilience to conflict through psychosocial social support and community peace building; and enhancing State-society trust and confidence.

Component 2: Livelihoods and economic strengthening through provision of agriculture and fisheries inputs, cash for work programs for youth and women and the provision of kits for micro and small business development; and training on entrepreneurship and business management.

Component 3: the restoration of basic services, small works for agriculture production, education and health Infrastructure and the construction or rehabilitation of school and health infrastructure and community services and amenities in temporary and relocation sites, host communities and the recently liberated districts in the northern part of Cabo Delgado.

Component 4: project implementation, financial management, procurement, safeguards, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation.

The project is implemented in collaboration with government authorities and is guided by the programme guidelines provided by the World bank as the funding source.

The project team is expected to contain management staff, safeguards and monitoring and evaluation staff and infrastructure staff and will require significant stakeholder and partner coordination and management.

Job Specific

UNOPS has a series of Environmental & Social safeguards instruments to ensure that the Project is in compliance with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). Instruments include an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF); Labor Management Procedures (LMP); a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF); a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP); and a Gender Based Violence/ Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (GBV/PSEA) Action Plan, among others. The Project’s GBV/PSEA Action Plan includes a plan for sensitization and awareness raising of all project workers as well as community members on GBV/SEA; the signing of Code of Conducts as a risk mitigation measure; the mapping and development of partnerships with identified GBV service providers; as reporting and response framework; as well as an accountability framework, including referral pathways development for each project implementation site. The GBV/PSEA Action Plan also includes other measures to mainstream the gender approach across all the project components.  

UNOPS will require a GBV/Gender Equality Officr to work as part of the Social Cohesion Team to assist the GBV/PSEA Specialist in the implementation of the entire GBV/PSEA Action Plan across all the target districts of NCRP south and north, including assistance with GBV cases that are reported through the Project’s Grievance Redress Mechanisms. The latter will be implemented in close collaboration with the Safeguards Team of the project. 

• Support the GBV/PSEA Specialist to roll out the implementation of the Project’s GBV/PSEA Action Plan in close consultation with the government and implementing partners;

•  Report on all activities related to the GBV/PSEA Action Plan; 

•  Monitor IPs regarding the implementation of the GBV/SEA Action Plan and the activities related to the Social Services work package; 

• Oversee, monitor and report on GBV/PSEA related indicators in the E&S safeguards instruments; 

• Undertake follow-up monitoring to ensure that proposed GBV/PSEA mitigation measures are implemented according to the E&S safeguards instruments and the GBV/SEA Action Plan by all stakeholders engaged in NCRP implementation; 

• Conduct supervision and monitoring field visits to sites, where applicable; 

• Assist on developing and delivering a series of spot checks to ensure mitigation measures are properly implemented in line with the guidelines; 

•  Contribute to general project reporting requirements; 

•  Ensure that all project workers understand and sign a Code of Conduct; 

•  Maintain an up to date map / list of all GBV service providers in the Project area; 

•  Establish and maintain partnerships with all GBV Service Providers in the Project area and refer affected parties as relevant; 

• Handle additional assignments as directed by the Supervisor. 

Project Monitoring and Reporting:

• Monitor  the GBV/PSEA - related activities  implemented in all NCRP sites and report to the  GBV/SEA Specialist  accordingly;

• Provide substantive inputs to assist the GBV/PSEA Specialist in the preparation of project reports and documents;

• Maintain records of project files and other supporting documents on the shared drive as per the organization guideline for record keeping;

• Enter data into the offline project (risk, lessons and issues management excel sheets) to be captured as part of the  GBV/PSEA CheckPoint Reports;

• Support on the compilation, consolidation and analysis of relevant data for regular Unit reports and stage plans;

• On behalf of the GBV/PSEA Specialist, participate in periodic visits to the project sites within Mozambique to review compliance with recognized procedures;

• Take minutes of regular meetings with the Implementing Partners WB, GBV AoR and PSEA network and follow up on action points;

• Any other related tasks assigned by the Supervisor

Project Implementation:

• Support the Social Cohesion component & Gender Based Violence/ Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Specialist in ensuring UNOPS Policies and Procedures,  PSEA  Rules and Regulations  are adhered to for efficient project implementation and progress;

• Monitor the unit work plan and alert the  GBV/SEA Specialist on activity end dates and reporting requirements of the  component;

• Facilitate information flows and keep records of all relevant information and communication (internal and external) in the Unit’s Google drive under the project-level drive;.

• Collaborate closely with case management teams psychosocial workers to ensure that case management reflects protection principles and provide survivor -centered options;

• Follow up with IPs to ensure that GBV/PSEA specific cases are receiving quality services according to the human right principles and guidelines from point-of-contact until discharge of survivor;

• Ensure that multi-sectoral services delivered by implementing partners are run according to minimum standards, best practices regarding the GBV/PSEA issues;

• Assist in working with the women safe spaces/centers assistant and the communities in developing and disseminating service availability messages.

Knowledge Management  and Innovation: 

• Support the compilation of lessons learned regarding the GBV/SEA issues;

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned; 

• Maintain records of project files and activity reports, soft and hard  copy where required; 

• First degree  in  International Relations,  Social Sciences, Human Rights, Gender Studies or other relevant disciplines with two (2) years of relevant professional experience is required;

• Master’s Degree in International Relations,  Social Sciences, Human Rights, Gender Studies or other relevant disciplines is an asset.
  
  

• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in GBV/PSEA programming, project implementation, monitoring and reporting is required.

• Previous experience in a humanitarian or development project in UN system will be an advantage.

• Experience/knowledge of web-based applications and Google Suite products, especially google forms, sheets, docs and slides is an asset;.

• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work independently without supervision is an asset.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.