Summary:

Location: Nairobi, KENYA
Application Deadline: 09-Apr-09
Type of Contract: ALD International
Post Level: ALD-4
Languages Required: English 
Duration of Initial Contract: 1 Year

Background:

United Nation's Development fund for Women (UNIFEM) is mandated by the General Assembly to work towards achieving gender equality goals and commitments through providing financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies that promote women's human rights, political participation and economic security. In fulfillment of its mandate, UNIFEM partners with governments, civil society organizations and regional bodies. Within the UN system, and in accordance with the United nations triennial comprehensive Programme Review,(TCPR) UNIFEM has been mandated to avail its technical expertise to the UN for the promotion of gender equality and women human rights. In doing so she is called specifically to link women's issues and concerns to national, regional and global agendas and policies by fostering collaboration and providing technical expertise on gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment strategies.

UNIFEM's Kenya program builds on the achievements, lessons learned and challenges of the previous programme (2004 - 2007) and on UNIFEM's continued recognized leadership in facilitation and convening of key stakeholders in Kenya. UNIFEM's Kenya program works in the four thematic areas decided in its strategic plan ,i.e. governance, women's economic security and rights, women's participation in decision making, HIV and AIDS and violence against women. It implements its programs in close partnership with government institutions, civil society organizations, the UN system and donors. In addition, In Kenya, UNIFEM manages the multidonor basket fund on governance with a resource base of nearly 8 million dollars. UNIFEM coordinates the UN gender theme group and the Gender Donor Roundtable, and actively cooperates with other UN agencies.

In order to ensure quality support to the various stakeholders in this programme and the efficient and effective delivery and implementation of its programme activities, UNIFEM seeks to recruit a country program manager for Kenya.

The CPM will need to have a clear vision and understanding of issues of gender equality and Women human rights in Kenya to be able to provide leadership and technical support on substantive issues related women participation in decision making to governments and civil Society as well to the UN system. This competencies should be coupled with proven expertise in program development, implementation and management, partnership building and resource mobilization.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Regional Program Director, East and Horn of Africa, the Country Program Manager will provide technical and program support services ensuring project delivery, high quality outputs, with accuracy and consistency of work for UNIFEM's projects in Kenya.

The Country Program Manager works in close collaboration with the UNIFEM Nairobi team in operations and program, UNIFEM HQ Africa section and thematic advisors . The Country Program Manager will also work with the Kenya UN Country Team, as required to exchange information and support program delivery.

More specifically, the Country Program Manager will be responsible for the following:

Strategic Policy Coordination and Partnerships:

• Monitor trends and issues affecting women in Kenya and develop strategic responses to opportunities and challenges including the formulation of programs, strategies and activities,
• Participate in and represent UNIFEM in various UN coordination mechanisms and activities as related to the sectors covered. Ensure coordination and harmonization of projects covered within the region and those of other development partners. Maintain relationships with UNIFEM's external partners including donors, government agencies and NGOs and represent UNIFEM in meetings as deemed appropriate by the Regional Program Director
• Provide leadership and quality oversight over the efforts to strengthen Government institutions, especially the Ministry of Gender and women affairs to effectively implement national development strategies
• Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing at the country and regional level focusing on achievements, lessons learned and methodologies utilized in project implementation. Participate in the training sessions of knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Build strong partnership with donors agencies based in Kenya to ensure synergy or efforts in line with the Paris declaration Principles

Programme Management:

• Provide technical and management support to project/program activities in the following assigned sectors: Mainstreaming gender in governance and economic management and capacity development for government and women's organizations, support to women human rights organisations for promotion and protection of women's rights in Kenya, gender justice, participation of women in reconciliation processes,
• Prepare background and project documents and briefs within the context of UNIFEM's work in Kenya and provide technical leadership in implementation on the above sectors.
• Prepare periodic internal reports, donor reports and contribute to UNIFEM's annual reports in consultation with relevant program officers. Ensure that reports are in accordance with specific requirements of donors and/or UNIFEM.
• Monitor and evaluate ongoing programs/projects for delivery and impact; Asses implementation ,analyze work- plan, prepare progress reports, draft summary reports, participate in tripartite meetings, recommend actions and solutions, analyze objectives and results, distill and write lessons learned.
• Provide close guidance and direction to ensure strategic focus, result orientation and effectiveness and efficiency in all aspects of UNIFEM's operations and programs.
• Support the Regional Program Director in resource mobilization ad reporting for donors. Identify and follow up opportunities for resource mobilization for UNIFEM's work in Kenya in consultations with UNIFEM Regional Program director. Prepare annual and donor reports on Kenya and for the project for review and approval by the Regional Program director. Support the UNIFEM Kenya program staff
• Perform other duties as required by the UNIFEM Regional Program Director.

Financial and Human Resources Management:

• Ensure effective management of resources for achieving results,
• Prepare annual budgets and work plans for approval by the regional program Director
• Review budgets and work plans, and bring any proposed changes to the attention of Regional Program Director.
• Prepare project budget revisions to ensure the efficient and timely delivery of inputs and realization of targeted expenditures.
• Ensure delivery of program resources in line with UNIFEM regulations and procedures to track project budgets and expenditures.
• Identify human resource needs, in line with the requirements of the program. Take appropriate action for recruitment of staff, in line with UNIFEM regulations
• Provide the strategic guidance to staff members
• Perform other duties that support and strengthen UNIFEM's role in Kenya

Competencies:

• Proven analytical and problem solving skills.
• Good planning, goal setting and prioritization skills.
• Ability to lead and inspire staff and partners toward shared goals
• Good inter-personal and diplomacy skills;
• Capacity to write clearly and concisely;
• Ability to take decision under pressure and to deal with matters that are politically and cultural sensitive.
• Ability to work across multi-cultural context and build partnership to ensure achievement of results in a post conflict environment.

Required Skills and Experience:

Academic Background:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences i.e. Political Science; International Development Studies; gender/women's studies; economics; or sociology.

Technical Expertise:

• Gender analysis and mainstreaming in programming and implementation, knowledge of legal and policy framework on women's right/roles and analytical skills particularly in post conflict environment and peace building.
• Substantive knowledge and experience related to current policies and practices in the fields of women's rights, gender equality programming, and mainstreaming gender in governance, economic management and capacity development nexus.
• Strong communication skills, with proven expertise in writing cogent and convincing policy and programme documents for development practitioner;
• Proven experience in advocating for women's empowerment and rights along with gender equality programming in developing countries, including in-depth knowledge of regional organizations and women's organizations working on gender, governance and human rights.

Work experience:

• At least 7 years work experience in any of the following fields: women's rights and gender equality programming in developing countries with specialized experience in Gender and Development and Program Management. At least 7 years work experience in any of the following fields: women's rights and gender equality programming in developing countries with specialized experience in Gender and Development and Program Management.
• Experience of having managed an organization in the relevant field an advantage;
• Working experience with UN joint programming frameworks and result-based management systems.

Language:

• Fluency in English. Knowledge of local language (Kiswahili) an added advantage

To Apply:

Please apply ONLINE at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=9372

Application Deadline: 09 April 2009

Terms of Employment