Job Description
| Department/Office: | United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan |
| Posting Title: | SENIOR GENDER AFFAIRS OFFICER, P5 |
| Job Code Title: | SENIOR GENDER AFFAIRS OFFICER |
| Duty Station: | KHARTOUM |
| Posting Period: | 05 February 2021 – 07 March 2021 |
| Job Opening Number: | 21-Political Affairs-UNITAMS-149431-R-Khartoum (M) |
| Staffing Exercise | N/A |
Org. Setting and Reporting
The position is located in the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2524 (2020) authorizing the mandate of UNITAMS which is to assist the political transition, progress towards democratic governance, in the protection and promotion of human rights, and sustainable peace; support peace processes and implementation of future peace agreements; assist peacebuilding, civilian protection and rule of law, in particular in Blue Nile and South Kordofan (the Two Areas) and Darfur; and support the mobilisation of economic and development assistance and coordination of humanitarian assistance.
The position is based in Khartoum, Sudan and is located in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. The incumbent will report to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
Responsibilities
Within the limits of delegated authority, the Senior Gender Affairs Officer will be responsible for performing the following duties:
•Provides direct advice to the SRSG, (DSRSG) and senior management on effective implementation of the women, peace and security agenda, Departmental policies on gender equality and on mainstreaming gender perspectives into the work of the Mission, including through providing analysis and guidance.
•Supports and assists senior management to meet their accountability goals on gender equality in line with the Security Council mandates on Women, Peace and Security.
•Provides advice to the entire Mission on the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Sudan particularly related to the participation of women in public office and in political and peace processes.
•Provides advice through the functions of the good offices to the transitional authorities on implementing their commitments on gender equality and Women, Peace and Security, including those contained in the Constitutional Declaration.
•Oversees the development of a mission-wide action plan to translate existing mandates and policies on the promotion of gender equality in all civilian activities.
•Establishes and oversees mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating and reporting on gender mainstreaming in mission activities.
•Coordinates and collaborates with the Mission Senior Women Protection Adviser and supports the work of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in accordance with comprehensive strategies to combat CRSV where it applies, in coordination and collaboration with any women protection capacity within the Mission.
•Contributes to all mission planning and strategic developmental processes especially inputs related to results-based budgeting and reporting.
•Ensures liaison and coordination with internal and external partners, including women’s civil society organizations, as related to gender equality and Women, Peace and Security, and co-chairs the UN Gender Task Force.
•Reports regularly to senior management and HQ on gender equality activities and Women, Peace and Security issues.
•Represents the Mission on Women, Peace and Security issues where needed.
•Performs other related work as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of and exposure to a range of gender rights issues, including approaches and techniques to address and advise on gender mainstreaming in political and dialogue processes and other highly sensitive and complex negotiations and development programmes. Knowledge of institutional mandates of women’s rights and other UN organizations, prevailing policies and procedures related to women’s rights and gender mainstreaming. Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; Is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; Is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
Building Trust: Provides an environment in which others can talk and act without fear of repercussion; Manages in a deliberate and predictable way; Operates with transparency; Has no hidden agenda; Places confidence in colleagues, staff members and clients; Gives proper credit to others; Follows through on agreed upon actions-Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately.
Judgement/ Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; Gathers relevant information before making a decision; Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; Checks assumptions against facts; Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; Makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree, (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in international relations, human rights law, social science or related humanities field. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible policy, advisory and programme management experience at the national and international levels related to the promotion of gender equality, including at least five years at the international level, particularly with international organisations in conflict or post-conflict settings, is required.
Experience in successfully integrating gender perspectives into mainstream policies or programmes is required.
Experience advising senior management is required.
Experience working in or in support of a field operation of the United Nations Common System or a comparable international organization, is required.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder programmes is required.
Experience in a conflict or post-conflict setting is desirable.
Experience managing a team is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.
Please note that due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by national authorities, selected candidates may be required to start the assignment/appointment remotely, in agreement with the hiring manager, and until further notice.
Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
