Policy Specialist – Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls at UN Women

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide policy advice and technical support to UN Women country and regional offices and partners in the area of violence against women, and particularly in the area of prevention:

• Lead the development of tools and guidelines on EVAW for use by UN Women field offices, the UN system, and other entities;
• Identify and catalyze work in new/cutting edge areas in the area of VAW prevention and identify funding sources;
• Provide technical support, including through technical inputs and support to intergovernmental processes, to the development of new global normative and intergovernmental standards;
• Provide technical guidance and advice on programme documents, country strategies, and knowledge products;
• Provide thematic inputs and guidance to corporate strategic planning and positioning;
• Provide policy advice and technical support to UN Women field offices.

Provide capacity building support to country offices/ multi country offices in close collaboration with regional teams and external partners:

• Provide capacity building and technical advice to country offices and multi-country offices in developing and strengthening policies and programmes on EVAW and VAW prevention with impact indicators and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place;
• Manage the identification of knowledge and implementation gaps and possible solutions;
• Develop, implement and monitor capacity building initiatives;

• Identify spaces for mutual learning and sharing across offices, regions and divisions.

Research, analyze and manage knowledge on ending violence against women, particularly in the area of prevention:

• Conduct on-going research and analysis of global, regional and national trends and promising strategies related to prevention to support the development of policies and innovative programming;
• Establish global communities of practice that promote collaboration, innovation and exchange of good practices;
• Maintain, update and oversees the EVAW Global Knowledge Platform, including the Virtual Knowledge Centre, to strengthen the knowledge and evidence base on EVAW;
• Lead and coordinate the design and dissemination of the quarterly editions of the EVAW Newsletter;
• Engage in global research and multi-sectoral networks to strengthen and communicate the linkages between research findings on evidence-based programming on EVAW and EVAW policies and programmes within and outside UN Women.

Establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with stakeholders, regional/ international actors in the area of EVAW, particularly in the area of prevention:

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships for the advancement of innovative prevention strategies and programming;
• Engage actively in existing thematic and gender equality networks and cultivate new partnerships with other relevant interdisciplinary networks (e.g., academia, private sector, information, communication, technologies/innovation) to include a focus in their work on prevention of VAW;
• Identify strategic opportunities to link and strengthen EVAW programming, especially in the area of prevention, with other EVAW initiatives, thematic areas/priorities of UN Women and UN wide priorities (including but not limited to: Generation Equality Action Coalitions, the Spotlight Initiative, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, SDGs, etc.);
• Build and strengthen close relationships with relevant donors and other actors, including the private sector, supporting efforts towards EVAW and VAW prevention.

The incumbent will perform other duties within their functional profile as requested by the Supervisor and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

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

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Strong and proven knowledge of gender issues and violence against women and girls;
• Excellent networking skills;
• Ability to interact with donors, identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising;
• Ability to perform qualitative and quantitative policy research;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
• Excellent analytical skills;
• Ability to write policy papers, speeches, briefings;
• Strong knowledge of programme development, implementation, results-based management and reporting.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master degree (or equivalent) in international development, social sciences, gender/women’s studies, law, public policy or other related social science field;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in designing and managing programmes, in addition to undertaking policy advocacy, on the elimination of violence against women, especially in the area of prevention;
• Experience of working with and building partnerships with governments, donors and civil society organizations internationally and in the field;
• Experience of working in developing countries is an asset;
• Experience working with the UN is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.