at United Nations

Job Description

Reporting to the Policy Advisor – Women’s Economic Empowerment within the ESARO office and working closely with the WEE Analyst/Team Lead at the Kenya Country Office, the National consultant is responsible for implementing the programme “Engendering Fiscal Stimulus Packages and Recovery Efforts” which includes coordinating relationships with national partners and stakeholders, monitoring and reporting, and managing the finances. He/she will work under the overall guidance and support of the Regional Programme Coordinator, Gender and Economics in the Regional Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment:

1. Conduct a gender-responsive assessment of the fiscal and economic stimulus package adopted in response to COVID-19 in Kenya;
2. Coordinate the advocacy campaign through engagement with decision-makers, CSO, academia and social media work on the gender-responsive implementation of COVID-19 fiscal stimulus and social protection packages;
3. Coordinate the establishment of a reference team that will provide technical backstopping and oversight.

Management of Kenya based Project:

1. Act as a focal point for the program “Engendering Fiscal Stimulus Packages and Recovery Efforts Adopted in response to the COVID-19 Health and Economic crises” in Kenya;
2. In collaboration with Regional Program Coordinator and other national focal points, contribute to the development of a workplan to operationalize the project;
3. Lead the implementation of work plan activities in Kenya; 
4. Monitor the project progress in Kenya according to the work plan and draft Kenya focused inputs to regional monitoring and donor reports;
5. Coordinate the exchange of information and provide inputs to the development of knowledge products internally and externally of the programme;
6. Design and implement country advocacy strategy to influence agenda of key national institutions to engender fiscal stimulus packages;
7. Establish a reference group of eminent professionals that will provide technical backstopping to the process.

Technical assistance and advice on engendering fiscal stimulus packages:

1. Apply and implement the applied policy guidance tool developed by UN Women to undertake an assessment of fiscal stimulus packages implemented at the country level from a gender perspective;
2. To provide ongoing technical assistance and support to Government counterparts in Kenya in implementing those strategies including, conducting gender analysis of fiscal stimulus packages, organizing events to discuss and disseminate results and recommendations, support different stakeholders in the implementation of policy dialogues and advocacy strategies to promote recommendations to engender fiscal stimulus packages, and other technical support and advice as needed;
3. To design, under the oversight of the regional, strategies to integrate gender in Kenya national fiscal stimulus package and recovery policies;
4. To foster partnership and ongoing liaison with women-owned businesses in Kenya and facilitate dialogue and consultations between women-owned businesses and government counterparts;
5. Provide technical assistance and support to Government counterparts in the process of piloting, implementing and adapting existing Gender responsive budgeting initiatives to integrate gender priorities in post-COVID19 recovery strategies.

Capacity Building Initiatives for partners and other stakeholders:

Support the Regional Programme Coordinator in adapting existing tools and developing new ones to support Governments in analysing gender impact of stimulus packages and integrating gender priorities in economic recovery plans in Kenya;
Facilitate tailored capacity-building sessions for leaders of women’s networks to facilitate their advocacy and monitoring interventions aimed at enhancing gender-responsiveness of stimulus packages;
Design and deliver, in collaboration with the Programme Coordinator, capacity building activities for UN Women’s Kenya CO staff, Government and other key national stakeholders to enhance capacity to engender economic policies;
Support the Regional Programme Coordinator in the delivery of one regional capacity building event for UN Women staff and Government counterparts on key economic reforms to integrate women’s needs in post-COVID19 recovery in 2021.

Deliverables:

1. Inception report detailing work plan and proposed approach to implementation of the project;
2. Monthly monitoring reports on different project activities and results;
3. Deliverables linked to specific project activities including national advocacy strategies, implementation of the policy guidance tool, concept notes, power point presentations, training modules, and other as necessary to support development of capacity building and policy dialogue activities;
4. Delivery of training and capacity building activities;
5. Final project report.

Competencies

Core Values:

1. Respect for Diversity;
2. Integrity;
3. Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

1. Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
2. Accountability;
3. Creative Problem Solving;
4. Effective Communication;
5. Inclusive Collaboration;
6. Stakeholder Engagement;
7. Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies:

1. Good understanding of national context including the development plans; social protection mechanism and the gender equality situation;
2. Strong analytical skills on gender and economic policy and women’s economic empowerment;
3. Strong communications skills in spoken and written English;
4. Strong drafting skills and ability to produce a variety of knowledge products for different audiences and purposes;
5. Ability to produce impactful communications materials and knowledge products;
6. Strong commitment to knowledge-sharing within a multicultural environment;
7. Ability to design and deliver training and other capacity building strategies in the area of gender and economics to a variety of audiences;
8. Basic project management skill.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

1. Master’s degree or equivalent in development economics, feminist economics or any other relevant field of economics or public policy.

Experience

1. At least 5 years of experience and record of accomplishment promoting economic policy reform in the area of development economics, gender and economics, poverty reduction, social protection or women’s economic empowerment policies in the context of Kenya;
2. Proven experience with economic policy analysis and mastery of quantitative and qualitative analysis and methods;
3. Experience working in other countries in East and Southern Africa is an asset;
4. Experience working in the UN System is an asset.

Language requirements

1. Fluency in English;
2. Knowledge of Kiswahili is an asset.