The Position:

Under the overall direction of the UNFPA Representative for Palestine and direct supervision of the Deputy Representative / Humanitarian Coordinator, the Head of Gaza Office will be responsible for the coordination, day-to-day operations and oversight of the substantive and technical content of the UNFPA programme and humanitarian response in Gaza. The Head of Gaza Office, leads the team in Gaza, and maintains a technical relationship with the respective technical staff at the country office in Jerusalem. The Head of Gaza Office will also work in close collaboration with other UN agencies representatives in Gaza.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The primary roles and responsibilities of the Head of Gaza Office include: coordinating and supporting the implementation of UNFPA mandate issues, in particular SRH and GBV while integrating adolescent and youth needs in Gaza, also engaging in and representing UNFPA in relevant humanitarian coordination meetings and processes in Gaza; to develop and maintain partnerships with local actors, UN system organizations, multi and bilateral international development agencies, and local communities, and ensure availability of efficient and effective operations.

You would be responsible for:

Programme and Technical Leadership

• Oversees and coordinates UNFPA’s programme and humanitarian operations in Gaza.
• Ensure inclusion of UNFPA mandate issues, in particular SRH and GBV needs for Gaza, into Humanitarian Needs Overview, Palestine Humanitarian Response Plan and other appeal processes and documents for Gaza in coordination with the GBV Sub-Cluster Coordinator for Gaza and the SRH programme colleagues.
• Continuously conducts environmental scanning and analyzes the situation to brief the UNFPA Representative, Deputy Representative and the management team on the humanitarian context, operating environment, socio-economic and political conditions across Gaza and their implications for UNFPA-supported programs and activities.
• Provides technical and substantive support to UNFPA implementing partners and state/local officials to facilitate achievement of UNFPA goals in the area.
• Develop and/or adapt contextually relevant systems to monitor UNFPA’s response, support last mile assurances to the greatest extent possible, and ensure Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP).
• Provide relevant inputs and contributions to publicize UNFPA’s work through Situational Reports, press releases, radio, articles, documentaries.
• Contributes in documenting the best practices and approaches in coordination with the M&E team and Programme Unit.

B. Partnerships:

• Represents UNFPA in the Area HCT and other UN forums in Gaza.
• Maintain and advance solid working relationships with UN sister agencies including UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, WFP, OCHA and others to facilitate coherent and well coordinated responses to address SRH and GBV needs. This includes establishing close working relationships with the Health and Protection Cluster Coordinators, as well as other cluster leads and members of the Joint Humanitarian Operations Center.
• Initiates evidence-based advocacy with relevant authorities, stakeholders and agencies and advances UNFPA’s agenda, including the inclusion of issues relating to reproductive health, youth and gender/ GBV.
• Supports continued mapping and an inventory of partners in Gaza, including national and international NGOs including Women Led Organizations (WLOs), and advises on partnerships and cooperation.
• Works closely and systematically with key UN and other international stakeholders, to take into account reproductive health, youth and gender/ GBV issues in their plans, programmes and projects.
• Coordinates with the Communication colleagues to develop communication materials and ensures visibility of UNFPA and its donors.
• Supports resource mobilization and proposal development.

C. Management:

• Coordinates UNFPA’s emergency and preparedness, response and recovery actions in-Gaza to enable the Country Office in responding swiftly to sudden-onset and protracted crisis situations
• Actively participate in Area Security Management Team (ASMT) meetings, ensure UNFPA’s safety and security concerns are adequately addressed in the security management system;
• Ensure the safety and security of personnel and their eligible dependents in Gaza in compliance with established UNSMS and UNFPA security policies and processes.

Ensure that policies and procedures are followed for UNFPA operations in Gaza.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:
Advanced degree in the medical field, social work or other social sciences, public health, community health, international relations, international law, human rights or related field;

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in social sciences and program management, experience in sexual and reproductive health, GBV/ gender issues is an asset and their application in international humanitarian settings;
• Experience in humanitarian coordination and field operations required;
• Knowledge of the humanitarian reform process and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors;
• Demonstrable knowledge of reproductive health issues and/or protection issues in humanitarian settings, and of humanitarian emergency operations and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors;
• Demonstrated leadership, facilitation, and team working skills and ability to establish harmonious working relations in an international and multicultural environment.
• Experience in program management required;

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