The Position:
A position of Project Specialist for the “Safe and Enabling Environment for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (SAFE-Girls)” project, funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is required for the Nepal Country Office based in Kathmandu. S/he will work under the overall guidance of the Country Representative and will report directly to the Deputy Representative. The Project Specialist will work closely with other key UNFPA Nepal technical, programme, and operational staff for the effective implementation of the key components of the project and in close collaboration with focal persons from KOICA, partner government/line ministries, and implementing partner organizations.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, taking the lead in delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s current strategic plan focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender- based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.
UNFPA recruits principled and ethical staff with a firm belief in and commitment to upholding human rights and gender equality, who embody UN international norms and standards, and who will defend these diplomatically and courageously.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results and who are true team workers; we recruit staff who are transparent, exceptional in how resources entrusted to us are managed, and are committed to delivering excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
The Project Specialist – “SAFE-Girls” oversees the strategic and technical outcomes of the project – gender-based violence prevention and response, adolescent and youth empowerment, and comprehensive sexuality education in Nepal. This partnership between KOICA and UNFPA Nepal will be for a period of four years and the agreement was signed in June 2024. It will provide safe spaces for young women and adolescent girls to build support networks that promote knowledge and skills. Through learning, mentoring, and peer-based discussions in physical and digital spaces, girls are equipped with the social capital to make independent decisions about their lives, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Services that provide gender-based violence response and prevention will be strengthened in the target provinces, and comprehensive sexuality education will be enhanced both at the coordination level as well as in schools with improved materials and teaching methods. The post will be responsible for overall coordination and management of the project including providing policy, programme and operational management guidance to support programme deliverables/results. S/he will manage the project team including project officers to ensure timely coordination, management and implementation of the SAFE-Girls project.
You would be responsible for:
A. Overseeing Project Implementation and Achievement of Results:
● Day-to-day management of project deliverables in coordination with relevant staff including ensuring timely delivery of activities against work plans, forward planning, financial budgeting and reporting and coordination with national and international implementing partners.
● Responsibility for project oversight and ensuring activities are designed and being implemented in accordance with the project document including ensuring the project monitoring and evaluation framework is applied consistently throughout activities and outputs.
● Liaise with the KOICA and Government of Nepal representatives and project partners’/field offices to act as the focal point for the coordination of project activities and oversight as well as plan and organize joint activities in line with the project document.
● Providing guidance to the provincial offices and supervising the preparation of work plans by the implementing partners, monitoring and evaluating progress according to the project monitoring plan, including contracts with UNFPA partners towards projected programme results; and documenting and applying lessons learned to close the gaps.
● Promoting a high standard of compliance with UNFPA rules and regulations, including financial requirements and management, provide guidance on effective implementation of the project, in compliance with requirements and due diligence processes.
● Advising implementing partners on the implementation and proper application of UNFPA policies, strategies, guidelines and tools, ensuring consistency and coherence in addressing UNFPA priorities.
● Ensuring effective implementation of the programme, overseeing the monitoring and mobilizing technical support to implementing partners and facilitating closer working relationship and collaboration between implementing partners.
B. Partnerships and Coordination:
● Building and maintaining strong networks and engagement with key government partners including the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, provincial and local governments, and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate closer cooperation and collaboration on the project including across UNFPA programming clusters.
● Overseeing the production of high quality communications products to showcase partnership including high level events and media strategies.
C. Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Knowledge Management:
● Reporting on the achievement of the project results, and proactively measuring substantive progress and the effective utilization of financial and human project resources, using timely and appropriate monitoring and measuring mechanisms and tools and captured in regular donor reports that are of high quality.
● Incorporating results from project reviews and evaluations, best practices, as well as innovative strategies, approaches and policies into the formulation of interventions in ongoing project activities.
● Manage project resources to ensure delivery is in line with approved project budgets and ensure timely delivery of the quality project and financial reporting.
● Ensuring effective knowledge management strategies are implemented by the Project team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning; addressing training needs of project personnel.
D. Management responsibilities:
● Supervising, mentoring, and coaching the team members to strengthen or further develop their capacity. This includes the implementation of UNFPA performance management system for his/her direct reports in Madhesh, Sudurpaschim, and Lumbini provinces.
● Ensuring full awareness and adherence to all organizational policies (travel, vehicle, procurement, human resources, etc).
● Liaising with the Operations Manager, the Gender Outcome Team Leader, Representative, Deputy Representative and relevant project units in the UNFPA Country Office in Kathmandu to strengthen Country Office support to field-based office and staff.
● Liaising with implementing partners for the management and mitigation of risk across the project at the Federal, Provincial and Local government levels, escalating key risks as necessary.
● Coordinating and directing expert consultants and facilitating working groups and task teams.
E. Other:
● Collaborate with team members, programme partners, and sub-grantees to ensure safe implementation of programmes at the community level applying Do No Harm approach.
● Collaborating with other Partner UN agencies and counterparts to promote UNFPA’s values and ensure projects’ visibility and explore collaboration with other relevant UN Agencies drawing on their comparative advantage to specific areas of the project.
● Facilitate project governance to ensure necessary direction and timely decision-making in order to deliver on requirements.
● Perform any other duties as required by the Representative and supervisor.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Advanced Degree in any of the following disciplines: public health, education, medical science, social science, sociology, gender, international relations, international development, economics, communications, management or another related field.
Knowledge and Experience:
● At least 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in international development including programme design, management and coordination; of which at least 5 years in the field of development of adolescent/youth for empowerment of adolescent girls and young women-centred programming in international organizations is required;
● Experience of working with international donors and specifically the KOICA development agency.
● Demonstrated experience and expertise in providing technical assistance to a wide range of stakeholders including the government at all levels and leadership in the programming areas of empowerment of adolescent and youth, sexual and reproductive health and rights, prevention and response of gender-based violence and/or harmful practices is desirable;
● 5 years solid experience in project/programme management including planning, monitoring, and reporting, and evaluation of development projects related to empowerment of adolescents and/or youth.
● Experience in conducting financial monitoring and budget management.
● Good knowledge and hands-on experience on working with government institutions at national and sub-national levels, international development organizations, private sector, CSO, and media.
● Good knowledge on rules and regulations of the UN system would be an asset. Previous experience in knowledge management, partnership building, and resource mobilization is an asset.
● Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high-quality results is required.
● Working experience in South Asia is an asset.
● Demonstrated skills in basic office software programmes are required.
Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other official UN language is desirable.
Required Competencies:
Values:
● Exemplifying integrity,
● Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
● Embracing cultural diversity,
● Embracing change
Core Competencies:
● Achieving results,
● Being accountable,
● Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
● Thinking analytically and strategically,
● Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
● Communicating for impact
Functional Competencies:
● Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda,
● Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships,
● Delivering results-based programme,
● Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
Managerial Competencies:
● Providing strategic focus,
● Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
● Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance,
● Making decisions and exercising judgment
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
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