The Position:

The Specialist for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and sexual harassment (SH) is responsible for supporting the implementation of an integrated PSEA/SH approach in UNFPA.

You will contribute to strategic initiatives to strengthen UNFPA’s PSEA/SH approach and to improve coherence within the UN system. You will collaborate on identifying and implementing strategic initiatives, provide technical assistance to country offices and other stakeholders, and support with capacity and resource development across UNFPA and the Inter-agency.

You will report directly to the Global PSEAH Coordinator in the Office of the Executive Director.

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:

SEA and SH are grave violations of human rights and UNFPA is committed to eliminating all forms of such abuses by its personnel and contractors.

To this end, and in collaboration with its UN and IASC system partners, UNFPA is implementing a PSEA/SH approach through a range of coordinated actions to strengthen prevention and response, accountability, organizational and culture change, management and coordination.

You will be responsible for supporting UNFPA’s SEA/SH initiatives, including but not limited to providing capacity building, technical assistance and development and operationalization of technical standards and approaches, as well as in the development of a UNFPA PSEAH Strategy. You are expected to work with a high degree of autonomy including leading implementation of selected strategy components and activities.

You would be responsible for:

Strategy and Planning

• Contribute to the development of the UNFPA PSEAH Strategy and workplan
• Identify and support with the implementation of key strategic and global initiatives that establish and maintain UNFPA as a global thought leader on PSEAH
• Support with monitoring progress and achievements against the workplan and strategy implementation.

Technical guidance and support on UNFPA policies and procedures to address SEA and SH:

• Contribute to the implementation of UNFPA policies and procedures for tackling SEA and SH.
• Provide technical guidance to personnel, regional and country offices on standards of conduct, appropriate prevention, risk mitigation, implementing partners assessment and response strategies to advance a victim/survivor-centered approach, including through participation to field missions.

Support to UNFPA network of PSEA Focal points:

• Coordinate and monitor PSEA focal points activities and provide high-quality support to PSEA focal points to implement their terms of reference.
• Develop and conduct capacity-building activities, and promote knowledge and experience/best practices exchange among PSEA focal points.

Interagency activities

• Participate in interagency coordination, including the UN SEA working group and IASC Technical Advisory Group meetings.
• Contribute to system-wide requirements for a strengthened United Nations response to SEA and SH at global and field levels.
• Support and contribute to realizing and operationalizing any UNFPA-specific commitments to interagency and UN system wide initiatives.

Provide reporting and knowledge management support

• Design data collection tools, prepare accurate and quality analysis, statistics and progress reports in relation to SEA and SH.
• Draft briefing notes, talking points and presentations for different stakeholders including management and oversight bodies.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Law, International Development, Gender (including GBV), Sociology, Public Health, Public Administration or another related field

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 7 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the field of sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, gender based violence, staff misconduct and discipline, gender mainstreaming and/or humanitarian affairs.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills and an ability to conduct face-to face and remote learning events.
• Experience in an international organization (UN system or multilateral context) highly desirable.
• Experience working in humanitarian settings highly desirable.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French, Arabic and/or Spanish, 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:

• Global leadership and advocacy for ICPD goals
• Ensuring operational effectiveness and accountability for results
• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Delivering results-based programmes
• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness/ Evaluating the impact of UNFPA’s activities
• Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

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.

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.