Overview
The Program Specialist WPS will be responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and providing technical support to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Program interventions.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and develop programme strategies in the area of Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
- Lead the design and formulation of WPS programme strategies, proposals, and initiatives.
- Conduct and apply conflict and gender analyses.
- Ensure integration of WPS across governance, rule of law, climate security, and socio-economic development.
- Draft inputs to country strategies, policy briefs, and advocacy documents.
- Promote the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) nexus in programme design.
- Develop and implement annual workplans and budgets across the WPS portfolio.
- Oversee day-to-day programme implementation, ensuring coordination across projects and thematic areas.
- Oversee the management and monitoring of Implementing Partners (IPs) and IP Agreements, reporting, and compliance.
- Ensure application of Results-Based Management (RBM) tools and performance indicators.
- Organize and participate in Project Steering Committees, review meetings, and evaluations.
- Coordinate and work closely with the WPS project staff and focal persons at UN Agencies, Ministries, Departments and organizations.
- Provide technical advice to UN, Government and CSOs partners on Women Peace and Security.
- Prepare project financial and budget variance report and follow up on IP audit findings.
- Participate in the project review and/or evaluation meetings.
- Manage the process of monitoring the programme/ project implementation of activities and finances using results-based management tools.
- Analyze project progress against the Results and Resources Framework (RRF) and develop mechanisms to ensure that the project remains on track.
- Support the onboarding processes of Implementing Partners.
- Undertake missions to the field including project locations on a quarterly basis and follow-up on the action points.
- Ensure midterm and end term evaluations are undertaken in accordance with the Project Documents.
- Coordinate and review the inputs from the UN, Government and CSOs partners in relation to the WPS portfolio, consolidate and finalize the donor reports.
- Provide project updates and inputs to the UN Women Quarterly, Annual, and other donor reports.
- Contribute to regional and global WPS knowledge exchange.
- Develop and implement communication and advocacy messages and contribute inputs to strategies on key gender and WPS concerns.
- Support the development of policy briefs, communication materials, and advocacy tools to influence WPS-related policy processes.
- Provide support to the development and implementation of strategies of advocacy campaigns and communication activities related to WPS programme.
- Lead the coordination of stakeholders’ engagement in organizing meetings, communicating with partners and maintaining smooth flow of information within UN Women and partners.
- Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide project improvement and strategy planning.
- Develop knowledge management strategies, products (briefs, case studies, toolkits) and methodologies on WPS.
- Prepare and finalize Newsletter, web-write-up focusing on results, output and outcomes.
- Undertake needs assessment and implement and oversee capacity building on Women Peace and Security.
- Capture and disseminate lessons learned and best practices to strengthen the WPS knowledge base.
- Strengthen women’s specifically CSOs participation in Local peacebuilding processes, Community-level decision-making, and Conflict prevention mechanisms.
- Foster engagement with local governance and community structures.
- Identify and lead the development of new programming and partnership opportunities that advance women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding and governance.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of partnerships and resource mobilization strategies.
- Foster strategic relationships with parliamentarians, members of the local councils, community elders, and national authorities to advance WPS priorities and promote women’s participation in decision-making.
- Finalize relevant documentation on donor proposals and develop potential opportunities for resource mobilization.
- Analyze and research information on donors, finalize substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing.
- Strengthen coordination on WPS through UN inter-agency mechanisms, National coordination platforms, Thematic working groups.
- Represent the organization in high-level meetings, policy dialogues, and forums on WPS in consultation with the Country Representative.
- Develop and implement advocacy and communication strategies to promote WPS priorities.
- Facilitate stakeholder consultations, including women leaders, youth, and marginalized groups.
- Promote linkages between WPS and Governance and rule of law, Climate and environmental security and Economic empowerment.
- Apply conflict-sensitive and gender-responsive approaches.
- Ensure inclusion of youth, rural women, and marginalized groups.
- Promote localization of the WPS agenda.
- Uphold UN standards on ethics, safeguarding, and accountability.
- Perform other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary.
Required Experience
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
- Technical experience in Women Peace and Security in post conflict setting is required.
- Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an asset.
- Experience working in the UN System is an asset.
- Experience in leading/managing a team is an asset.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, or a related field is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- A project/programme management certification would be an added advantage.
