Gender Officer

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

In 2014 and 2015 respectively, UNDP in Iraq designed and initiated the Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Programme (ICRRP) and the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) – the two primary and largest Project platforms through which to support the Government of Iraq to respond to the crisis that had broken out in the country and to stabilize the areas that were formerly under the control of ISIL. Both Project platforms are anchored under the Stabilization Pillar of UNDP Iraq’s Country Programme framework. In addition to FFS and ICRRP, a new project titled Building Resilience through Employment Creation (BREP), which links ongoing stabilization support with longer-term livelihoods support was launched in 2020.

The Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Programme (ICRRP) which was set up at the end of 2014 promotes the recovery and resilience of communities vulnerable to multi-dimensional shocks associated with large-scale returns and the protracted displacement of Iraqis and Syrian refugees. ICRRP activities have been implemented in 11 Governorates in Iraq, on immediate crisis response and medium-term programming, integrating crisis management capacity building, rehabilitating basic service infrastructure, livelihood recovery and social cohesion. While initially set-up to provide immediate support to IDPs, Syrian refugees and host communities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), the increasing number of returnees to newly liberated areas (NLAs) and the protracted displacement of individuals facing security challenges or a lack of livelihoods opportunities, resulted in a geographic and strategic shift, shaped by a need for greater self-reliance amongst target communities. From 2020, ICRRP has been primarily focused on creating livelihood opportunities (both short- and long-term), for strengthened socio-economic inclusion of the target beneficiaries. ICRRP activities are implemented through Responsible Parties spanning government, civil society and private sector entities.

The Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) was set up in June 2015, with UNDP Iraq taking the Programmatic lead at the request of the Government of Iraq and the DSRSG/RC/HC to support the newly liberated areas that were freed from ISIL. FFS supports stabilization activities in Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salah al-Din. The FFS Steering Committee, which is co-chaired by the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers (CoM) and the UNDP Resident Representative (RR), provides strategic direction to the FFS. All stabilization activities are decided in agreement with the local authorities, based on priorities identified at the local level through consultations. Given the sensitive nature of stabilization and the fragile conditions prevailing in many newly liberated areas, concerns relating to human rights, protection, gender and inclusion are taken into account during the prioritization and sequencing of activities. FFS has four windows listed below.Window One: Public works and light infrastructure rehabilitation.

• Window One: Public Works and Light Infrastructure Rehabilitation;
• Window Two: Livelihoods;
• Window Three: Capacity Support; and
• Window Four: Social Cohesion.

The UNDP recognizes the importance of enhanced women leadership and participation during the stabilization. UNDP through FFS promotes equal opportunities for women and girls in all its programming. Women’s participation in every aspect of stabilization – from the planning, implementation, monitoring their progress, to reporting on results.

Despite some gains, Iraqi women and girls still have limited access to productive resources, the unequal employment practices and other gender biases are preventing women’s mobility and access to opportunities. UNDP recognizes the importance of enhancing women’s role and participation in stabilization process. It provides equal opportunities for women empowerment and gender equality.

Given the above-mentioned background and complexity for gender integration, UNDP FFS requires to recruit Gender Officer with hands-on experience to integrate gender dimensions in Stabilisation and ICRRP programme interventions under each Window in governorates of Kirkuk and Ninewah including Mosul.

Facilitate enhanced women’s participation and effective implementation of gender responsive infrastructure projects and housing rehabilitation programme

• Serves as location-based gender technical and focal point and integrate gender consideration in assessments in order to ensure women and gender-specific needs and priorities are met;
• Support in identifying and implementation of gender and women specific infrastructure projects;
• Support in engaging women in infrastructure projects as Engineers, and other technical personnel;
• Coordinate with partners and contractors in order to ensure gender needs are addressed and women’s participation in project cycle;
• Assist in finding innovative ways to promote women’s participation in a culturally and conflict sensitive manner;
• Support in vertical and horizontal linkages with FFS team, contractors and local authorities, anticipate gender specific challenges, and identify emerging needs for supporting gender integration;
• Develop strong relationships with local actors within the government and civil society, with a view to ensuring smooth implementation of FFS gender focused activities;
• Undertake troubleshooting at the political level, if and when required to resolve project-related problems at the technical / line Directorate level.

Support in fostering women’s participation and effective implementation of gender responsive livelihood activities under FFS and ICRRP programme

• Assist in developing potential livelihoods initiatives aligned with the UNDP Stabilization livelihoods strategy ensuring gender needs are met;
• Initiate innovative implementation strategies that enhance women’s participation in livelihoods activities and support to provide short-term job opportunities through Cash- for- work programme;
• In coordination with Livelihood and filed teams, execute Cash grants projects for vulnerable and women headed households and other livelihoods interventions;
• Ensure gender integration is part of the overall livelihood programme intervention and methodologies;
• Conduct regular field missions and quality control from a gender perspective and submit reports timely;
• Identify best practices and lessons learned women’s participation in livelihood interventions and document them.

Support in capacity building and partnership activities at project level to promote gender equality and women empowerment

•  Facilitate and initiate capacity building programme on gender equality and women’s empowerment including training, workshops, consultations etc;
•  Act as a focal point to build bridges between various partners and develop a coordination mechanism that allows to share information and to harmonize the work carried out by different partners on gender mainstreaming;
• Follow up with relevant teams of Windows and contractors for engaging women in their specific portfolio and governorates;
• Produce high quality gender specific reports and contributes to communications efforts for sharing lessons and best practices on gender equality under FFS and ICRRP programme;
• Assist and provide capacity support to staff, partners and contracts on gender mainstreaming, protection from any kind of sexual and gender based exploitation & discrimination.

Engage in conceptualizing and implementing a framework, which lays the foundation for women and girls to play active role in social cohesion and community reconciliation programme

• Identify issues related to women’s participation and provide solutions to overcome bottlenecks in the implementation of substantive social cohesion programme;
• Assist in developing specific activities which are tailor-made for women and ensure that gender concerns are integrated into program interventions;
• Support in successful implementation of Women programme under Social Cohesion and community reconciliation programme with a gender responsive fashion;
• Provision substantive inputs to better integrate women perspectives into assessment and prioritization;
• Assist communities and local partners to identify barriers and prepare strategies to ensure women take leading role in assessments, consultations during prioritization of their needs;
• Assist women and youth groups, forums and CSOs etc to identify capacity needs and roll out identify needs;
• Engage in the identification of partners required for implementation of the Framework, in keeping with UNDP’s Rules and Regulations;
• Following required consultations and based on the analysis, develop a Framework (within the wider stabilization Framework, reflecting strategies and interventions which must provide for the specific engagement/role of women and youth;
• Manage perceptions of the gender specific programme, presenting progress to  partners, and identifying and diplomatically correcting possible misperceptions where needed;
• Assist in preparing budget focussing on all windows activities.

Ensure effective application of Result-based Management (RBM) tools, monitoring of gender specific activities and contribute to knowledge management

• Arrange frequent field missions for monitoring of all gender related projects and prepare timely assessment reports.
• Ensure knowledge management, collection and reporting with gender disaggregated data where possible
• Compile analysis and interpretation of gender and stabilization issues and statistical data, thorough research and development of high-quality reports.
• Sound contribution to knowledge building through documentation of best practices and lessons learned on gender. Support in extracting lessons learned to support programme improvement and feed into gender strategy for courses correction
• Monitor gender related activities implemented through partners and submission of reports.
• Conduct field visits to support field staff – mentoring – through technical feedback and verify quality of work and submission of reports timely.
• Constant monitoring and analysis of the programme environment, timely readjustment of programme on gender
• Development of plans, sub plans and high-quality reports on gender
• Assist in management of the project, implementing activities by mobilizing goods and services, in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
• Demonstrats expertise in developing gender analysis and program design tools;
• Carries out results-based project management;
• Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
•  Monitors specific stages of programme implementation and knowledgment managment.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Excellent knowledge of gender mainstreaming and capacity development  and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations;
•  Excellent skills to write, analyze, synthesize the results of planning discussions, review and rewrite programmes using workflow charts, diagram and applying computer knowledge on the subject matters;
• Assist with meeting scheduling, agenda preparation and minutes;
• Excellent skills in planning, results-based management, reporting and documenetation;
• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring of development projects;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets;
• Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/attitudinal change;
• Strong IT skills, knowledge and application.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Client Orientation

• Establishing effective client relationships;
• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct and appropriate fashion;
• Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines.

Communication

• Good communication skills both oral and written, including networking and interpersonal skills;
• Proven ability to persuade and influence others to cooperate.

Partnership

• Coordinates on programmetic partnership;
• Facilitates the engagement of stakeholders or groups in participatory and transparent   decision making and sharing information.

Minimum Academic Education

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in gender, economics, social sciences or related fields;
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in gender, economics, social sciences or related fields with additional 2 years of relevant experience will be accepted in lieu of Master’s;

Minimum years of relevant Work experience

• At least 2 years of relevant experience in the design,implementation and monitoring of gender programmes focusing on livelihoods, capacity support, social cohesion and recovery projects/programmes.

Required skills and competencies

• Previous experience of working on gender is required; demonstrated expertise in developing gender analysis and program design tools
• Able to transfer technical knowledge and skills, and transform attitudes to improve gender equality and solid knowledge on result-based management and project implementation is required.
• Required good analytical and writing skills
• Required experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).

Desired additional skills and competencies

• Experience in developing and administering gender trainings, ability to communicate technical expertise and implement best practice approaches can be as asset;
• Advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, as well as experience in the handling of web-based management systems an asset;
• Working Experience in UNDP or other UN Agencies is an advantage;
• Previous experience of working with national or international development NGOs is a strong advantage.

Required Language(s) (at working level)

• Proficiency in English and Arabic is required;
• Kurdish will be an asset.

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.