Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
In June 2025, UN Women and three UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF) began implementation of a new UN Joint Programme entitled: Sustaining the Gains: Strengthening Accountability to Gender Equality and Womenโs Rights in Zimbabwe which builds on several achievements of the Zimbabwe Spotlight Initiative (2019-2023). The new UN Joint Programme will directly contribute to the implementation of Zimbabweโs High-Level Political Compact on Ending Gender-Based Violence & Harmful Practices (HLPC) (2021-2030). The programme also will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 and continue to build on the comprehensive model approach of the Zimbabwe Spotlight Initiative with a specific focus on strengthening gender equality and womenโs rights accountability systems and mechanisms.
Reporting to the Deputy Country Representative, the Programme Specialist exercises overall responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing UN Women interventions under the EVAW portfolio within the Sustaining the Gains Programme.ย The Programme Specialist Ending Violence against Women supervises and leads the staff supporting Ending Violence against Women.
The Programme Specialist works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN Women HQ staff, Government officials, multi and bilateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation under portfolio.
Scope of Work
Design and develop programme strategies in the area of Ending Violence against Women
Design and formulate programme/ project proposals and initiatives; and Draft inputs to country strategy documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to Ending Violence against WomenManage the implementation and management of the EVAW Programme within Sustaining the Gains Programme
Finalize the annual workplan and budget and manage their implementation; Manage the technical implementation of the programme/project; ensure synergies with other teams; Manage the selection of implementation of partners, oversee their activities and ensure timely submission of quality implementing partner financial and narrative reports Manage the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports. Provide guidance to personnel and partners on Results Based Management tools and performance indicators; and Organize project review and/or evaluation meetings, as needed.Manage technical assistance and capacity development to EVAW project/programme partners within the Sustaining the Gains Programme
Manage the implementation of technical advice and guidance. Develop and implement technical tools, and initiatives; Build and manage relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the Ending Violence against Women programme; respond to any potential problems; and Identify capacity building needs of partners and lead the coordination of technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives to partners.ยManage the monitoring and reporting of UN Womenโs Programme Interventions within the Sustaining the Gains Programme
Manage the monitoring of programme/ project implementation and finances using results-based management tools; Oversee field missions and review reports on monitoring missions; Write quarterly reports, focusing on results, output and outcomes; and Contribute to office donor and UN Women reports.ยManage the people and financial resources of the Ending Violence against Women
Manage the programme budget and draft financial reports; Supervise Programme and Technical Consultants, ย Mentor and guide personnel and conduct performance assessments if necessary; and Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary.Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies
Develop and implement partnerships and resource mobilization strategies; Finalize relevant documentation on donors and potential opportunities for resource mobilization; and Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing.Contribute to inter-agency Joint Technical Team for the Sustaining the Gains
Contribute to inter-agency coordination on EVAW to achieve coherence and alignment with UN Women programmes with other partners in the country Provide technical support to the Representative and Deputy Representative on inter-agency coordination related activities by attending meetings, events, and participating in groups and committees as needed; and Coordinate with other UN agencies, government departments, donors and NGOs to ensure the projectsโ capacity development programme is harmonized and aligned with other in-country efforts.Manage advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts
Develop and review background documents, briefs and presentations related to the, Ending Violence against Women Represent UN Women in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to Ending Violence against Women as necessary; Develop advocacy strategies and oversee their implementation; Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide programme improvement and strategy planning; and Develop knowledge management strategies, products and methodologies on ending violence against women.The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:ย
The incumbent leads a team of 1 personnel.
Competencies :
Core Values:
Integrity; Professionalism; Respect for Diversity.Core Competencies:
Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; Accountability; Creative Problem Solving; Effective Communication; Inclusive Collaboration; Stakeholder Engagement; Leading by Example.Please visitย this linkย for more information on UN Womenโs Values and Competencies Framework:ย
Functional Competencies:
Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills Strong knowledge of Results Based Management Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making; including knowledge of UN quantum system for project management Strong knowledge of EVAW/GBV Strong analytical skills Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising and develop strategiesMinimum Qualifications
Education and Certification:
Masterโs degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, development 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.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 is required.ย Technical experience in Ending Violence against Women/GBV is required. Experience in leading and coaching staff in international settings is required. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet is required. Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an desirable. Experience working in the UN System is desirable. Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable. Experience working in the UN System and managing EU funded projects is an asset;Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Shona is an added advantage. Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates,ย and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age,ย ability, national origin,ย or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere toย UN Womenโsย policiesย and proceduresย andย theย standardsย of conduct expected of UN Women personnelย and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
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