Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives.
UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others. The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Following a strategic review process which was completed in June 2022, UNDP Pacific office structure is aligned to the emerging priorities of the office. In this regard, the programme portfolio will include mutually reinforcing work streams crafted around two clusters (i) Resilience and Climate Change; and ii) Inclusive growth and Effective governance, supported by a policy and innovation team, Operations team, Management and Oversight team that provides strategic guidance on results Management and compliance entrusted with the corporate alignment, programme finance management and quality assurance, and strategic communications team that provides knowledge management and communication support to all programme interventions.
The Management Performance and Oversight unit under the overall guidance of the RR provides effective oversight of programme and project management and ensuring the Office’s compliance with UNDP policies. The unit coordinates the implementation of the MCO Gender Strategy and Action Plan, MCO Action Plan on PSEA/SH, gender mainstreaming efforts and coordination of the gender seal work across MCO. It also provides overall guidance on Programme resource management, portfolio management, pipeline development, project Quality Assurance (QA), focusing on results and target setting, monitoring, multi-year work planning, development effectiveness, and efficiency and donor reporting (annual and project). The unit further provides cost-efficiency analysis of the country programme delivery and capabilities required, consolidates MCO gender related financial planning and financial and resource management performance and undertakes gender results monitoring and addressing issues related to management performance trends identified by RBAP Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Audits, Quality Assurance reviews, Harmonized Cash Transfer (HACT), Partner capacity Assessment Tool, Transparency portal, and other corporate and regional tools and structures
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Management Specialist, the Gender Analyst is responsible for guiding and facilitating effective integration of gender equality perspectives in the multi-country programme, projects and operations of the Multi-Country Office (MCO). The Gender Analyst will act as a coordinator and ensure that the MCO plays a proactive role with the Governments, UN agencies, multi-lateral donors and civil society partners in promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The Gender Analyst will be responsible for coordinating the office’s participation in the UNDP Gender Equality Seal certification process.
The Gender Analyst will provide guidance, technical support, and oversight for the implementation of the existing gender-focused projects and for the implementation of the gender equality commitments of Multi-Country Programme Document, in collaboration with the three clusters, i.e., (i) Resilience and Climate Change, ii) Inclusive growth, and iii) effective governance and three offices i) Fiji, ii) Federated States of Micronesia, and iii) Solomon Islands, in alignment with the Gender Equality Strategy. In coordination with Lead Human Resource Unit in Fiji, the Gender Analyst will also support MCO’s efforts to maintain respect, inclusivity, diversity, and gender equality as core values of the workplace culture. The Gender Analyst will work closely with the UNDP programme and operations teams, programme staff in other UN agencies, UNDP HQ and Regional Hub gender teams and Government officials, technical advisers and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors.
Key Duties and Accountabilities
1) Support to gender equality programming and gender integration within the office by focusing on achieving these results:
- Support MCO management, programme, operations, and project staff on the implementation of the UNDP Gender Equality Strategy and the development of gender-transformative Multi-Country Programme Document, Analysis, monitoring and reporting and capacity building.
- Monitor and support assessing political, environmental, economic, and social development trends and issues affecting gender equality and women’s equal rights in 10 MCO countries, to help inform strategic response to opportunities and challenges, in the context of the Multi-Country Programme Document and government national priorities.
- Support effective application of gender mainstreaming throughout MCO’s programme and project cycle, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, communication and advocacy, results reporting and quality assurance of results.
- Support inclusion of Gender in strategic documents and reporting.
- Propose synergies for strategic and technical partnership in the joint implementation of gender-related activities in the field with stakeholders across 10 pacific island countries.
- Support all efforts of the MCO to mainstream gender at the project level and work closely with all UNDP projects to ensure that gender is mainstreamed in programmatic and operational activities of the office.
- Ensure quality assurance of the Gender marker for projects (whether correct GEN1, 2, 3 is assigned) and facilitate projects in identifying concrete actions to improve gender mainstreaming in target results and project activities.
- Coordinate and support effective implementation of the roadmap, action plans and other strategic initiatives towards Gender Equality Seal Certification.
- Coordinate regular communication and support concrete actions in the implementation of the actions/recommendations taken on Gender initiatives.
- Monitor initiatives related to learning and engagement of staff and partners in the implementation of actions leading the office to the Gender Equality Seal Certification.
- Contribute and support the implementation of the country office action plans with specific analysis and actions assigned relevant to gender (lessons from QA reviews, audits, spot checks, evaluations, and other datasets).
- Timely provision of inputs to corporate communications and reporting requirements relating to the implementation of the Gender Equality Strategy.
- Supporting UNDP’s programming alignment with international standards and national commitments/policy frameworks across 10 Pacific Countries, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the National Women’s Policy, and the Gender Equality and Women’s Development (GEWD) Policy.
2) Support for collaboration and partnership building of UNDP with the United Nations system, Government, and other partners by focusing on achieving these results:
- In 10 Pacific countries, support identification and facilitation of strategic partnership building opportunities for gender equality.
- Ensure close follow-up for the effective implementation of a strategic partnership between UNDP, the Government and civil society organizations to promote gender equality in line with the office's commitments for Gender Equality Seal certification.
- Contribute to the strengthening of relations and collaboration in gender-related areas between the Government, UN agencies, civil society and UNDP in 10 countries.
- Coordinate support to Government on issues related to gender promotion within institutions and assist in the dentification of relevant initiatives and partners to advance the gender agenda including Public Sector Gender Equality Seal Certification.
- Support gender promotion to key partners in collaboration with other development actors and United Nations System agencies in 10 countries.
- Actively participate in the UN Gender Working Group and any other joint initiatives within the UN system aimed at promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. Actively represent UNDP in the UN Leave No one Behind group promoting gender equality.
3) Facilitate knowledge management by focusing on achieving these results:
- Ensure that lessons learned from UNDP's experiences in the field of gender are well collected and documented.
- Using UNDP-commissioned Project de-centralised Evaluations identify gaps and map best practices to inform gender integration into pipeline of projects and programme reviews across 10 countries.
- In 10 MCO countries, map national partners and stakeholders for effective gender programming by the MCO in the country specific and multi-country projects/interventions.
- Contribute to gender learning among staff and ensure that gender is taken into account as a cross-cutting theme in programmatic and operational activities.
- Organization and facilitation of training for MCO staff on gender advancement, gender equality perspectives building, and the development of gender equality culture at workplace including PSEA/SH.
- Contribution to regional initiatives, regional and global knowledge networks, peer to peer exchanges, communities of practices, and regional and intra-regional exchanges.
4) Facilitate maintaining a culture of respect, trust, equality, inclusivity and diversity in the workplaces of MCO by focusing on achieving these results:
- Support to the monitoring of MCO KPIs relating to gender equality.
- Support effective implementation of the MCO Action Plan for Prevention of sexual exploitation & abuse/ sexual harassment and ensure that UNDP relevant policies are well known by partners and UNDP vendors.
- Monitor and support follow-up of all office policies aimed at promoting a work environment conducive to the promotion of gender equality (Worklife-Balance, Gender-Sensitive Recruitment, Implementation of the UNDP Listen Survey Action Plan, etc.).
Perform other duties within the functional profile as assigned and deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the office.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Agenda 2030: People
- Gender: Gender Issues & Analysis; Gender Mainstreaming
Business Management
- Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable result
- Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
- Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
Business Direction & Strategy
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in gender studies, public policies, law, social sciences, economics, or related field is required, OR
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
- Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in designing, managing and implementing development projects and initiatives addressing gender equality and women's empowerment.
Desired Skills:
- United Nations experience on promotion of gender equality is desired
- Demonstratable experience in working and collaborating with state institutions for gender equality promotion, capacity building and gender-responsive budgeting approach is desired
- Demonstrable experience in applying gender analysis to policy development and policy review is desired.
- Working knowledge and experiences related to gender equality challenges in the Pacific.
Required Language(s)
- Fluency in English is a requirement, local language is an added advantage.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
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.
Use of AI by candidates
Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection
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