UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN (UNIFEM)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Introduction
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) provides technical and financial assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality. UNIFEM’s work is driven by a single goal: “National commitments to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment are implemented in stable and fragile states.” In support to this goal, UNIFEM works in three specific thematic areas; i) to enhance women’s economic security and rights; ii) to reduce the prevalence of violence against women and HIV/AIDS; and iii) to advance gender justice in democratic governance.

The UNIFEM programme in Timor-Leste contributes to two of UNIFEM’s thematic areas on reduction of violence against women and advancement of gender justice in democratic governance. In 2007, UNIFEM increased its technical support to government line ministries to ensure gender perspectives in sectoral policies, plans and programmes through the assistance of gender specialists/advisors to government’s national women’s machinery, the Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality (SEPI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAP). In 2008, additional gender advisors were placed at the Ministry of Education, and in 2009, at the Ministry of Health.  Plans are underway to recruit a legal and gender specialist to be based at the national women’s machinery (SEPI).  This ToR is advertising for a gender specialist to be placed the Ministry of Economy and Development and to support the preparation for the national development strategic framework.

Tasks
Under the overall guidance of the Regional Programme Director of the UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Programme Office and under the direct supervision of the Country Programme Manager (CPM) at the UNIFEM Timor-Leste Programme Office, the Gender and Development (GAD) Specialist shall provide substantive policy advice and technical support to advance gender mainstreaming at the Ministry of Economy and Development (MED) and to work with staff and consultants responsible for preparing the national development strategic framework.   

Summary of Key Functions:

• Provide substantive policy advice and technical support to the MED particularly in the areas of national development planning and rural development.
• Ensure sound coordination and create synergies within the office for the formulation of the national development strategic framework as well as with other government line ministries, Secretariats, partners and relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate institutional structures and mechanisms are in place and sustainability of initiatives are defined and understood by the Ministry of Economy and Development; and 
• Ensure relevance, accuracy and high quality of programme achievement.

Description of the Assignment
This assignment is in line with the Gender Mainstreaming strategy of the Timor-Leste Government.  The GAD Specialist will build the capacity of the MED to mainstream gender through policy advice, mentoring and coaching of MED staff in gender analysis of issues in relation to national development plans and rural development.  Furthermore, the GAD Specialist is expected to collaborate closely with the office that will be developing the national development strategic framework.

Furthermore, the GAD Specialist will collaborate closely with other GAD Specialists to contribute to strategic and programmatic development of gender mainstreaming in Timor-Leste.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Review core literature, polices and strategies in the development planning process of Timor-Leste to identify and analyse gender issues;
• Work in close collaboration with SEPI and the office responsible for the national development strategic framework and MED to define strategies to address gender concerns in the development planning process;
• Conduct a gender assessment 1 to examine MED’s  proposed development programme, outlining the areas in which gender relations affect programme results and the status of women and men in the sector; 
• Work closely with the Gender Focal Point, the Gender Working Group at MED, Directors, planning staff, advisers at MED as well as civil society to identify opportunities for prioritising and incorperating gender issues into annual action plans and strategies in rural development;
• Promote and use the Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines developed by SEPI;
• Promote the collection and use of analysis of sex-disaggregated and qualitative data on poverty in order to influence policy decisions related to the development planning process and rural development;
• Contribute to developing appropriate gender indicators to monitor MED programme’ performance, development planning,  rural development as well as the national development strategic framework;
• Guide, support and conduct training programmes to build gender knowledge and skills of stakeholders at MED to ensure gender is mainstreamed into policies, programmes and plans;
• Prepare required reports and submit as required and participate in meetings with the donor on a quarterly basis; and
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Immediate Supervisor and the Country Programme Manager (CPM) of the UNIFEM Timor-Leste Programme Office.

Expected Outputs:

• Gender analysis on the national development strategy framework,  development planning process and in rural development of Timor-Leste;
• Tools, approaches for engendering the national development strategy framework, development planning process and rural development;
• Basic gender understanding of key MED personnel to inform policy and to base programmes and project development;
• Gender-sensitive indicators in the monitoring information system of MED

Competencies

• Demonstrate commitment to UNIFEM’s mission, vision and values;
• Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Interest and willingness to share knowledge and experience;
• Ability to work as part of the team at duty station;
• Demonstrate strong policy, advocacy and communication skills;
• Demonstrate understanding of gender and gender mainstreaming, peace building and knowledge of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Security Council Resolution 1325; and
• Good analytical and training management skills.

Qualifications

• University degree in Gender and Development, economics, or relevant social science;
• 3 to 5 years demonstrated experience in conducting gender analysis and gender mainstreaming in policy development and planning in the economic sector;
• Good analytical skills particularly pertaining to the development of engendered national level policies;
• Demonstrated experience in planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and capacity building;
• Demonstrated skills in negotiation, networking, facilitation and consensus-building;
• Good written and communication skills;
• Must be a good team player;
• Experience on gender issues in a developing country or post-conflict setting;
• Fluency in English, both written and oral is a requirement; and
• Working knowledge of Portuguese, Tetum or Bahasa Indonesian is desirable.  However, the successful candidate must be interested and willing to learn Tetum.

Applications should be in English with a brief cover note that describes a clear description of the applicant’s previous experience in performing duties and responsibilities similar to those listed above and an indication of the qualifications/skills/attributes required that are met.

Please also include an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV),  UN P-11 form, financial proposal (proposed rate per day and other costs for carrying out this SSA consultancy assignment), and a list of 3 work-related referees complete with their current contact details.  Any written references you wish to provide may be attached to the application.

Please send application to: 
The Country Programme Manager
UNIFEM Timor-Leste Programme Office
UN House, Caicoli St., Dili, Timor-Leste
Tel No:  (+670) 3313294
Email: maria.isabel@unifem.org

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