Project Officer

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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

In line with its Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UN Women programme office in Serbia works towards implementation of programmes and initiatives in the established thematic impact areas: (i) governance and participation in public life and (iii) ending violence against women and girls. In addition, UN Women is supporting activities related to impact areas (ii) women ’s economic empowerment and (iv) women, peace and security, humanitarian action and disaster risk reduction, namely, the women, peace and security agenda. UN Women is working with different national and UN partners, in the framework of several projects, some of which are ongoing and others expected to be undertaken in the forthcoming period. These include supporting capacity development and strengthening partnership with the Coordination Body for Gender Equality to effectively coordinate and promote accountability for the implementation of gender equality commitments and gender responsive governance; supporting women CSOs in the area of women's economic empowerment and the empowerment of rural women; integrating gender perspective in programming, implementation, monitoring and reporting for IPA programmes; advancing Gender Responsive Policies and Budgeting in Serbia.

UN Women will also continue to provide advisory services and coordination support to the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team in Serbia in the field of gender equality and women’s empowerment, including around joint programming, improved accountability, and partnership building.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Programme Management Specialist, the Project Officer is responsible for providing programmatic and administration support to results oriented, effective, efficient and accountable implementation of the activities and achievement of planned project results under the project and support the implementation of communication and advocacy related activities.

Key Function:

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Project implementation, design, and technical support
2. Results based monitoring and evaluation and knowledge building
3. Finance and administration
4. Communications
5. Other support

Description of Functions:

1. Project implementation, design, and technical support

• Ensure timely and adequate implementation of activities according to the projects’ activity plan and effective delivery of results;
• Prepare a detailed work plan and performance monitoring plan to implement proposed activities, and ensure links with UN Women’s commitment under UNSDCF (United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025) and UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025; 
• Design, oversee, and coordinate the implementation of relevant project activities with implementing partners;
• Maintain close communication with partners, including government, civil society organizations, international organizations, UN agencies, donors and private sector. Maintain regular contacts with beneficiaries to ensure relevance and quality of projects’ outputs;
• Provide overall supervision of the work of implementing partners and external consultants to ensure the production of the expected outputs;
• Identify capacity building needs and support partners through technical assistance, mentoring, training, cross-partner learning, and capacity development initiatives;
• Provide technical support and expert advice to implementing partners and key stakeholders on specific issues related to projects’ scopes;
• Assume responsibility for the smooth functioning of all operational activities related to project implementation;
• Hold consultations with the projects’ partners and other stakeholders in order to ensure timely information about the project implementation;
• Provide regular updates on implementation of activities and achieved results under projects;
• Organize and run effective coordination meetings and ensure communication flow among partners;
• Ensure timely implementation of assigned projects’ activities and monitor the proper use of funds according to signed agreements and work plans;
• Provide support to implementing partners to manage activities;
• Design project proposals as necessary.

2.   Results based monitoring and evaluation and knowledge building 

• Assume responsibility for monitoring and reporting, as well as for timely submission of quality progress reports and agreed-upon monitoring deliverables;
• Coordinate and provide support to the development and implementation of the monitoring plan of assigned projects;
• Regularly review planned activities, and make necessary modifications/ratifications when needed in response to any emerging circumstances;
• Draft projects progress reports and provide inputs to project related products, including updates;
• Develop knowledge products database related to gender equality, gender mainstreaming and partnerships, and disseminate internally and externally to support institutional capacity development of stakeholders.

3.   Finance and administration

• Manage the activities’ financial resources in accordance with UN Women rules and regulations;
• Manage project files and support information collection and dissemination;
• Support the procurement, travel and other logistic procedures related to the project (preparing ToR for the consultants, collecting offers, preparing travel authorization, travel claims, and related logistics).

4.   Communications   

• Support development and implementation of the communication strategy and annual communication plan that supports any programmatic results, increase visibility and impact of the projects’ advocacy activities and initiatives;
• Support development of high-quality publications and communication products, such as brochures, infographic reports and projects’ factsheet, human interest stories and maintain contacts with designers, printing companies and other suppliers. Oversee and coordinate the development and production of information products and communication materials in support to the project (donor bulletins, brochures, fact sheets, presentations, information leaflets, knowledge products, etc.);
• Support advocacy and coordination work.

5.   Other

• Report on a regular basis to Head of Office/Programme Management Specialist in order to ensure coordination, linkages, and synergies between all areas of work carried out by UN Women Programme Office in Serbia;
• Contribute to annual work planning and budgeting processes of the UN Women Programme Office in Serbia;
• Provide technical support for building partnerships and resource mobilization strategies at the country level and coordinate with the relevant stakeholders as deemed necessary;
• Identify potential programmatic areas of cooperation, based on strategic goals of UN Women, country needs and donors’ priorities and develop the relevant partnerships.
• Contribute to UN Women bi-annual monitoring, annual reporting, UNSDCF JWPs and Annual Results Report;
• Provide programmatic and technical support to UN Women in Serbia as deemed necessary. 

The key results have an impact on the design, operation, programming, monitoring and reporting of activities, progress and achievements, as well as creation of strategic partnerships and visibility of achieved results.

Competencies

CORE VALUES:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Ability to lead formulation, implementation, monitoring of development projects and activities;
• Ability to lead results-based management and reporting with a strong focus on impact;
• Ability to formulate and manage budgets;
• Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, international development partners, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts, and others in line with UN Women strategy and policies.
• Builds strong relationships with clients/stakeholders and focuses on impact and results for the clients/stakeholders and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to advocate and provide policy advice;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skill;
• Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, internet, etc.;
• Mature judgment combined with a proactive, resourceful and energetic approach to problem solving;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong organizational and time management skills;
• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesize straightforward and clear content from a range of complex background documents;
• Strong team building skills;
• Ability to handle conflict and sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. Communicates sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different constituencies; and Capacity to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines;
• Capacity to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Application:

All applications must include (as an attachment) the completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc

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, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, 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 to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)