Programme Associate

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.

The  UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025 guides UN Women’s work with an eye toward the 2030 deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It supports the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and contributes to the gender-responsive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The plan details how UN Women will work to catalyse urgent and sustained action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls across the four impact areas of: Ending Violence Against Women, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Governance and Participation in Public Life, and Women Peace and Security.

UN Women’s work on economic empowerment of women is guided by the Women’s Economic Empowerment strategy. Economic empowerment builds on several critical elements: i) ensure women’s equal rights and access to, ownership and control over resources (natural and productive), ii) strengthen their ability to make decisions about their own lives, and iii) alter the social, economic, and institutional contexts in which they operate. For women's economic empowerment, this requires approaches that go beyond micro-level capacity building, to focus on dismantling structural inequalities in economic systems.1 Discriminatory laws, policies and social norms persist in impeding women’s full and equal participation in the economy. Due to the prevailing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination to which women and girls are subject, they are at greater risk of rising poverty, food insecurity, violence and exclusion.

In partnership with the Government of Lebanon, UN Women has been working in Lebanon since 2015 to accelerate progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment in the areas of: women’s leadership political participation, women peace and security, women’s economic empowerment and changing discriminatory gender norms. On Women’s Economic Empowerment, UN Women Lebanon is implementing a portfolio of projects that aim to advance the economic empowerment of women in Lebanon, including Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian women, through a holistic approach that is in line with the approach outlined in the UN Women Economic Empowerment Strategy. This portfolio includes projects that focus on provision of integrated livelihood and protection services, including provision of Cash-for-Work, work skills training, leadership training, among other areas.

Reporting to the Programme Management Specialist on Women’s Economic Empowerment, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the Programme Team in the development and implementation of effective programmes consistent with UN Women rules and regulations. The Programme Associate contributes to research, financial management, and programme implementation including providing necessary operational, administrative and programmatic support. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme and projects’ staff in the Country Office and Regional Office, as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information.

1. Provide advanced administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes:

• Provide advanced administrative support and inputs in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements;
• Provide technical guidance to the country offices and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances;
• Provide inputs to reports on activities, outputs and outcomes; and compile information in preparation for Lebanon country office donor reports;
• Coordinate the collection of information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;
• Contribute to the development or update of standard operating procedures, guidelines, checklists, templates and business processes in programme and project management;
• Review programme data from projects for CO website;
• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers.

2. Provide advanced administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit:

• Create projects in Quantum system, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project;
• Monitor budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; prepare periodic reports; finalize FACE forms;
• Review financial reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects;
• Maintain internal expenditures control system; post transactions in Quantum system;
• Create requisitions in Quantum system for development projects; register good receipts in Quantum system;
• Prepare and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Quantum system.

3. Provide advanced administrative support to the Programme Unit:

• Oversee all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions;
• Oversee travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;
• Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;
• Liaise with high level officials on administrative issues;
• Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials;

4. Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization:

• Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the CO/MCO/RO resource mobilization efforts;
• Organize, compile and process information from donors and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents.

5. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance;
• Coordinate the organization of training for the office staff and partners on programme and operations related issues.

6. Support the development and implementation of the communication plans of the WEE programme

• Support the Integration of communication plans into proposals for projects/programmes and other initiatives related to the WEE program.
• Support in providing media coverage to all the WEE activities on UN Women platforms as well as on other media outlets, in close coordination with the communication team at UN Women.
• Follow up on the implementation of the WEE communication plan with the WEE partners.
• Support in developing press releases, success stories, and articles and coordinate their dissemination through effective channels in close coordination with the communication team.
• Provide support on advocacy materials and launching publications related to the WEE.
• Review translations related to publications, stories, and materials produced by the programme.
• Maintain a library/ database of reference materials and photos of the WEE program.
• Support the development of brochures, factsheets, and stories from the field to inform the media and the public.
• Lead on event management including, but not limited to, inaugurations, advocacy campaigns, and graduations.

7. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

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/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Strong knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to create, edit, synthesize and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to provide input to business process re-engineering, elaboration and implementation of new data management systems;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow;
• Excellent financial and budgeting skills;
• Excellent IT skills.

Education and Certification:

• Completion of secondary education is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences is an asset.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in administration, communication or programme management/support;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages is required;
• Experience in supporting a team is required.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable;

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

Application:

Interested individuals must submit the following document to demonstrate their qualifications. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment.

• 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;
• Any application without submitting the above-mentioned document will be a ground for disqualification.

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.)