International Consultant: GBViE Technical Specialist (remote based)

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

UNFPA’s new Ukraine Country Programme Document (CPD) 2025-2029 will build upon its existing success, including results achieved to date with BHA’s support, where it can leverage its comparative advantage to build human capital through localized capacity investments in GBV and SRH rights. UNFPA will continue to build on its humanitarian response, anchored in national and local systems and capacities strengthening, to facilitate coherence and complementarity between life-saving interventions and development activities. A range of initiatives, including male-engagement and gender-transformative projects, will facilitate and strengthen social cohesion, community recovery and, ultimately, sustainable peace. The programme is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) in Ukraine, and with the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025.

UNFPA Ukraine is also Cluster lead agency (CLA) for the GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) under the Protection Cluster.  The IASC mandate for UNFPA to lead GBV in humanitarian settings directly contributes to accelerating progress towards the three zeros of the UNFPA Strategic Plan, specifically ending GBV.

The country programme also puts a strong emphasis on a nexus approach in analysis, planning and coordination of implementation. UNFPA Ukraine Country Programme applies a robust approach that establishes a strong value proposition between humanitarian and recovery efforts.  UNFPA has expanded its operational and programming presence in Ukraine, as part of its preparedness and to effectively respond to the evolving situation and needs on the ground. UNFPA’s agile operational footprint throughout the country ensures adaptability to evolving needs and circumstances locally, regionally, and nationally - and enables UNFPA to be meaningfully engaged as a central player in the humanitarian response.

With the need to operationalize the new CPD, along with the anticipated programme adjustments in a comprehensive approach addressing humanitarian needs and promoting sustainable solutions, as well as strengthening linkages within GBV AoR coordination and UNFPA’s GBV/GBViE programmes, the UNFPA Ukraine Country Office is looking for a consultant to support with the transition of GBViE/ GBV AoR to core GBV programme. 
 

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Under the direct supervision of the GBV Program and Coordination Advisor, under the overall leadership of the Country Representative, Deputy Representative,  as well as in close collaboration with the Assistant Representative and GBV Programme Manager, the GBViE Technical Specialist will:  

• Transition Strategy: Lead the transition of GBViE/ GBV AoR functions to a core GBV program by creating synergies with the GBV program and ensuring alignment with humanitarian and recovery efforts.
• Technical Oversight: Provide strategic direction on integrating humanitarian and development approaches, including program exit strategies and nexus integration. Support with strategies to foster integration and coherence across different GBV interventions, including SRH, to address program silos.
• Program Management: i) Oversee the USAID BHA program, ensuring timely donor coordination, financial management, and reporting. ii) Manage the information flow between the CO and HQ RMB on all aspects of  the fund management. iii) Manage the relationship and daily interaction with the BHA DART. 
• Research and Advocacy Coordination: Lead the coordination of the "Voices from Ukraine" research pilot and prepare for the national roll-out in 2025.
  Coordination and Sustainability: Contribute to the coordination efforts between UNFPA and other UN agencies (UNHCR, UNICEF, OHCHR, WFP, IOM, FAO),  as well as local actors and international agencies. 
• Team Coordination: Facilitate monthly coordination meetings between program and field teams, ensuring follow-up on action points. Provide technical advice and support to GBV focus areas in the field.
• Knowledge Management: Manage knowledge-sharing activities, developing learning documents and best practices related to GBViE. Support with strengthening data generation to ensure informed decision-making and program improvements.
• Technical Guidance: i) Provide expertise on GBV best practices, ethical data sharing, and UNFPA GBV/GBViE guidelines and SOPs. ii) Support with the PSEA and AAP Integration into the GBV programme, closely working with the GBV field team.
• GBV Programming Support and Capacity building (internal and external) :  i) Provide technical support for GBV case management, including the integration of GBV and sexual reproductive health services. ii) Undertake concrete steps for the capacity building of the CO staff on GBViE key concepts and SOPs. iii) Support with the capacity building of IPs as part of localization efforts to ensure sustainability by building local ownership of GBV and SRH programs.
• Fundraising and Resource Mobilization: Contribute to fundraising efforts through proposal development, humanitarian snapshots, and external communication.
• Field Missions: Plan and undertake missions to field offices to enhance coordination and coherence. Mission objectives could include but are not limited  to i) Service Delivery Assessments: review GBV and SRH services in Odesa and Dnipro; ii) Capacity-Building: offer hands-on technical support to local teams; iii) Stakeholder Engagement: strengthen collaboration with government agencies, UN partners, and NGOs; iv) Monitoring & Evaluation: Assess program implementation; v) PSEA and AAP Integration: Ensure these frameworks are embedded in GBV activities.

Deliverables
 

• Reports: Submitted monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual reports to USAID BHA, documented program progress and financial updates, coordination meetings with crosscutting teams. 
• Coordination results: Terms of Reference (ToR) for monthly coordination meetings developed,  communication flow established and follow-up actions ensured, documented in minutes and recommendations. 
• Knowledge Products: Learning documents, success stories developed and circulated, learning sessions carried out based on emerging needs and program findings.
  UN to UN Cooperation: Evidence on enhanced collaboration among sister agencies, including but not limited to the contributions to ongoing MoU and joint project plans.
• Research Roll-Out: The successful pilot  is launched and national implementation of the "Voices from Ukraine" research initiative is rolled out.
• Mission reports and recommendations: Detailed mission reports with follow-up actions are prepared and circulated with relevant stakeholders.
• Capacity building initiatives: Evidence of capacity building sessions undertaken with the staff members, based on the initial assessment of their needs. 
   

Qualifications and Experience: 

At least 7 years of experience working on gender-based violence, preferably in the UN system or INGO,
Proven management, coordination and of programme development skills,
Track record of building strategic alliances and partnerships, strong communication and networking skills; strong organizational skills,
Appropriate and transparent decision-making abilities,
Awareness and demonstrable knowledge of how GBV manifests in humanitarian settings and ability to describe context-specific prevention and response actions.
Demonstrable knowledge of humanitarian emergency operations, including the Atlas and Quantum System, and roles/responsibilities of key humanitarian actors.
Knowledge of the Ukrainian context is an advantage
Proactive attitude to identify and propose practical steps and recommendations
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a multicultural and changing environment, communication skills, teamwork, analytic thinking, planning
 

Languages: 

English, knowledge of other UN language is an asset

Duration and working schedule:
The consultant will be hired full-time between 03 October 2024, and September 02 2025, for a total of 11 months. 

Place where services are to be delivered:
The consultancy will be home based, with missions to the Ukraine. Remuneration will be based on the submission of a monthly report.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
The monthly report will detail all consultant contributions, including references to the deliverables highlighted above.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
Regular communication with the UNFPA Ukraine CO Country Representative, Deputy Representative and  Assistant Representative, will be maintained throughout the contract duration primarily through electronic means (emails and calls)  and as part of the missions, to discuss and report progress against objectives.
 

Supervisory arrangements: 
GBV Program and Coordination Advisor, UNFPA Ukraine CO

Expected travel:
Up to 6 missions to the UNFPA Country Office in Kyiv, and into the hubs might be planned. Approximate duration of each mission: 7-10 days, based on the agreed need.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.