Un Women : Programme Manager, Gender Partnerships And Institutional Support, Npsa11, Ghana, Accra

Job Description
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.
Aligned with the UN General Assembly's Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) and repositioning resolutions, the UN in Ghana is committed to a transformed, coherent, and impactful development system to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Gender equality and women's empowerment are central to this ambition as both a fundamental right and a catalytic multiplier for sustainable development.
Following a strategic scoping mission and subsequent national deployment, UN Women and the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO) in Ghana have identified critical pathways for advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE). These include strengthening women's leadership and political participation, accelerating women's economic empowerment, implementing strategies to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, as well as ensuring robust gender mainstreaming within the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).
To consolidate nascent partnerships, secure essential resources, and provide high-level institutional support to both national counterparts and the UN Country Team (UNCT), a seasoned expert is required. This consultancy will act as a strategic linchpin, ensuring momentum is sustained and transformed into concrete programs and systemic change.
Reporting to the Resident Coordinator and UN Women Country Representative, the Programme Manager, Gender Partnerships and Institutional Support exercises overall responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing UN Women interventions under the Gender Equality portfolio in Ghana. The Expert works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN Women HQ personnel, Government officials, multi and bilateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation.
Scope of Work :
The Senior Gender Partnerships and Institutional Support Expert will provide strategic advisory, partnership development, inter-agency coordination and programme facilitation services to advance Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) priorities in Ghana. The Expert will operate under a dual supervision structure (Resident Coordinator / UN Women Country Representative) and will execute the following core functions:
Provide programme development advisory services and strategic institutional support in the area of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE)

• Serve as a senior advisor to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and UNCT, providing technical guidance to integrate GEWE throughout the UNSDCF cycle — from strategic prioritization and joint programming to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting;
• Provide expert technical and coordination support to the Government of Ghana on priority initiatives, including the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act, gender-responsive design of the 24-Hour Economy initiative, and the activation of the Ministry of Finance's policy on Women in Procurement;
• Oversee and manage the design and formulation of programme proposals and initiatives; identify programmatic areas for support and interventions within the GEWE thematic area;
• Finalize country strategy documents, programme/project proposals, briefs, policy dialogue documents and other documents related to GEWE;
• Facilitate high-level advocacy engagements, including supporting the President of Ghana's role as a Global HeForShe Champion and preparing government delegations for key fora (e.g., AU Summit, CSW); and
• Organize periodic consultations with key stakeholders, women leaders, human rights experts and UN partners to gather inputs on programme design, as necessary.
• Manage the implementation and management of the GEWE programme
• Finalize the annual workplan and budget and manage their implementation;
• Provide programme management oversight to the Ghana-component of the Ford Foundation Community-Led Advocacy and Digital Spaces for the Safety of Women and Girls in West Africa programme, in collaboration with the Regional Office;
• Provide programme advisory support to the Office Management within the GEWE portfolio;
• Manage the technical implementation of the programme/project; provide technical advice; ensure synergies with other teams;
• Review the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports as required;
• Provide guidance to personnel and partners on Results Based Management tools and performance indicators; and
• Lead Project Steering Committee, project review and/or evaluation meetings.
• Oversee technical assistance and capacity development to project/programme partners
• Provide technical advice to partners; oversee the provision of technical guidance by the team;
• Build, manage, and expand relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the GEWE programme; respond to any potential problems;
• Serve as an expert resource to partners on GEWE, gender mainstreaming frameworks, women's economic empowerment, and political participation;
• Implement and oversee capacity building opportunities and initiatives; and
• Provide partners with advanced technical assistance, training and capacity development initiatives.
• Manage the monitoring and reporting of the programme/project
• Manage the process of monitoring the programme/project implementation of activities and finances using results based management tools;
• Coordinate and lead the UNCT's gender accountability architecture, including the implementation of the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard Action Plan and application of the Gender Equality Marker;
• Finalize quarterly reports and donor reports, focusing on results, output and outcomes; and
• Write office donor and UN Women reports.
  

Manage the financial resources of the GEWE programme

• Manage the programme budget and finalize financial reports;
• Facilitate the development, oversight, and monitoring of joint UN programmes on gender equality (e.g., with UNOSSC on the Green Economy, programmes on Affirmative Action and 24-Hour Economy); and
• Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary.
  

Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies

• Lead and coordinate resource mobilization strategies for the Ghana GEWE portfolio, including finalizing and securing funding for the Spotlight Initiative and other joint programmes;
• Cultivate, broker, and strengthen strategic partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donors, the private sector (for the Women's Empowerment Principles), UN agencies, and civil society to leverage expertise and funding;
• Act as a key liaison between the RCO, UN Women WCARO, and national stakeholders to align partnership efforts with both UNCT and UN Women-specific strategic goals;
• Finalize relevant documentation on donors and develop potential opportunities for resource mobilization; and
• Analyze and research information on donors, finalize substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing.
  

Manage inter-agency coordination to achieve a coherent and aligned presence for GEWE in Ghana

• Provide substantive technical support to the Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team on inter-agency coordination related activities by attending meetings, events, and participating in groups and committees;
• Coordinate with other UN agencies, government departments, donors and NGOs to ensure the projects' capacity development programme is harmonized and aligned with other in-country efforts;
• Provide technical secretariat support to the UN Gender Team (UNGT) and ensure coherent planning and observance of UN gender-related commemorative days;
• Take part in country level Common Country Assessment (CCA) / United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) processes and similar exercises related to the RC system; and
• Prepare substantive inputs to CCA/UNSDCF and other documents, as necessary.
• Lead advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts
• Represent UN Women in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to GEWE;
• Support the analysis and engagement of women's Civil Society Organizations to ensure the UNSDCF reflects diverse women's priorities;
• Provide catalytic support for emerging opportunities, such as women's participation in the AfCFTA Women in Trade Protocol process and climate resilience for rural women farmers;
• Manage advocacy strategies and their implementation;
• Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide programme improvement and strategy planning; and
• Lead the development of knowledge management strategies, methodologies and products on GEWE.
  

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

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.
  

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 Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:

• Excellent programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills;
• Ability to develop detailed operational plans, budgets, and deliver on them;
• Excellent knowledge of Results Based Management;
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making;
• Strategic Vision & Leadership: Ability to develop a strategic vision for GEWE and catalyze collective action;
• Political Acumen & Diplomacy: Exemplary skills in high-level representation, negotiation, and consensus-building;
• Partnership Brokerage: Proven ability to identify, cultivate, and manage strategic alliances across diverse sectors;
• Technical Expertise: Authoritative knowledge of gender mainstreaming frameworks, women's economic empowerment, and political participation;
• Coordination & Facilitation: Strong ability to work effectively in a dual-reporting matrix and drive coherent inter-agency collaboration;
• Ability to lead formulation of strategies and their implementation;
• Strong networking skills; and
• Ability to negotiate and interact with donors, identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising.
  

Education and Certification:

• Master's degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, International Development, Public Policy, Law, Social Sciences, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A project/programme management certification (such as PMP®, PRINCE2®, or MSP®) would be an added advantage.
  

Experience :

• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in gender equality, strategic policy advisory, and multi-stakeholder partnership building at national and international levels is required.
• Proven expertise in providing high-level institutional support to government entities and within the UN development system, including familiarity with UNSDCF processes and UN coordination mechanisms, is required.
• Technical experience in Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) is required.
• Demonstrable track record in resource mobilization, programme design, and joint advocacy initiatives is required.
• Experience leading and guiding personnel in an international setting is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages; experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• In-depth knowledge of the Ghanaian development and gender landscape is essential.
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is desirable.
• Previous experience in a senior advisory role within the UN system, a government, or an international organization is highly desirable.
• Experience working in the UN System is desirable.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.
  

Languages :

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).
  

Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
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.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.
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