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.
UN Women’s Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) has recently adopted its new Strategic Note (2022-25). Our vision is to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and the full enjoyment of their human rights in the Arab States, propelling economic prosperity and sustainable development for all. Our goal is to accelerate achievements for the region's largest possible numbers of women and girls, including the most vulnerable, in the next 4 years. To accomplish this, we work with our partners and offices across 17 countries in the region to implement targeted programmes that support women’s economic empowerment, women’s leadership and participation, women, peace and security, and humanitarian issues, as well as ending violence against women.
The regional strategic planning unit works to provide strategic guidance and technical support to the RO and Country Offices (COs) to ensure high-quality strategic planning and programme documents at regional and country levels, ensuring the alignment with UN Women Strategic Plan and the corporate standard on Results Based Management (RBM). They lead the preparation of the Strategic Note and work plan of the RO in close collaboration with RO colleagues and COs in the respective region.
The UN Women Regional Office Programme Support and Management Unit (PSMU) is established to provide advisory services and direct support for project and programme development and implementation across the region. PSMU guides the region in following best practices to ensure that all projects and programmes maintain a level of standardization, planning, share knowledge, and work collectively towards UN Women' s strategic goals.
In the Arab States, UN Women has been working to End Violence Against Women (EVAW) leading and supporting the rollout of several programmes on ending violence against women in the region. Under the new strategic plan, the focus is on domestic violence and violence in the public space in line with UN Women’s triple mandate at the normative, Coordination and operational levels to ensure women and girls in the region live a life free from violence. As a regional office, ROAS ensures projects and programmes in the region are implemented in line with corporate requirements.
Reporting to the Regional Strategic Planning Specialist, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the Strategic Planning, PSMU and EVAW teams 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 RO and UN Women HQs as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information.
Scope of Work
Provide advanced administrative, logistical and coordination 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 logistical and coordination support in the development of the upcoming Strategic Note (SN) by developing a comprehensive matrix with the programming priorities of the Arab States Region, including the consolidation of a comprehensive retro-analysis document to inform the SN; Provide logistical and coordination support in the development of the upcoming Strategic Note (SN) by developing a comprehensive matrix with programming priorities for the Arab States Region including the consolidation of retro-analysis documents. Provide coordination support to the Regional Project Appraisal Committee (RPAC) Secretariat on the review of submissions; Provide coordination support to the annual management review as well as the collection of information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations; Provide research and administrative support to the synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to Strategic planning, PSMU and EVAW Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for documents, guidelines, power point presentations, briefing notes, speeches and position papers.
Provide advanced administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Units detailed above:
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; Support in the financial monitoring and analysis of the regional implementation of none core funds; 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; 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; Prepare and assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations; contribute inputs to the materials.
Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization and Partnerships strengthening:
Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within RO resource mobilization efforts; Organize, compile and process information from donors, Regional Office, and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents; Provide support in the consolidation of regional data on funding and resource mobilization including donor intelligence.
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.
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 for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
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,
