Programme Specialist - Gender Coordination

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The organization was created as part of the UN reform agenda, merging resources and mandates from four previously distinct parts of the UN system that focused on gender equality and women's empowerment. UN Women operates globally, with a mission to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action, and peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security. The organization has a significant presence in various countries, including a Regional Office for East and Southern Africa (ESARO) that advances gender equality and women’s empowerment through normative support, UN system coordination, and operational activities. UN Women is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and adheres to strict policies against discrimination and misconduct.

Job Overview:
The Programme Specialist will be embedded in the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Namibia, supporting the Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team (UNCT) in integrating gender equality and women’s empowerment into the UN Cooperation Framework. This role involves providing high-quality gender analysis, policy advice, and strategic support to the RC, RCO, and UNCT. The specialist will coordinate gender analysis efforts, prepare policy briefs, and facilitate access to technical expertise from UN Women ESARO. The position aims to strengthen gender mainstreaming in the Common Country Analysis and Cooperation Framework, ensuring that gender considerations are integrated into planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting processes. The Programme Specialist will also support UNCT gender coordination and system-wide accountability, providing secretariat support to the Gender Theme Group (GTG) and promoting coherence between gender equality and other UNCT priorities. Additionally, the role involves supporting partnerships, normative engagement, and collective advocacy for gender equality in Namibia.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide high-quality gender analysis, policy advice, and strategic support to the Resident Coordinator (RC), Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), and UN Country Team (UNCT).
• Conduct timely analysis and provide advice on key gender equality and women’s empowerment issues, including the implications for UN strategic priorities in Namibia.
• Coordinate gender analysis efforts, including the preparation of Country Gender Equality Profiles/Briefs and other analytical products.
• Prepare policy briefs, talking points, and background notes to inform UNCT engagement and advocacy on gender equality.
• Support the integration of gender equality across the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and Cooperation Framework cycle, including planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Provide technical support to Results Groups and other UNCT mechanisms to mainstream gender equality in their workplans and reporting.
• Facilitate access to specialized technical expertise from UN Women ESARO and global teams.
• Provide substantive support to the Gender Theme Group (GTG), including preparation and implementation of its annual workplan and meetings.
• Support the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard reporting cycle and implementation of the resulting action plan. 1
• Promote strategic engagement with government institutions and civil society organizations on gender equality issues. 1
• Document and synthesize results and good practices from UNCT work on gender equality for reporting purposes. 1
• Undertake other gender-related coordination tasks as agreed with the RCO and UN Women ESARO.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment, with the ability to apply gender analysis to development planning and policy.
• Good understanding of UN system coordination, Common Country Analysis, and Cooperation Framework processes.
• Ability to provide practical policy and program advice to senior stakeholders and translate gender commitments into measurable results.
• Knowledge of UNCT gender accountability tools, including the UNCT-SWAP Gender Equality Scorecard and Gender Equality Marker.
• Strong analytical, drafting, facilitation, coordination, and partnership-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix arrangement across the RCO, UNCT, and UN Women regional structures.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Gender Studies, International Development, Human Rights, Public Policy, 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.

Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in gender equality/women’s empowerment, development planning, policy, program coordination, monitoring, or related work is required. Demonstrated experience in gender mainstreaming and results-based planning is essential. Experience with UN system coordination, Cooperation Framework processes, UNCT-SWAP/GEM, and partnership building with government, civil society, and UN entities is highly desirable. Familiarity with the Namibian development context is considered an asset.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a national language of Namibia is an asset, and knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.

Additional Notes:
The position is a full-time role embedded within the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Namibia. The recruitment process will adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures, including rigorous reference and background checks. Candidates are encouraged to provide any necessary accommodations to support their participation in the recruitment process. UN Women promotes diversity and inclusion and has a zero-tolerance policy on misconduct.