Closing date: Monday, 19 January 2015
UN WOMEN: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY CSW, AND POLICY ADVISER, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
Advertised on behalf of : UN Women
Location : New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Application Deadline : 19-Jan-15
Type of Contract : FTA International
Post Level : P-5
Languages Required : English
Duration of Initial Contract : 1 year
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 sustainable development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
The Intergovernmental Support Division plays a central role to deliver on UN Women's normative support functions and to strengthen linkages between normative work and operational activities. It contributes to the Entity's support for the development and strengthening of a comprehensive set of global norms, policies and standards on gender equality and women's empowerment that is dynamic, responds to new and emerging issues, challenges and opportunities and is applied through action by Governments and other stakeholders at all levels. The Division also has special responsibility for the coordination of substantive servicing of intergovernmental and expert bodies as mandated in relevant legislative documents.
The Division focuses on three broad areas of work: (i) engage with and service intergovernmental bodies related to gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as relevant sectoral processes, particularly the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council; (ii) support and coordinate preparations for the Commission on the Status of Women, its smooth running and follow-up; (iii) plan, organize and support the sessions of the UN Women Executive Board.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Secretary CSW, and Policy Adviser, Intergovernmental Affairs works under the direct supervision and guidance of the Director, Intergovernmental Support Division. S/he is directly responsible for planning, organizing and effectively supporting the annual sessions of the Commission on the Status of Women, including coordination within UN-Women and UN Secretariat on substantive and technical aspects; planning and effective support for other formal and informal meetings of a normative intergovernmental nature, including for intergovernmental negotiations, and assistance in the preparation of resolutions and decisions; facilitation of the participation of civil society representatives, experts, and other stakeholders in intergovernmental bodies, as appropriate; preparation of reports and other documentation, including documentation management; engagement in dialogue with Member States; and provision of briefings and orientation to delegates.
Summary of key functions:
- Ensure the effective servicing of the Commission on the Status of Women and the General Assembly in regards to gender equality items in a timely and high quality manner and in accordance with intergovernmental procedures;
- Support other relevant normative intergovernmental bodies towards the development, strengthening and promotion of gender equality norms and standards and gender mainstreaming;
- Undertake research and analysis on gender equality, and gender perspectives in intergovernmental processes, and prepare reports thereon, including on the normative aspects of the work of UN-Women.
Ensure the effective servicing of the Commission on the Status of Women and the General Assembly in regards to gender equality items in a timely and high quality manner and in accordance with intergovernmental procedures:
- Develop and implement session-specific strategies, and plan and coordinate the provision of UN-Women's substantive support and engagement with the Commission on the Status of Women, and the General Assembly in regards to its gender equality items, across organizational units, including the preparation and conduct of annual sessions and follow-up to outcomes;
- Provide authoritative advice in regards to policy issues, programmes of work and working methods of the Commission on the Status of Women;
- Plan and support the implementation of a work programme for the Bureau of the Commission, including consultations with Member States in preparation for sessions, and provide strategic guidance and advice to the Chair and Bureau members of the Commission in their work;
- Oversee the organization of panel discussions, side events, briefings and other activities to facilitate alliance building and consensus outcomes in normative intergovernmental processes;
- Coordinate and liaise with all relevant United Nations Secretariat offices and services, including the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Management (DGACM), and UN Security, to ensure the efficient preparation and conduct of Commission sessions in accordance with rules of procedure, and established practice and working methods;
- Develop and maintain effective working partnerships with Member States, national mechanisms for gender equality, civil society organizations and entities of the United Nations system, on all matters pertaining to the work of the Commission on the Status of Women;
- Support, and identify new opportunities for, interaction between the Commission on the Status of Women and other functional commissions as well as the Economic and Social Council, in support of the Commission's catalytic gender mainstreaming function; as well as with the UN-Women Executive Board, as appropriate;
- Draft and contribute to UN-Women statements to intergovernmental bodies;
- Maintain parliamentary document forecasts to help ensure that UN-Women's mandated documentation is prepared in a timely manner.
Support other relevant intergovernmental bodies towards the development, strengthening and promotion of gender equality norms and standards and gender mainstreaming:
- Identify opportunities for and support the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment in sectoral intergovernmental processes through substantive and technical inputs that strengthen gender perspectives;
- Maintain effective interactions with Member States and mobilize their support for UN-Women's mandate and priorities through briefings for Permanent Missions, working with delegates and other relevant partners;
- Work closely with other divisions and units, including field offices, to ensure coordinated positions, support and advocacy related to intergovernmental processes and outcomes.
Undertake research and analysis on gender equality and on gender perspectives in intergovernmental processes, and prepare reports thereon, including on the normative aspects of the work of UN-Women:
- Systematize UN-Women's institutional knowledge of the global normative framework for gender equality and the empowerment of women, and its continuing development;
- Prepare, as well as oversee the preparation of assigned reports for submission to intergovernmental bodies, in particular in regard to the normative aspects of UN-Women's work;
- Contribute to the Division's representation in internal peer-review mechanisms for strategic notes, annual work plans, and other programme mechanisms to ensure that the normative intergovernmental perspectives are adequately taken into account in operational work and so as to contribute to the strengthening of the linkages between the Entity's normative and operational work;
- Contribute to the development of corporate policies, documents, and processes;
- Foster knowledge management and information flow within the division and with other organizational units;
- Undertake any other tasks as requested by the Director.
Impact of Results: The Executive Secretary CSW, and Policy Adviser, Intergovernmental Affairs impacts on the effective delivery of UN Women's normative support functions and on the development of a comprehensive set of global norms, policies and standards on gender equality and women's empowerment that is dynamic, responds to new and emerging issues, challenges and opportunities and is applied through action by Governments and other stakeholders at all levels.
