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.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a human rights violation that occurs in both public and private spaces, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, and trafficking. It is rooted in unequal power relations and driven by gendered social, economic, and political inequities.

VAWG remains widespread in Malawi. One-third of women experience physical violence, one-fifth face sexual violence, and 42% of women aged 20–24 were married before the age of 18. Limited access to essential services—such as healthcare, justice, and social support—hinders survivors’ protection and recovery. Harmful social norms, cultural practices, illiteracy, and poverty further exacerbate vulnerability.

VAWG in Malawi is perpetuated by harmful social norms, including gender inequality, child marriage, and societal tolerance of violence. Economic dependence, driven by poverty, financial insecurity, and unequal distribution of unpaid care work, further limits women’s ability to escape abusive situations. Survivors often face limited access to services, including healthcare, legal aid, and social support, while weak law enforcement and institutional gaps hinder justice and accountability. Political and policy challenges, such as inconsistent implementation of gender policies and inadequate funding, also contribute to the persistence of violence. Emerging global crises, including climate change, disasters, and economic downturns, increase women’s vulnerability to violence.

In response, UN Women addresses these challenges through four interrelated approaches: i) strengthening policies, institutions, and systems to protect women and girls; ii) enhancing prevention and response mechanisms to ensure effective support and accountability iii) Transforming discriminatory social norms to promote gender equality. iv) supporting the women’s movements, to advancing accountability and driving progress toward ending violence against women and girls.

Reporting to Head of Programmes, the Programme Specialist exercises overall responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing UN Women interventions under their portfolio.  The Programme Specialist for EVAW supervises and leads the EVAW staff.

The Programme Specialist works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN Women HQ staff, Government officials, multi and bilateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UN Women programme implementation under portfolio

1. Design and develop programme strategies in the area of EVAWG  

• Design and formulate programme/ project proposals and initiatives; and
• Draft inputs to country strategy documents, briefs, policy dialogue and other documents related to EVAW.

2. Manage the implementation and management of the EVAWG programme

• Finalize the annual workplan and budget and manage their implementation;
• Manage the technical implementation of the programme/project; ensure synergies with other teams;
• Manage the submission of implementing partner financial and narrative reports;
• Provide guidance to personnel and partners on Results Based Management tools and performance indicators; 
• Organize Project Steering Committee, project review and/or evaluation meetings, as needed.

3. Manage technical assistance and capacity development to project/programme partners

• Manage the implementation of technical advice and guidance. Develop and implement technical tools, and initiatives;
• Build and manage relationships with national partners to support implementation and expansion of the EVAW programme; respond to any potential problems; and
• Identify capacity building needs of partners and lead the coordination of technical assistance, mentoring, training and capacity development initiatives to partners. 

4. Manage the monitoring and reporting of the programme project

• Manage the monitoring of programme/ project implementation and finances using results-based management tools;
• Oversee field missions and review reports on monitoring missions;
• Write quarterly reports and donor reports, focusing on results, output and outcomes; and
• Contribute to office donor and UN Women reports. 

5. Manage the people and financial resources of the EVAW programme

• Manage the programme budget and draft financial reports;
• Supervise Programme Analysts and Technical Specialists; Mentor and guide personnel and conduct performance assessments; 
• Oversee recruitment processes, as necessary.

6. Build partnerships and support in developing resource mobilization strategies

• Develop and implement partnerships and resource mobilization strategies;
• Finalize relevant documentation on donors and potential opportunities for resource mobilization; and
• Analyze and research information on donors, prepare substantive briefs on possible areas of cooperation, identification of opportunities for cost sharing.

7. Contribute to inter-agency coordination on EVAW to achieve coherence and alignment of UN Women programmes with other partners in the country 

• Provide technical support to the Representative and Deputy Representative on inter-agency coordination related activities by attending meetings, events, and participating in groups and committees as needed; and
• 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.

8. Manage advocacy, knowledge building and communication efforts

• Develop and review background documents, briefs and presentations related to the EVAW
• Represent UN Women in meetings and policy dialogues on issues related to EVAW as necessary;
• Develop advocacy strategies and oversee their implementation;
• Identify best practices and lessons learned to guide programme improvement and strategy planning; and
• Develop knowledge management strategies, products and methodologies on [thematic area].

9. 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:

• Strong programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Strong knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports to inform management and strategic decision-making
• Strong knowledge of EVAW
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to identify and analyze trends, opportunities and threats to fundraising and develop strategies

Minimum Qualifications 

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in social sciences, human rights, gender/women's studies, international development, 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 would be an added advantage.

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible work experience at the national or international level in design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects is required. 
• Technical experience in EVAW is required.
• Experience leading and coaching staff in international settings 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.
• Experience coordinating and liaising with government agencies and/or donors is an 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.
• Fluency in Chichewa is required.

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.