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. Placing women’s rights at the centre of all its efforts, UN Women leads and coordinates United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. UN Women provides strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors. 

UN Women in Bangladesh supports the government to implement commitments to international normative standards on gender equality and women’s human rights. In line with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF),  the  UN Women Bangladesh Strategy Note (2022-2027), defines UN Women’s strategic engagement in Bangladesh, has also been finalized. The country strategy focuses on strengthening the national structures and mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in policies, plans and budgets; supporting efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women; promoting women’s access to decent and safe work; promoting policies and government investment in women’s empowerment and resilience building in the context of climate change, humanitarian crisis as well as other threats to peace and security. UN Women works with a range of stakeholders in Bangladesh including the government, civil society and women’s organisations, youth, UN agencies and donors, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

UN Women in Bangladesh is supporting the Government of Bangladesh with the Rohingya humanitarian crisis response. UN Women has developed a humanitarian response programme in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to meet the specific needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized Rohingya Refugee Women and Girls and the women and girls in the host communities affected by the refugee influx in Cox’s Bazar. The objective of the programme is to ensure protection, as well as equitable and safe access to and benefit from life-saving humanitarian assistance and information to the most vulnerable, and marginalized Rohingya and host community women while assisting them to live with dignity, regain resilience and overcome restrictive gender norms. The programme promotes women’s participation and leadership in the camps and host communities, peace and social cohesion building activities, and gender-responsive policing. Under this programming portfolio, UN Women is leading a Joint Programme focused on protection, which will be launched in September 2024. UN Women is an active member of the Protection Sector and the Gender-Based Violence Sub-Sector (GBV-SS) and chairs the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Chapter for the Rohingya Refugee Response to promote gender-responsive humanitarian action across humanitarian agencies in Cox’s Bazar.  

Reporting to Programme Analyst for Gender Responsive Governance and Protection, the Programme Associate works with and provides support to the members of the Programme Team in Cox’s Bazar 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’ personnel in the Country office and UN Women Regional Office as required for resolving complex finance-related issues and exchange of information. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

1.Provide administrative and logistical support to the formulation and management of programmes:

• Provide administrative support in the preparation of programme work plans, budgets, and proposals on programme implementation arrangements; 
• Provide technical guidance to the Sub-Office and executing agencies on routine delivery and reporting of programme supported activities and finances; 
• Prepare information for the audit of programmes/ projects and support implementation of audit recommendations;   
• Review programme data from programmes/ projects for the CO website; and
• Identify sources and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, speeches and position papers. 

2.Provide administrative support to the financial management of the Programme Unit:

• Create projects in PRISM and Quantum system, prepare budget revisions, revise project awards and status; and determine unutilized funds and the operational and financial close of a project. 
• Provide administrative support in monitoring budget preparation and the finances of programmes/projects; including the finalization of FACE forms; 
• Review financial reports; prepare non-PO vouchers for development projects; 
• Process payment for consultants;  
• Maintain internal expenditures control system;  
• Create requisitions in Quantum system for development projects; register good receipts in Quantum system; and
• Assist in the preparation and follow up of cost-recovery bills in Quantum system. 

3.Provide administrative support to the Programme Unit:

• Undertake all logistical, administrative and financial arrangements for organization for meetings, workshops, events, and missions; 
• Make travel arrangements for the Programme Team, including travel requisitions and claims;   
• Prepare public information materials and briefing packets;   
• Assemble briefing materials and prepare powerpoint and other presentations.

4.Provide administrative support to Resource Mobilization:

• Prepare cost-sharing and other agreements; follow up on contributions within the Sub-Office resource mobilization efforts; and
• Organize, compile and process information from donors, Sub-Office, Country Office, and programme team, as inputs to various databases and documents. 

5.Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing:

• Provide administrative support synthesis of lessons learnt and best practices related to programme management and finance; and
• Provide administrative support to the organization of training for the office personnel and partners on programme and operations related issues

6.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:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

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 Core Values and Competencies: 

https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Good knowledge of programme management;
• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions ;
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats;
• Ability to manage data, documents, correspondence and reports information and workflow; 
• Strong financial and budgeting skills;
• Strong IT skills. 

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Completion of secondary education is required;
• Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration is desirable. 

Experience

• At least 6 years of progressively responsible experience in administration or programme management/support is required;
• Experience in working in a computer environment using multiple office software packages is required;
• Experience in supporting a team is required;
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable. 

Languages

• Fluency in English is required;
• Fluency in Bengali is required;
• Knowledge of another Chittagonion or Rohingya language is an asset.

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.