Job Description

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The Position:
The Programme Specialist, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) is a member of the UNPFA South Africa Country Office and in particular the programmes team. S/he provides strategic technical and programme leadership for UNFPA South Africa's portfolio on ending GBV and harmful practices. S/he is responsible for ensuring the design, management, and implementation of high-impact GBVF programmes, coordinating with national counterparts, and fostering strategic partnerships to accelerate the achievement of the UNFPA transformative result of ending gender-based violence and harmful practices in line with the national strategic plan on GBV.
S/he will work under the overall guidance of the Representative and will be directly supervised by the Assistant Representative.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 serves as a final push to achieve the goals of ICPD by 2030. It aims to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, placing the rights and choices of women, adolescents, and marginalized populations at the center of sustainable development. The plan focuses on four key, interconnected outcomes: accelerating progress on ending unmet need for family planning, preventing maternal deaths, eliminating gender-based violence and harmful practices, and adapting to demographic change through evidence-based policies.
The transformational journey mapped out in the Strategic Plan leads to 2030 and the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Emerging trends inform the plan, new and expanded priorities add to longstanding commitments, and "how we work" is changing. To address global challenges and protect past gains, the plan strengthens UNFPA's leadership and operational capacity, particularly in fragile settings. It emphasizes working with partners through country-led strategies, sustainable financing, and evidence-based advocacy. In South Africa, UNFPA's work has transitioned from fund management to an engagement and solution center.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
Under the supervision of the Assistant Representative the Programme Specialist serves as a strategic advisor and catalyst in the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV) and other harmful practices including femicide, leveraging UNFPA's role as an engagement and solution center. The position is designed to curate and facilitate knowledge, innovation, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to strengthen South Africa's national ecosystem against GBV and harmful practices. By providing high-level technical thought leadership and advocating for evidence-based policies, the incumbent will co-create sustainable solutions with government, civil society, and the private sector to accelerate the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on GBV and other harmful practices, moving beyond direct service delivery to enable systemic, nation-wide impact.
Responsibilities:
The Programme Specialist, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) will be responsible for:
A. Policy and Technical Support

• Policy Analysis and Advocacy: Serve as the Country Office's lead technical expert on GBVF. Analyse the national political, social, and economic environment, and relevant policies (e.g., National Strategic Plan on GBVF) to identify strategic areas for UNFPA assistance and intervention.
• Technical Guidance and Quality Assurance: Provide high-quality technical advice and capacity development support to government counterparts, implementing partners, and the UN system on evidence-based GBV prevention strategies, multi-sectoral response services (health, psychosocial, justice, and safety), and the application of global GBV guidelines, including the GBV Guiding Principles and the Survivor-Centred Approach.
• Knowledge Management: Lead the systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of evidence, best practices, and lessons learned from GBVF programming to inform policy dialogue, advocacy materials, and future programme design.
• Mainstreaming: Ensure the integration of GBVF and gender-transformative approaches across all other Country Programme components, including Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and youth development.

B. Programme and Resources Management

• Programme Oversight: Oversee the effective planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all UNFPA-supported GBVF programmes, ensuring the achievement of results as outlined in annual work plans and donor agreements.
• Financial Management: Monitor programme budgets, disbursements, and expenditures, ensuring that all financial transactions and reporting adhere to UNFPA rules, regulations, and financial management procedures and deliver value for money.
• Results Reporting: Lead the preparation of high-quality, results-based progress and annual reports for the Country Office, donors, and other stakeholders, providing substantive analysis of programme achievements, challenges, and recommendations for corrective action.
• Partner Management: Establish and maintain robust performance monitoring mechanisms with implementing partners (IPs), conduct regular field monitoring missions, and provide necessary coaching to strengthen their institutional and programmatic capacity for high-quality GBVF service delivery.

C. Partnership and Resource Mobilization

• Strategic Coordination: Actively participate in and represent UNFPA in key national and UN inter-agency coordination mechanisms on GBVF and gender, such as the UN Gender Theme Group, ensuring a coherent and integrated UN response.
• Partnership Building: Establish and maintain strategic collaborative relationships with government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), academic institutions, private sector entities, and development partners to advance the GBVF agenda.
• Resource Mobilization: Lead the development of innovative resource mobilization strategies and proposals for the GBVF portfolio, including drafting project summaries, concept notes, donor briefs, and participating in donor and public information events to secure and diversify programme funding.
• Advocacy and Communication: Support the Country Office's advocacy and communication efforts by preparing compelling content to highlight UNFPA's GBVF results and influence national discourse and policy.

D. General Support

• Stand-in for other Programme team members on selected functions as may be required.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Required Qualifications and Experience:
Education:

• Advanced University Degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, Human Rights Law, International Development, or a related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of gender equality and the prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), with a strong focus on programme management.
• Substantive knowledge and practical experience in GBVF programming in the South African context is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, dialogue, and technical support to government or large-scale institutions.
• Proven ability to manage programme budgets and complex reporting requirements for major institutional donors.
• Prior experience in the UN system or an international development organization is an asset.
• Proficiency in current office software applications and corporate IT systems (e.g., ERP systems like Quantum/Atlas).
• Demonstrated ability to work in and lead a team

Languages:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Professional working knowledge of one or more official South African languages is an advantage
• Working knowledge of another UN Official Language is an asset.

Required Competencies:
Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Programme Management
• Partnership and Advocacy
• Knowledge Management
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
• Resource mobilization and donor relations
• Technical Knowledge and understanding of the areas of work
• People Management and Leadership
• Proficiency in current office software applications

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• Making decisions and exercising judgment

Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

Skills Required