The Position:

The PSEA Coordinator (NWS) will report directly to the Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria response and will have an administrative reporting line to UNFPA. S/he will work closely with the WoS PSEA Senior Coordinator and NGO Forum. The successful candidate will lead the PSEA Network and its program activities in Northwest Syria (NWS). The PSEA Coordinator NWS is responsible for leading and supporting the interagency PSEA programming of the NWS hub, currently consisting of UN agencies, INGOs and NGOs. Specifically, the PSEA Coordinator NWS will share management of the PSEA program team, chair the PSEA Steering Group and actively engage with Protection, Child Protection (CP) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) sectors to mainstream PSEA within the NWS response.

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. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

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:

The protracted conflict in Syria has exposed large portions of the population to devastating humanitarian conditions. Thirteen years into the crisis, over 15 million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including 6.5 million internally displaced. With large-scale population displacements, increased poverty levels and limited livelihood options, the most affected communities are highly dependent on humanitarian aid. Moreover, the social fabrics and support systems have been severely disrupted, leading to limited individual and community capacities to address protection risks and incidents.

Since its initiation by the Syria Strategic Steering Group in 2017, the Whole of Syria (WoS) Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Program has supported the interagency humanitarian response in the joint implementation of international PSEA commitments. Through an established, robust interagency PSEA Network with hubs in Northwest (NWS), Northeast (NES), and South & Central Syria, consisting of more than 185 UN agencies, International Non-Governmental Organization (INGOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the program strives to decrease the risk of crisis‐affected communities experiencing incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by humanitarian workers and provide technical and operational support to humanitarian actors to prevent and respond to SEA cases.

Within the framework of the Whole of Syria (WoS) humanitarian response, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently been tasked to host the inter-agency responsibilities for the WoS Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) network.

You would be responsible for:

A. Effective coordination and implementation of the PSEA programme in NWS:

• Lead the NWS PSEA network, the PSEA Network monthly meetings and program activities.
• Oversee the operational, budgetary, administrative and the logistics of the NWS PSEA programme implementation, and ensure that UNFPA standards and operating modalities are applied.
• Represent the NWS PSEA Network in relevant coordination bodies including the ICCG, HLG and the AAP/PSEA/Inclusion Working Group and ensure appropriate visibility for the programme through promotion and presentation of briefing notes and communication products.
• Support and advocate for comprehensive implementation of international PSEA commitments by Network members and other relevant entities to strengthen their internal PSEA programs (where requested), including organizational policies and procedures, implementation of SEA risk prevention and mitigation measures, capacity development, complaint and feedback mechanisms and survivor centered assistance provision.
• Oversee the interagency Community-Based Complaints Mechanism (CBCM) for NWS and support with SEA referrals for survivor assistance and investigation.
• Maintaining the Pool of SEA Investigation Support Staff and coordinate initial requests for investigative support in NWS.
• Ensure that the implementation of the PSEA Network Work Plan is informed by community participation, contextually and culturally appropriate, and based on the community’s needs.
• Work in close collaboration with the PSEA Coordinator (WoS) and support coordination and knowledge and information sharing across the hubs (NWS, NES, Damascus).

B. Strengthen capacity of PSEA across programmes, networks and organizations:

• Respond to the needs of the humanitarian actors on PSEA, including by updating and maintaining the shared repository with useful context specific tools, training, and awareness materials in a timely fashion.
• Conduct outreach on the PSEA program to humanitarian actors on thematic and evolving areas including to encourage their participation and collaboration with the inter-agency PSEA Network.
• Respond to the needs of the humanitarian actors on PSEA, including by updating and maintaining the shared repository with useful context specific tools, training, and awareness materials in a timely fashion.

C. Monitoring and reporting:

• Lead thematic assessments and fact finding among humanitarian actors and when feasible with affected communities including through focus group discussions to inform the PSEA program.
• In collaboration with Senior WoS PSEA Coordinator and other hub coordinators, ensure timely and high-quality reports of PSEA program activities and their progress and contribution to the HPC process, program donors and other stakeholders.
• Oversee monitoring of activities, including travel to project locations on assignments to support the PSEA project.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree in Social sciences, Gender, Health, International Relations, Law and/or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of five years professional experience in protection, SEA, safeguarding, gender-based violence and/or child protection or a related field.
• Experience in developing and implementing protection programmes in complex settings, including community based interventions.
• Experience leading inter-agency coordination mechanisms with a wide range of stakeholders and a good understanding of the humanitarian structure.
• Experience working in the MENA region and particularly northwest Syria on humanitarian response and/or protection, SEA or safeguarding is an advantage.
• Demonstrable experience in developing and facilitating training and capacity building activities.
• Awareness and demonstrable technical knowledge of how SEA manifests in humanitarian settings and ability to describe context-specific prevention and response actions.
• Skilled at problem-solving in a complex environment.
• Effective communicator and presenter.
• Experienced in managing diverse teams.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably Arabic is desirable.

Required Competencies

Values:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Analysis and creation of messages and strategies;
• Manages programme(s) and project(s) from approval to conclusion, including systematic monitoring and evaluation
• Organizational and analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and multitask.
• Identifying and building partnerships
• Building strategic alliance

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,
• Communicating for impact

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus
• Engaging staff and partners
• Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercise judgment

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave, 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. 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 here to learn more.NFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities

UNFPA has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNFPA, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UNFPAs policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UNFPA personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include verifying academic qualifications and employment history. Candidates’ names will also be checked in the UN’s central database for sexual exploitation and abuse offenders. Selected candidates may need to provide more information for the background check.

Note: UNFPA reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNFPA at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Applications that do not meet the above requirements will be disregarded. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Selection and appointment will be subject to medical clearance, visa issuance, and other administrative requirements.

Disclaimer:

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.