Knowledge Management and Capacity Development Consultant

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 among the most pervasive and serious violations of human rights, with inextricable links to broader peace and security. Spotlight Initiative was launched in 2017 as the world’s largest effort to end violence against women and girls. A pooled fund of the United Nations (UN) system, Spotlight Initiative is an SDG Accelerator, a United Nations High Impact Initiative to deliver on the 2030 Agenda and a model for localization, unifying communities, civil society, governments, donors, and experts under a common approach rooted in local needs. Spotlight Initiative is also a model for operationalizing the UN Development System reforms.

Spotlight Initiative has over 6 years, delivered proof of concept across 25 countries and 5 regions and will now scale up to greater investment and reach, bringing on board new countries and new partnerships. The Initiative will deepen its “whole-of-society” approach, placing the goal of ending violence against women and girls at the centre of national development priorities. Spotlight Initiative promotes a multi-sectoral approach to the complex issue of violence against women and girls and its variety of root causes. The Initiative’s workstreams include four main pillars: 1. Laws, policies, and institutions; 2. Prevention and social norms change; 3. Response and services for survivors and perpetrators’ accountability; and 4. Support to civil society and women’s movements.

Under the leadership of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, the day-to-day management of the Spotlight Initiative is led by a Secretariat, housed within the Development Coordination Office (DCO) with a reporting line to the Executive Office of the Secretary-General and servicing the whole UN System.

The Secretariat’s core technical responsibilities are to support the design, implementation, and monitoring of comprehensive and effective country programmes on EVAWG, to contribute to increased global awareness, knowledge sharing, and networking on EVAWG as well as to ensure that the achievements and results of the Spotlight Initiative are expanded and sustained. Specifically, the Secretariat is responsible for the following outputs: 1) data and research on GBV and various forms of violence at the global and regional levels is enhanced and disseminated; 2) technical package in line with the Spotlight Initiative model, and evidence-based strategies, knowledge, and tools on violence against women and girls is consolidated and made available for new programmes and advocacy purposes; 3) global and regional strategic partnerships are expanded to advance efforts on ending gender-based violence, including through communication, behavior change strategies, events, and campaigns; and 4) increased expertise at country level to ensure the development and sustainability of comprehensive programmes to end violence against women and girls in line with the Spotlight Initiative model.

Six years into implementation, Spotlight Initiative has generated a wealth of knowledge, lessons, and best practices on integrated and comprehensive programming on ending violence against women and girls. Thus, a critical function of Spotlight Initiative is to serve as a knowledge platform on ending VAWG (EVAWG). Moving forward, Spotlight Initiative will amplify the wealth of lessons and promising practices generated by programmes to inform global policy and advocacy on EVAWG and serve as a model for comprehensive EVAWG programming.

Duties and Responsibilities

Function:

The Knowledge Management and Capacity Development Consultant works with and provides support to the Secretariat Knowledge Management team in the implementation of the Capacity Development and Knowledge Management portfolios. The Consultant contributes to the dissemination of knowledge, tools, lessons learned, and good practices on EVAWG, supports the strengthening of global EVAWG partnerships, networking, and engagement, and provides substantive technical and capacity development support on EVAWG for Spotlight Initiative 2.0 programmes.

Under the guidance and direction of the Technical Advisor, the Consultant will

1.   Provide knowledge management and capacity development services to Spotlight Initiative Secretariat, supporting the dissemination of knowledge, tools, lessons learned, and good practices on EVAWG.

• Support roll-out capacity development (CD) and knowledge management (KM) strategy for the Spotlight Initiative 2.0
• Supervise the update and maintenance of the Spotlight Initiative Learning Center, Global Knowledge Product Tracker, and other relevant repositories.
• Support knowledge management integration into 2.0 Programmes, including maintaining a community of practice and serving as a ‘help desk’ to Spotlight Initiative 2.0 programmes to access key tools.

• Research on knowledge gaps needed to strengthen programme implementation under the Spotlight Initiative 2.0, and develop specific knowledge management tools based on lessons learned, good practices emerging from the field, and the Spotlight Initiative
• Identify capacity needs of Spotlight Initiative 2.0 programmes. and coordinate technical sessions/webinars/dialogues on specific EVAW issues linked to programming as they arise or on an as-needed basis including on the SHINE platform, an online knowledge exchange hub on EVAWG.

?2.  Support strengthening global EVAWG partnerships, networking, engagement, and research.

• Identify new and strengthen existing partnerships in the EVAWG space, and promote the Spotlight Initiative model,
• Identify areas for promoting new knowledge and innovation that can support with implementation of Spotlight Initiative programmes and increasing global commitments to EVAWG.
• Support the organization of global, and regional convenings and knowledge exchanges with key partners, including donors.
• Support global EVAWG research and learning initiatives and their uptake.

3.  Provide technical assistance and backstopping support to Technical Advisor, and overall programme management to the KM and CD Portfolio:

• Respond to research/ technical assistance requests from Technical Advisor
• Prepare technical presentations, concept notes, briefs, advocacy, and other products.
• Backstop on technical needs, including representation in meetings, as needed, and requested.
• Conduct consultations with technical experts and institutions, including from other UN agencies, to validate recommendations on selected tools and products.
• Monitor KM and CD portfolio delivery, and support with preparation of budgets, annual reports, and overall program management.
• Perform other related duties and assignments as and when requested by the supervisor. 

Key Performance Indicators:

• High-quality and timely knowledge management and capacity development services for Spotlight Initiative
• High-quality and timely technical EVAWG assistance provided to the Spotlight Initiative programmes
• EVAWG lessons, best practices, and solutions made accessible and amplified, and uptake of knowledge and comprehensive EVAWG programming supported.
• High-quality and timely coordination of global/regional knowledge exchange convenings, and the development of new partnerships in the EVAWG space

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

Functional Competencies:

• Impeccable attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to conduct in-depth analysis and research and strong writing skills.
• Strong sense of initiative, accountability, and commitment.
• Hard working, dedicated, with a solution-oriented mindset.
• Ability to connect day-to-day work with strategic overarching goals and principles.
• Strong capacity to communicate proactively and clearly and work collaboratively.
• Adaptable and flexible, ability to prioritize workload, meet deadlines, communicate workload with supervision, and understand when to escalate potential issues.
• Knowledge of gender equality, VAWG, and international development issues is an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in political science, international relations/development, gender studies, or a related field
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree”.

Experience:

• At least five years of professional work experience in knowledge management and capacity development on EVAWG and/or programme development on gender/ EVAWG
• Experience in knowledge management and capacity development on GBV /Gender is required.
• Experience in policy analysis and research on EVAWG, gender equality and women’s empowerment, social justice/human rights, and dissemination
• Experience with supporting the development of global/regional convenings and partnerships on gender, and/or EVAWG is an asset.
• Excellent writing skills

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an asset