Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Programme Specialist, Freetown

General Description of assignment title: Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Programme Specialist Assignment country: Sierra Leone Duty stations: Freetown Work location: On UN premises Expected start date: 10/19/2026 Duration: 12 monthsLong-term benefits and allowances Sustainable Development Goal: 5. Gender equality Host entity: UNFPA Modality: Onsite Type: International Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026 Work schedule: Full-time Number of Assignments: 1 Details Mission and objectives: UNFPA's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The Agency promotes gender equality and empower women, girls and young people to take control of their bodies and their futures. We work with partners in more than 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. Our goal is ending unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal death, and gender-based violence and harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030. Context: UNFPA's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The Agency promotes gender equality and empowers women, girls and young people to take control of their bodies and their futures. We work with partners in more than 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. Our goal is ending unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal death, and gender-based violence and harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030. The UNV will support the implementation of the UNFPA Sierra Leone's on-going work on advocacy, policy formulation and implementation, accountability, related to GBV. S/he will support the effective implementation of the Essential services package for women and girls who suffer violence, at the national level and in targeted districts, including working a with multi sectorial government institutions and civil society organizations, especially with young and women organizations. The UNV will also support the establishment of strategic partnerships and will contribute to the preparation of funding proposals in support of the UNFPA cooperation in Sierra Leone in GBV. Task description: The GBV Programme Specialist reports to the UNFPA Representative through the Deputy Representative and has a secondary, matrix coordination line to the Co-Chairs of the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Sub-Cluster / working mechanisms. In addition, the Specialist works in close collaboration with the UNFPA Country Office (CO) team, sister UN Agencies, and civil society partners to integrate transformative, evidence-based results frameworks and theories of change into joint advocacy and resource mobilization efforts .The position serves as a primary technical focal point between UNFPA and the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs (MoGCA) and engages with key state institutions such as the Family Support Unit (FSU) the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and local non-governmental organizations to support the implementation of multi-sectoral GBV prevention, response, and girls' empowerment programming in strict compliance with the UNFPA Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence and broader national priorities. 1.Strategic Program development and implementation At the core of this role is the active support and strategic development of comprehensive Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response interventions. The incumbent will ensure that all programmatic activities are rigorously designed and executed in strict alignment with the UNFPA Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence. This includes driving UNFPA's multi-sectoral approach, bridging health, psychosocial, and legal frameworks, to provide holistic support systems for survivors. Furthermore, the role involves spearheading the implementation of UNFPA's girls' empowerment programming, ensuring that initiatives are tailored to build resilience, leadership, and agency among adolescent girls. 2. Technical Leadership and Coordination A critical component of this position is the facilitation of high-quality technical assistance, strategic advocacy, and robust coordination support. The incumbent will act as a key technical resource to ensure that all operational and programmatic activities comply with established international humanitarian and development standards across UNFPA's mandated areas of work. This requires close collaboration and seamless coordination of GBV programming with a diverse network of stakeholders, including sister UN Agencies, government ministries, international and national NGOs, and civil society organizations. The incumbent will also serve as a dedicated representative of UNFPA in critical GBV coordination mechanisms, such as sub-clusters or working groups, ensuring UNFPA's mandate is effectively integrated into broader humanitarian and development responses. 3. Evidence-Based Advocacy and Resource mobilization Utilizing a transformative and evidence-based approach, the incumbent will champion UNFPA's overarching efforts to eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), as well as deeply entrenched harmful practices. This involves participating actively in high-level advocacy and critical resource mobilization efforts. The professional will be responsible for developing robust, evidence-based results frameworks, underpinned by clearly articulated and appropriate Theories of Change, to attract funding and demonstrate measurable impact to donors and partners. 4.Community Transformation and Normative Change Beyond systemic and institutional coordination, the role is heavily invested in community-level transformation. The incumbent will assist the UNFPA Country Office (CO) team in conceptualizing and rolling out innovative programs and strategies specifically aimed at dismantling and addressing the negative social norms that perpetuate GBV. A major focus of these community-driven strategies will be building the capacity and agency of adolescent girls, equipping them with the knowledge and resources necessary to make informed life choices and advocate for their own rights. 5.Operational Adaptability In addition to these core programmatic and technical responsibilities, the incumbent remains flexible and responsive to the dynamic needs of the Country Office, performing any other strategic or operational duties as assigned by the UNFPA Representative to advance the organization's mission. Eligibility criteria Age: 18 - 80 Required experience: 3 years Donor priorities: - Nationality: Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment. Additional eligibility criteria: This assignment is funded by the Government of the Republic of Ireland and therefore specific criteria apply: - Candidates must be Irish citizens or a European Economic Area nationals with an unrestricted right to reside in Ireland or have a declaration of refugee status from the Minister for Justice and Law Reform. APPLICATION - You may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the 'Additional remarks' field when filling in the application form. - Application deadline: 16 August 2026 SELECTION - Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment. +++ UN Volunteer entitlement calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator +++ Assignment requirements Relevant experience: 3 years Languages: English, Level: Fluent, Required Required education level: Master's degree in Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in Gender Studies, Human Rights, International Development ,Social Sciences, or a closely related field Competencies and values: Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Commitment and Motivation Communication Empowering Others Integrity Judgement and Decision-making Knowledge Sharing Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Working in Teams Skills and experience: Progressively responsible experience in gender equality, gender mainstreaming, human rights, and/or women's empowerment programming, preferably in contexts with strong customary law and patriarchal norms. Work experience in development programming, with specific focus on gender equality, GBV and/or girls' empowerment Prior experience in developing countries and knowledge of rights-based approaches will be an asset Experience with gender equality, girls' empowerment and rights-based programming Good knowledge of advocacy for gender equality and girls' empowerment in the context of sustainable development; and working experience in communication and advocacy Fluency in English and ability to write clearly and concisely Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds. Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills Area(s) of expertise: Gender, women's rights, Human rights, Communication, advocacy, public information Driving license: - Other information Tags gender based violence gender equality and social inclusion violence against women women in development Skills English Advocacy Gender Equality Programming Communication skills Strategic Development The recruiting organization, UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund, has not specified a closing date for this vacancy or continues to list jobs after their stated closing date. Because such positions may remain open, they are listed here until removed from the recruiting organization's website. Click the button below to verify its current status. More Information and Application Details