Programme Specialist Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme SIARP 20 Addis Ababa

Job Description

The Programme Specialist provides high-level technical expertise and strategic coordination to the African Union Commission (AUC), ensuring the seamless alignment of regional policies with international standards to accelerate the elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG), the eradication of harmful practices, and the advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the continent under the SIARP 2.0 framework. The Programme Specialist will work under the overall authority and direct guidance of the AUC and in close collaboration with UNFPA. S/He will ensure solid work relations and information sharing with key stakeholders of the SIARP 2.0.

Ensuring coordination with the AUC, the regional partners and other stakeholders: Ensure programme coordination, provide common strategic guidance and planning, and oversee a coherent and effective implementation of the UNFPA SIARP 2.0 components, identify potential challenges and contribute to solutions.

Provide substantial guidance to partners on establishment of performance indicators, and monitoring achievement of results; Identify capacity building needs and support partners through technical assistance, mentoring, training, and cross partner learning and sharing, and capacity development initiatives; develop training materials and workshops, as necessary.

Reinforce partnerships with key stakeholders including youth groups, religious, traditional leaders, and other civil society across the region to ensure inclusion of perspectives and collaboration with the programme.

Oversee programme liaison with the Civil Society Regional Reference Group (CSRRG) ensuring timely communication of programme developments are shared and recommendations from the reference group are reflected in programme implementation.

Coordinate the operationalization of women and youth-led accountability frameworks to monitor regional commitments on EVAWG and SRHR.

Engage in seamless alignment of regional policies with international standards to accelerate the elimination of violence against women and girls (VAWG), harmful practices, and to advance SRHR.

Ensures long-term sustainability by embedding initiatives into regional policies through multisectoral partnerships that align the efforts of UN agencies, the African Union Commission (AUC), and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

Identify capacity building needs and support partners through technical assistance, mentoring, training, and cross-partner learning.

Coordinate the operationalization of women and youth-led accountability frameworks so communities can independently monitor regional commitments on EVAWG and SRHR.

Reinforce partnerships with key stakeholders including youth groups, religious, traditional leaders, and other civil society across the region to ensure broad societal inclusion and collaborations.

Key Responsibilities

• Effective management of advocacy, knowledge building and communications efforts, in close collaboration with participating agencies, focusing on achievement of the following results:
• Support the design of accurate monitoring and communication tools: a communication strategy and plan, terms of reference for evaluations (including baseline, mid-term assessment and end of programme), and a reporting system.
• In close collaboration with the AUC and the PCU Communication team, review background documents, briefs and presentations related to the elimination of VAWG produced by SIA, and facilitate the co-creation of common communication and advocacy materials, ensuring coherence and visibility of the programme.
• In collaboration with the PCU and stakeholders, support the knowledge management practices through the use of digital innovation and smart advocacy strategies to amplify the SIARP 2.0 results.
• In close collaboration with the AU Communication Team coordinate information on the programme in communication channels – including website, social media and networks, and email newsletters.
• Closely engage with stakeholders and technical leads to synthesize joint programme learnings and best practices and disseminate these in collaboration with the Advocacy, Communication and Knowledge Management Officer.
• Provide specialized technical oversight for countries of programme implementation in strategic advocacy, data analytics, policy landscape analysis and partnership with stakeholders.
• Coordinate efforts between the AUC and the Civil Society Regional Reference Group (CSRRG) to enhance visibility, strengthen knowledge-sharing, and promote strategic advocacy for the programme’s impact and sustainability.