Program Associate

To strengthen national and provincial capacities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriage through improved helpline services, quality GBV case management, standardized administrative data, safeguarding protocols, disability-inclusive responses, policy and legislative frameworks, and technical support for capacity building and coordinated implementation in line with national priorities and international standards

Program Coordination and Implementation:

• Serve as the primary program coordination focal point for UNFPA-MoHR and maintain regular communication and coordination to facilitate effective and timely implementation of program activities.
• Support the technical planning, preparation, coordination, review and approval of ongoing and upcoming initiatives in close coordination with MoHR, UNFPA and relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate with MoHR headquarters and provincial offices to facilitate the timely flow of information and monitor implementation progress, achievements, challenges and emerging priorities.
• Follow up on agreed commitments, deadlines and action points, and maintain systematic records of decisions and follow-up actions.
• Identify implementation delays, risks, gaps and emerging issues and support the development and follow-up of appropriate corrective measures.
• Follow up on official communications disseminated by MoHR to relevant stakeholders and maintain an organized record of correspondence and subsequent actions.

Technical Support on GBV and Child Marriage:

• Provide technical and coordination support to MoHR initiatives related to gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriage, including policy, legislative, institutional and program-related interventions.
• Support the preparation of technical input, briefing materials, background documents and other resources required for policy dialogue, consultations and advocacy on GBV and child marriage.
• Support coordination among relevant government institutions, provincial departments, UN agencies, development partners and civil society organizations to strengthen implementation of GBV and child marriage priorities.
• Contribute to identifying emerging technical issues, implementation gaps and opportunities for strengthening policy and program responses to GBV and child marriage.
• Support the documentation and dissemination of relevant evidence, lessons and good practices to inform policy and programming.

Evidence, Data and Knowledge Management:

• Provide technical support for the development, maintenance and use of tools, templates and systems for the collection, compilation, analysis and reporting of statistical data related to GBV and child marriage.
• Coordinate the collection of relevant information and data from MoHR's provincial offices and other stakeholders and consolidate submissions into
• Support the preparation of periodic reports, policy briefs, analytical briefs, presentations and other knowledge products for MoHR and UNFPA.
• Support systematic documentation of strategic results, lessons learned and good practices arising from program implementation.
• Contribute to reflection and learning processes and develop knowledge resources that capture key learning and recommendations for future programming.
• Identify evidence and strategic results that can support advocacy, policy dialogue and efforts to strengthen public policy and practice.

Advocacy, Communication and Visibility:

• Support MoHR advocacy efforts through the preparation of meeting minutes, speeches, talking points, briefing notes, conference papers, program summaries, key messages and other advocacy materials.
• Develop PowerPoint presentations and other briefing materials for high-level meetings, consultations, workshops and policy dialogues.
• Support the preparation and documentation of good practices, success stories and program results for dissemination through newsletters, websites and other appropriate communication and visibility platforms, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain an updated network and database of relevant media, civil society and other stakeholders to facilitate communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement in support of MoHR's mandate.
• Identify appropriate opportunities to communicate MoHR's mandate, policy priorities, achievements and evidence through relevant national and provincial platforms.

Coordination, Meetings and Secretariat Support:

• Organize and provide coordination and secretariat support for national and provincial coordination meetings, technical workshops, inter-agency meetings, consultations, panel discussions, roundtables, missions and other program events.
• Prepare agendas, briefing materials, participant lists, meeting minutes and action points, and ensure timely follow-up on agreed decisions and commitments.
• Facilitate effective information-sharing and coordination between MoHR, its provincial offices, UNFPA, other UN agencies, government counterparts, development partners and civil society organizations.
• Undertake and/or coordinate the logistical, administrative and financial arrangements required for program meetings, workshops, consultations, missions and other events, in accordance with applicable procedures.

Reporting and Program Monitoring:

• Support regular monitoring of program implementation and maintain updated information on progress against agreed activities, outputs, milestones and commitments.
• Consolidate information from national and provincial levels to support periodic programme, management and donor reporting.
• Prepare concise updates highlighting achievements, implementation challenges, risks, emerging issues and recommended follow-up actions.
• Maintain systematic programme documentation, including correspondence, reports, meeting records, presentations, data submissions and other relevant programme materials.
• Support the identification of strategic results and evidence that demonstrate the contribution of programme interventions to strengthening institutional capacity, policy implementation and service responses related to GBV and child marriage.

Other duties:

• Maintain close coordination with the Director-IC and relevant MoHR and UNFPA technical teams to ensure timely implementation of assigned responsibilities.
• Contribute to other programme priorities and initiatives, as required.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by the supervisor in support of MoHR's mandate and the objectives of the programme.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, or a related field
• Minimum 1 year experience required
• Demonstrated research expertise, including experience in data collection, compilation, and analysis     
•  Knowledge of rights-centered approaches and gender mainstreaming;
• Well versed in computer applications, particularly MS Word, MS Excel and other MS Office tools
• Strong multitasking and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Urdu
• Prior experience working with UN agencies or MoHR is an asset

Please Note:

• Candidate who tries to influence the recruitment process will be automatically disqualified.
• Ready to work immediately.
• SPO strongly prohibits Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); accordingly, candidate background and reference checks will be conducted.