Programme Specialist, Gender, GBV and Harmful Practices

About the role

UNFPA is seeking a Programme Specialist to join its Gender and Social Norms Unit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The specialist will support a portfolio of programmes addressing gender‑based violence, female genital mutilation, child marriage and broader social‑norm transformation, contributing to UNFPA’s mission of ending preventable maternal deaths and harmful practices.

Key responsibilities

• Support planning, implementation and follow‑up of GBV and harmful‑practice programmes and partner workplans.
• Provide technical assistance for interventions on FGM, child marriage, GBV prevention and response, and gender‑norm change.
• Strengthen integration of GBV and harmful‑practice programming with SRHR, livelihoods and community engagement.
• Review concept notes, workplans, TORs, budgets and implementation documents.
• Coordinate with government bodies, UN agencies, development partners and civil‑society organisations.
• Participate in technical working groups, coordination platforms and programme reviews.
• Monitor implementation, results, indicators and expenditures; analyse data and evidence.
• Contribute to donor reports, results frameworks, presentations and briefing materials.
• Document lessons learned, case studies and human‑interest stories.
• Support research, assessments, evaluations and develop technical briefs, knowledge products and advocacy materials.
• Assist in preparing funding proposals, donor briefs and resource‑mobilisation initiatives.

Required profile

• Minimum five years of professional experience in gender equality, GBV, harmful practices, FGM, child marriage or social‑norm transformation.
• Experience in programme planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and coordination.
• Knowledge of Ethiopia’s policy and institutional environment related to gender, GBV and harmful practices.
• Strong analytical ability to translate evidence into programme recommendations and technical outputs.

Required skills