Gender-Based Violence Coordinator

The Position:

The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordinator position is based at the UNFPA Kenya Country Office (CO). The GBV Coordinator supports the CO by providing high-level technical expertise in managing, coordinating and supporting the implementation of the "Kenya CSEA and GBV Prevention and Response Support Program" Key responsibilities include managing the delivery of an integrated, survivor-centered response ecosystem, ensuring strict compliance with the project's Environmental and Social Plan (ESP), safeguarding vulnerable groups, and supporting the delivery of GBV prevention interventions to mitigate Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) and GBV across Kenya.

The GBV Coordinator works under the direct supervision of the Gender/GBV Advisor and in close collaboration with Programme teams, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and Operations teams to ensure timely, high-quality, and compliant programme delivery.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

The GBV Coordinator will provide technical support, programme management, daily execution, and implementation monitoring of the Kenya CSEA and GBV Response and Prevention Support Program. S/he will lead efforts to expand survivors' access to the Essential Services Package, strengthen the capacity of local civil society implementing partners, and support the operationalization of a robust, community-facing Grievance Response Mechanisms (GRM). S/he will also coordinate and oversee efforts interventions aimed at preventing GBV and CSEA among target populations, while ensuring effective collaboration with government counterparts, implementing partners and other stakeholders. 

You would be responsible for:

Programme Management and Technical Support

• The GBV Coordinator will support the implementation of UNFPA Kenya’s GBV prevention, response, and safeguarding programmes and initiatives, including the Kenya CSEA and GBV Prevention and Response Support Programme, ensuring effective coordination, quality delivery, accountability, and achievement of programme results. 

Programme Management and Technical Support

• Coordinate and provide effective management and guidance throughout all stages of programme implementation to ensure successful delivery of programme results aimed at preventing and responding to CSEA and GBV through survivor-centred, rights-based, gender-transformative, and intersectional approaches.
• Lead programme planning, implementation, coordination, and oversight of all programme components, ensuring alignment with UNFPA policies, donor requirements, national priorities, and international standards on GBV, child protection, safeguarding, and human rights.
• Provide technical support and guidance to implementing partners, government institutions, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders on GBV prevention and response programming, survivor-centred case management, referral systems, safeguarding, and prevention interventions.
• Assess emerging policy developments, institutional priorities, and implementation challenges and provide technical recommendations to strengthen programme effectiveness and sustainability.
• Ensure quality programme and project design by incorporating evidence, lessons learned, best practices, innovation, and adaptive management approaches into implementation frameworks.
• Coordinate technical support to implementing partners and sub-grantees to strengthen delivery of integrated prevention and response interventions, including community-based prevention, case management, referral pathways, grievance response mechanisms, and safeguarding systems.
• Support implementing partners in preparing and submitting workplans in conformity with donor agreements, UNFPA requirements, and programme accountability standards.
• Provide technical support to ensure programme compliance with the Environmental and Social Plan (ESP), safeguarding requirements, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) standards, information management protocols, and donor commitments.
• Facilitate effective coordination among government counterparts, civil society organizations, UN agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and programme stakeholders to ensure coherent and complementary implementation of programme interventions.
• Support the identification of operational, institutional, and technical risks affecting programme delivery and coordinate appropriate mitigation measures to ensure continuity and achievement of programme results.
• Provide substantive technical inputs to national and county-level policy discussions, strategies, frameworks, and coordination mechanisms related to GBV, CSEA, child protection, safeguarding, and access to quality survivor services.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Knowledge Management for Policy Advocacy

• Contribute to the achievement of programme results by ensuring that effective monitoring, reporting, accountability, and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented.
• Contribute to  programme monitoring processes, including routine review of programme performance indicators, partner reporting, data quality assurance, and progress tracking against approved workplans and results frameworks.
• Support the  analysis, and utilization of programme data and evidence to support strategic decision-making, programme adaptation, policy engagement, and donor reporting.
• Coordinate regular field monitoring missions to assess programme implementation progress, safeguarding compliance, effectiveness of referral systems, functionality of grievance response mechanisms, and achievement of intended outcomes.
• Support implementing partners in preparing and submitting high-quality technical and financial reports in conformity with donor agreements, UNFPA requirements, and programme accountability standards.
• Participate actively in programme reviews, assessments, evaluations, audits, and learning exercises, ensuring that recommendations are translated into actionable programme improvements.
• Facilitate documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, innovations, good practices, and evidence generated through programme implementation to strengthen national learning and policy dialogue.
• Ensure effective knowledge management systems are established and maintained to capture programme achievements, implementation experiences, emerging risks, and evidence for future programming.
• Support the generation of evidence and analytical products that inform policy advocacy, systems strengthening, institutional reforms, and sustainable GBV prevention and response interventions.
• Prepare high-quality analytical reports, briefs, presentations, and programme updates for UNFPA management, donors, government stakeholders, development partners, and relevant coordination platforms.
• Participate actively in relevant national, county, inter-agency, and donor coordination forums to promote evidence-informed policy discussions and strengthen collective accountability for programme results.

Partnerships, Communications and Capacity Building

• Coordinate strategic partnerships and mobilize support for national and county-level initiatives that strengthen prevention and response to CSEA and GBV through integrated, survivor-centred approaches.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with government institutions, civil society organizations, survivor networks, private sector stakeholders, development partners, financial institutions, UN agencies, and other relevant actors to advance programme objectives.
• Support the Country Office's advocacy, visibility, and resource mobilization efforts by preparing high-quality technical briefs, concept notes, project summaries, donor reports, presentations, speeches, and other strategic communication materials.
• Facilitate the development and dissemination of knowledge products, factsheets, infographics, learning materials, and communication products that demonstrate programme results, innovations, and impact.
• Strengthen multi-sectoral partnerships and coordination mechanisms that enhance access to quality prevention and response services for survivors and populations at risk of GBV and CSEA.
• Identify opportunities for strategic engagement, policy influence, resource mobilization, and institutional partnerships that contribute to programme sustainability and scale.
• Support capacity strengthening of implementing partners, government institutions, community organizations, and service providers in programme management, safeguarding, survivor-centred approaches, monitoring and evaluation, data management, and accountability systems.
• Coordinate technical assistance and institutional capacity development initiatives aimed at strengthening partner systems, programme quality, governance, financial accountability, and organizational sustainability.
• Support programme visibility and accountability through effective stakeholder engagement, communication, documentation of results, and dissemination of evidence and success stories in accordance with donor and UNFPA requirements.
• Work closely with communications and advocacy teams to strengthen public awareness, policy engagement, and strategic positioning of programme achievements while ensuring adherence to survivor confidentiality, safeguarding principles, and data protection requirements.
• Facilitate identification of resource gaps and contribute technical inputs to resource mobilization initiatives, funding proposals, and partnership development efforts.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• An advanced university degree (Master’s level or higher) in gender studies, human rights, public health, social work, development studies, international relations, or a related social science discipline. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience at the national or international level in results-based management, including designing, managing, and coordinating GBV prevention and response frameworks within development and/or humanitarian contexts. 
• Technical knowledge of survivor-centered case management, the UN Essential Services Package framework, and global inter-agency child protection standards. 
• Operational understanding of the Kenyan legislative landscape, including the Sexual Offenses Act, the national GBV policy framework, and county-level protection mechanisms.   
• Knowledge of data protection protocols, maintaining information-sharing protocols, and interpreting analytical software and digital platform engagement metrics. 
• Experience in multi-sectoral institutional coordination, with a background navigating high-level collaborations across government, UN entities, International Finance Institutions, development partners, CSOs.

Languages

• Fluency in the English language is required. 
• Excellent working knowledge of Kiswahili is highly desirable. 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Results-based programme development and management 
• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda 
• Innovation and marketing of new behavioral-change approaches 
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for resource mobilization 
• Oversight of Environmental and Social Plan (ESP) compliance and safeguarding mechanisms 

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.