Head Gender Section

Organizational Context

UNRWA is the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East, employing over 30,000 staff across five operational areas. The agency seeks committed personnel to make a tangible difference for vulnerable communities. The Head Gender Section role reports to the Chief of Protection, operating from HQ Amman.

Job Purpose

The Head Gender Section leads and coordinates agency-wide policies, strategies, and operational guidance to advance gender equality and protect Palestine refugee women and girls, aligning with international human rights and the UN's women, peace, and security agenda. This role promotes gender mainstreaming across all UNRWA programs and operations, ensuring systematic gender analysis to identify and address risks and vulnerabilities. It strengthens protection responses by overseeing agency-wide approaches to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), ensuring survivor-centered approaches and quality assurance. The position provides strategic leadership for integrating gender considerations into emergency preparedness and humanitarian interventions, ensuring inclusivity and responsiveness to the needs of women and girls. It also focuses on developing tools for meaningful participation, strengthening gender data systems for evidence-based decision-making, and advising leadership on advancing gender equality within the UNRWA workforce.

Responsibilities

Develop and coordinate agency-wide policies, strategies, and operational guidance to advance gender equality and protect Palestine refugee women and girls, adhering to international human rights and the UN's women, peace, and security agenda. Promote gender mainstreaming across all core programs, operations, and decision-making processes, integrating gender analysis to identify and address risks and vulnerabilities for improved programming. Strengthen protection responses by overseeing agency-wide approaches to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), ensuring risk mitigation, survivor-centered approaches, and quality assurance. Provide strategic leadership to integrate gender considerations into emergency preparedness, protection assessments, and response frameworks, ensuring humanitarian interventions are inclusive and responsive to women and girls' needs. Develop operational guidance and tools to promote the meaningful participation and inclusion of women and girls in program design, delivery, and evaluation, ensuring gender-sensitive Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) mechanisms. Support the enhancement of gender data systems, including the collection, analysis, and use of disaggregated data for evidence-based decision-making and reporting. Advise executive leadership and senior management on advancing gender equality within the workforce, promoting women's leadership, representation, and a gender-responsive organizational culture, including support for the Women’s Advisory Forum. Build institutional capacity on gender equality and GBV through guidance, tools, and training, enhancing gender-responsive emergency preparedness and response protocols.

Work Experience

Requires at least seven years of progressive professional experience in gender equality and women's empowerment, including gender mainstreaming, protection, GBV prevention/response, and project management in humanitarian or development settings. Experience should include leading organizational gender strategies, supporting institutional change, and working in fragile contexts. Two years of relevant international experience outside UNRWA and the candidate's home country is also required.

Skills

Formulating Strategies and Concepts, Applying Technical Expertise, Relating and Networking, Deciding and Initiating Action, Planning and Organizing, Delivering Results, Managing Complexity and Change, Creating and Maintaining Impact and Partnership, Communication, Working with People, Drive for Results.

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