Victim Support Specialist United Nations Development Programme Experience: 5 to 10 Years New York, United States of America Apply By: 14-03-2025

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Job Description

UNDP’s mission as part of the UN system is to achieve sustainable development and fight poverty wherever it is greatest. This requires the very best of us, world-class collaboration, innovative thinking, resilient-based strategies and continuous learning. UNDP is strongly committed to upholding UN values and strictly prohibits all forms of sexual harassment in the workplace, as well as sexual exploitation and abuse in relation to the populations we serve (collectively referred to as sexual misconduct). The UNDP corporate Strategy and Action Plan on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) prioritizes four key areas: accountability, prevention, reporting and response, and support for victims and survivors.

The UNDP corporate PSEAH Task Force, led by the Special Advisor on Corporate Initiatives in the Executive Office of the Administrator, oversees the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan. A cornerstone of these efforts is the establishment of robust internal systems to ensure a diligent, appropriate, and sensitive response to incidents of sexual misconduct, with the rights and protection of victims, survivors, and affected individuals placed firmly at the center of UNDP’s response (victim centered approach).

Position Purpose:

A critical element of UNDP’s PSEAH victim-centered approach (VCA) is the role of the Victim Support Specialist (VSS) to provide individualized support to those who report sexual misconduct or who experience gender-based violence. The Victim Support Specialist serves as a key point of contact for victims of both sexual harassment (SH) and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), offering confidential, empathetic, and professional assistance in a sensitive and non-judgmental manner. The VSS ensures that victims’ voices are heard, respected, and prioritized throughout the reporting and complaints process. The Victim Support Specialist contributes to UNDP ‘s overall commitment to maintain a safe, ethical and supportive environment where sexual misconduct is not tolerated, and where all personnel feel respected, protected, and empowered to report concerns and seek support.

The post holder will be a member of UNDP’s core team on the prevention of sexual misconduct, based in the Executive Office of the Administrator, and will report to the Global Focal Point for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct. The post holder will collaborate closely with UNDP’s Office of Audit and Investigations, Ethics Office, Office of Legal Services, and Office of Human Resources, all of which play critical roles in addressing and managing incidents of sexual misconduct. The post holder will undertake duty travel as required.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead the design and development of policies and strategies related to UNDP’s victim centered approach (VCA)

In collaboration with the PSEAH Taskforce and PSEAH TaskTeam:

Develop a comprehensive victim-centered, trauma-informed response strategy and action plan for victims of sexual harassment (SH) and sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). This strategy should enhance victims’ choices, recognize their strengths, and ensure efficient triage with various support services available both within and outside UNDP.
Provide advice and guidance on the development of relevant policies, guidelines, SOPs, investigation templates, communication materials, training modules, and other tools to ensure alignment with a victim-centered approach across the organization.
In coordination with relevant stakeholders, develop a process to strengthen UNDP’s capacity to analyze risks and identify trends related to sexual misconduct. This includes contributing to the creation of a system that alerts offices to potential patterns of misconduct, to prompt timely action.
Lead on the design and implementation of initiatives that promote awareness of UNDP’s strategies, policies and relevant guidelines on the victim centered approach
Ensure relevant principals and standards (eg the UN Protocol on the Provision of Assistance to Victims of SEA) are mainstreamed in relevant policies and procedures as appropriate.
Build capacity and awareness of personnel and partners on UNDP’s victim centered approach
In collaboration with the PSEAH Task Force and Victim Support Task Team
Design and deliver training sessions and implement learning interventions to raise awareness on the victim centred approach for existing and new personnel, and partners as required.
Design and develop guidance materials and other resources on the victim centred approach including specifically with the PSEAH Focal Points in Country Offices
Provide guidance and advice to all Managers, Project Officers, Human Resources staff, and other UNDP personnel on safely and ethically responding to incidents of sexual misconduct in a manner that protects victims and ensures confidentiality and informed consent.
Contribute to efforts to enhance a speak-up culture across UNDP that nurtures up-stander actions and discourages bystander attitudes.
Serve as the Victim Support Specialist during formal investigation and accountability processes

Upon request, serve as a support person during the formal investigation and accountability processes to ensure that UNDP’s complaint handling processes apply a victim centered approach. This includes:

assessing victim-related needs and risks.
offering confidential guidance on procedures and available services;
supporting victims in decision-making processes; liaising with other services involved in the response to incidents of sexual misconduct.
strengthening linkages between UNDP and external services to meet victims’ needs and wishes.
Advise and support the implementation of on-going initiatives on UNDP’s Victim Centered Approach

Working closely with the PSEAH Focal Points, support Country Offices in establishing and strengthening a victim centered approach including:

identifying and mapping locally available services for victims, ensuring that referral pathways are widely circulated and accessible across all UNDP country offices and to all personnel globally.
Establishing, monitoring and strengthening safe, gender sensitive and victim centered complaints and feedback mechanisms.
Refer sexual misconduct victims to relevant local services upon request and in accordance with established protocol.
Establish and maintain a confidential and/or anonymous reference group of victims who consent to provide input into various initiatives that UNDP is developing, oversee research projects and other feedback initiatives to gather the perspectives and recommendations of victims.
Represent and contribute to UN interagency working groups and other relevant fora
Represent UNDP in relevant interagency working groups and other formal and informal meetings – internally and externally – on issues related to a victim centered approach, providing technical inputs as required
Build internal and external networks on issues related to the victim centered approach to strengthen implementation of UNDP’s approach
Monitor progress and VCA activities and draft regular reports, briefing notes and other relevant documents on the victim centered approach as required.
Draft briefings and contribute to speeches and materials to aid in advocating the importance of the victim centered approach.
Cntribute to Executive Board (EB) reports and related briefings and talking points to support EB discussions on the victim centered approach.
Support development of relevant M&E frameworks; data collection tools and support report writing
Gather data and report on progress of the implementation of the victim centered approach to inform corporate reporting requirements.
Track trends in victim reporting and utilize this data to inform policy or process improvements.
Monitor progress of VCA activities within the organization and provide support where gaps have been identified in form of reports and updates to leadership teams.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Work, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Counselling, Psychology, Psychotherapy or other relevant field is required, OR
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above mentioned fields of study, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of demonstrated experience in case management, preferably involving victims of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse is required.
Proven experience in prevention and response to sexual harassment in the workplace or sexual exploitation and abuse is required.
Demonstrated ability to understand and respect cultural differences when working with victims from diverse backgrounds is required.
At least 3 years of experience working in developing country contexts is required.
Experience in designing and delivering learning strategies, capacity-building programs, and training sessions related to victim-centered approaches or similar programs is an asset.
Experience in providing direct support to victims of sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse and identifying solutions is desired.
Proven track record of strong global mindset with the ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment is an asset.
A proven track record of delivering impactful results in programs aimed at safeguarding the rights and dignity of victims of sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse within a global organization, including the development and implementation of strategies and action plans is an advantage.

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