Background
On 28 October 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica’s southwest – near New Hope, Westmoreland Parish – as an extremely powerful Category 5 storm, with estimated sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 892 mbar. The catastrophic combination of wind, storm surge and torrential rainfall triggered massive flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapse. For example, one report states that over 530,000 people lost power island-wide soon after landfall.
The Government of Jamaica officially declared a disaster area under the Disaster Risk Management Act (Declaration of Disaster Area – Hurricane Melissa Order) effective 28 October 2025. Access constraints (blocked roads, communication failures, multiple parishes isolated) and widespread damage to shelters, hospitals and other service infrastructure have rapidly deteriorated the humanitarian situation.
As part of its hurricane response, UNFPA is supporting the prevention of and response to Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE), recognizing that crises such as Hurricane Melissa significantly heighten risks of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, exploitation, and abuse, particularly for women, adolescent girls, and other at-risk groups. Displacement, overcrowded shelters, disrupted protection systems, and reduced access to services have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and protection gaps across affected parishes in Jamaica. In this context, UNFPA is working to strengthen survivor-centred GBV response services, including safe and confidential case management, psychosocial support, referral pathways, and GBV risk-mitigation measures across sectors, in close coordination with national authorities, implementing partners, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms. |
Scope of work/Main tasks and responsibilities, et al Under the overall guidance and supervision of the GBV in Emergency Specialist and in close collaboration with the Humanitarian Team, the incumbent will:
1. Programme Implementation - Assist with procurement, distribution, monitoring and reporting of GBV kits and supplies. Liaise with the operations team to ensure implementation of the Workplan and lead on administrative tasks associated with the workplan and GBViE activities
- Support implementation and monitoring of the GBV humanitarian response, including inputs for reports and other materials.
- Roll out GBV related training and help develop technical breifs/documents.
- Promote an integrated GBV response, including SRH and youth, with focus on those furthest behind.
- Strengthen SRH–GBV linkages, including clinical care for survivors of sexual violence.
2. Coordination & Partnerships
- Work with GBViE partners to support the timely and coordinated implementation of planned activities. Coordinate with partners on programmatic developments, including the regular sharing and reporting of information.
- Review, analyse, and verify data submitted by partners to ensure completeness, accuracy, and to avoid duplication, particularly in relation to the distribution of dignity kits.
- Maintain regular communication with the Bureau Of Gender Affairs, Bureau of Gender Affairs and relevant UN agencies.
- Contribute to strengthening partnerships and technical collaboration at Parish and national level.
3. Monitoring, Data & Knowledge
- Monitor GBV services delivered by implementing partners, including field visits as needed.
- Monitor project implementation, including financial expenditures and implementation rate (IR). Work with finance to provide financial reports regarding emergency activities.
- Contribute to knowledge-sharing platforms, best practices and technical resources.
- Support analysis, documentation and dissemination of lessons learned on GBV in emergencies.
- Contribute to development of project updates and report
4. Work Relations
- External partners include UN agencies and programme countries; sub regional and international organizations and counterparts on substantive issues including, Government organizations, NGOs, community-based organizations and peer-organizations of vulnerable communities, and research institutions, professional associations (particularly with Midwives Association), and international experts;
- Internal partners include regional and sub-regional programme and technical staff, and the UNFPA technical network, in ensuring integrated programme and technical support in line with the needs of countries.
Required Qualifications and Experience
The ideal Consultant will need to meet the following requirements:
1. EDUCATION: - A Bachelor's degree in a relevant area, Social Science, Gender Studies, International Development, Law, Human Rights, Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or other related field.
2. EXPERIENCE:
- At least 3 years of professional experience in GBV;
- Experience in humanitarian response is an advantage;
- Technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;
- Strong verbal and written communications skills in English;
- Experience mobilizing key national and regional stakeholders around resource mobilization initiatives and/or joint action; and
- Familiarity with management and monitoring tools is desirable;
3. LANGUAGE:
- Fluency in English is required
Required Competencies:
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
- Embracing cultural diversity
- Embracing change
Core Competencies: - Achieving results
- Being accountable
- Thinking analytically and strategically
- Working in teams/ managing ourselves and our relationships
- Communicating for impact
Functional skill set
- Developing and implementing conceptually innovative approaches to the provision of technical expertise conceptual innovation;
- Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners and building strategic alliances and partnerships - building strategic partnerships.
- Job knowledge /technical expertise - expert knowledge of own discipline.
- Adaptation and application of knowledge /innovations in different contexts; and
- Integration in a multidisciplinary environment.
Languages: Fluency in English is required
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Note: - There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process.
- UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
- UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.
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