The Position:

The Population and Data for Development Programme Specialist is located in the Afghanistan Country Office (CO) and reports to the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.

The Population and Data for Development Programme Specialist ensures the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of population and development and data. The Programme Specialist – PDS will lead strategy formulation including research on current and emerging areas, assume leadership in undertaking demographic analysis for better understanding of inter-linkages between population and development and work in ensuring better use of population data and statistics in planning, monitoring and policy advocacy.

S/he oversees project formulation and evaluation, joint programming initiatives and national development frameworks. S/he contributes to the achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are applied by the programme team, and appropriate monitoring and oversight mechanisms and systems are established and implemented.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

The Population and Data for Development Programme Specialist oversees the work of the programme staff as well as potential consultants, advisors, and experts and establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society to address emerging issues. S/he must effectively influence counterparts from diverse backgrounds to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate.

Internal contacts include the Representative, Deputy Representative, Assistant Representative, the Population and Data Specialist (IIC), the CO’s programme team. External contacts include other UN agencies in the country, and counterparts and partners in Country programme activities, including international NGOs, experts etc.

• The Programme Specialist oversees the formulation and design of the country programme within thematic area of population development and data, and its component projects in line with key stakeholders’ priorities and according to UNFPA programme policies and procedures. Oversees achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are applied by programme team, and appropriate monitoring and oversight mechanisms and systems are established and implemented;
• Actively participates in relevant technical working groups in UNSFA Strategic Result Area to advance UNFPA’s area of work;
• Provide substantive and strategic leadership for improving data collection systems including surveys, censuses and service statistics systems, and enhancing their use in development planning
• Provides technical guidance and support to the revitalization of the civil registration and vital statistic program;
• Develop strategic analysis using large socio-economic, humanitarian and development datasets and lead the high-level empirical quantitative and qualitative research and secondary analysis to advance the data and evidence in the country
• Develop and support the implementation of capacity-building interventions for key stakeholders engaged in the management of Population and Development programmes
• Oversees project implementation, establishing collaborative partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs, and addressing training needs of project personnel;
• Ensures the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging population development trends, and data issues in Afghanistan, by the programme team through the analysis of programme, projects, strategies, approaches and on-going experience for lessons learned, best practices, and uses this knowledge for information sharing and planning future strategies;
• Contributes and participates in the development of the knowledge management strategy as a subject matter expert, and contributes to think-pieces, flagship publications, and other knowledge products on relevant themes and priorities.
• Participates in advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of Country Office by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participating in related donor meetings and public information events.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced degree in Public Health, Population Sciences, Demography, Social Sciences or related field in Economics or Statistics.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least five years of increasing professional experience and responsibilities, at the national level, in the area of population and sustainable development, including programme;
• Strong results-based programme management experience with a particular focus on strategic planning and capacity building;
• Experience in surveys and population census is an asset.
• Communication skills especially for the transfer of knowledge

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;
• Workings in teams/ managing ourselves and our relationships;
• Communicating for impact.

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus;
• Engaging internal/ external partners and stakeholders;
• Leading, developing and empowering people/ creating a culture of performance;
• Making decisions and exercising judgment.

Functional Skill Set:

• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda;
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships;
• Delivering results-based programme;
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto is desirable

Compensation and Benefits:

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

Disclaimer:

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.