UPDATE: The title of the post is corrected to clarify the Duty Station is New York.

The Position:

The Programme Adviser serves as the substantive focal point for data and for population dynamics in the Programme Division’s Programme Liaison Branch. This position is based in New York and reports to the New York-based Chief of the Programme Liaison Branch and will work in close coordination with the Nairobi-based Chief of Data and Analytics Branch and the Chief of Population and Development Branch.

The Programme Adviser will have a specific focus on New York related partnerships and engagement, intergovernmental processes, interagency collaborations, resource mobilization and advocacy related to data, analytics, and population and development. The Programme Adviser will ensure policy, programme and technical coordination and engagement with New York-based stakeholders, including Member States, Permanent Missions, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia and other experts on global issues related to data and population and development.

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.

Job Purpose:

The Programme Adviser post provides strategic and technical leadership to ensure that the ICPD Programme of Action and specifically matters of data and population and development are firmly placed within the global development agenda, including the achievement of the SDGs and in the development of the post-2030 agenda. More specifically, responsibilities of the Programme Adviser include:

• Strategic, technical and policy coordination and advisory support
• Global positioning including through advocacy, partnerships, and resource mobilisation
• Representational support
• Evidence and knowledge dissemination and use

In all activities, they will foster collaboration with the technical and regional desk colleagues based in the Programme Liaison Branch and with other key divisions and units based in New York including with the Division of External Relations (DER), the Office of the Executive Director (OED), and specific support to the engagement of the Deputy Executive Director, Programmes (DED-P) on matters of data and population dynamics within the Secretary General’s Common Agenda and outcomes of the Summit of the Future, as well as the ICPD, SDGs, UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD), UN Statistical Commission, and other intergovernmental and interagency engagements.

Further, the Programme Adviser collaborates closely with UNFPA’s Regional Offices, and with the UNFPA programme network, ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, relevance, and quality of substantive outputs.

The postholder will provide technical and policy guidance and engage in global advocacy with the aim to strengthen UNFPA’s positioning as a lead UN system agency on data and population and development matters. With guidance from the Branch Chiefs, the programme Adviser will influence the substantive advocacy agenda in data and in population and development including through: collaborating with internal and external stakeholders for priorities in this area; maintaining global partnerships on substantive issues with relevant global institutions and actors; and, providing leadership and representation to ensure that technical and programmatic knowledge on data and on population and development is available to inform global advocacy and policy decisions.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities

A. Strategic technical and policy coordination and advisory support

• Coordinate UNFPA’s policy and technical contributions in data and in population and development in New York-based system-wide processes, including development of the Secretary-General’s annual reports on the ICPD Programme of Action implementation and the SDG progress report among others.
• In close cooperation with the United Nations and Intergovernmental Branch (UNIB) in the Division of External Relations, provide strategic advice and coordinate UNFPA’s political, programmatic, technical and policy contributions to UN interagency and intergovernmental processes, related to data and to population and development including in the context of the UN General Assembly, High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Commission on Population and Development, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Statistical Commission, and other high-level events in New York.
• Scan the substantive environment and maintain feedback loops on programme, policy and technical issues relevant to UNFPA mandate in the areas under their responsibility. Maintain close awareness of the environment and reciprocally inform Programme Division colleagues based in the Nairobi HQ about new and evolving developments in data and in population and development.
• In coordination with the Programme Division’s Branch Chiefs in Nairobi, engage in relevant conferences and symposiums and write reports, technical papers, policy briefs, and op-eds on data and on population and development, and identify priority issues to inform UNFPA strategic positions and related policies, frameworks, evidence-based arguments, and operational strategies.
• Respond to the needs of the field through the regional offices and Nairobi-based Programme Division colleagues, in developing and updating policies, frameworks, guidance, standards, instruments and tools aimed at better incorporation of data and population dynamics in the national development/poverty reduction strategies and expenditure frameworks
• Support the Chiefs of other Branches in provision of cutting edge technical advice to senior management of UNFPA on the substantive areas of data and of population and development.
• Support the Programme Liaison Branch Chief, Programme Division Director and UNFPA Senior Management in engagement in UN interagency coordination in relevant data and population development mechanisms by drafting briefing and advisory notes, preparing talking points, speeches and presentations, and in preparing for and participating in selected meetings as appropriate.

B. Global positioning, advocacy, partnerships, and resource mobilisation

• In collaboration with the Programme Division’s Branch Chiefs in Nairobi and New York, support global positioning, visibility and advocacy for UNFPA’s leadership in data and in population and development at New York-based events and convening, including during the UN Statistical Commission, the Commission on Population and Development, the High-Level Political Forum, the UN General Assembly, and at UN-led, member states, and partner events, meetings and conferences.
• Ensure technical excellence, presentation and sharing of UNFPA’s work on data and on population and development with NY-based actors and institutions, including the UN Statistics Division, the UN Population Division, Permanent Missions and Member States, UN agencies, donors, parliamentarians, Foundations, Private Sector, Civil Society Organizations and academia.
• In collaboration with the Programme Divisions Nairobi-based teams, develop, manage and maintain substantive partnerships, collaborations, coordination and engagement with other UN agencies, including in the context of the UN SDG and UN Reform agendas and strategic partnerships with other New York-based global partners. Position UNFPA as an evidence-based convener of experts and thought leader on data and population and development, including in interagency efforts, events, and other global or regional-focused engagements in New York.
• Contribute to non-core resource mobilisation efforts around data and population and development to support generation, analysis and use of evidence to unlock the power of data for insights and impact in an increasingly demographically diverse world.

C. Representational support

• Act as the main technical focal point for data and for population and development in the Programme Liaison Branch on matters of the ICPD Programme of Action and its positioning within the SDGs and the post-2030 agenda.
• Work in collaboration with colleagues across the Programme Division, on knowledge and evidence sharing across the organization and with New York-based partners, on issues related to data and to population dynamics
• In collaboration with the Programme Division Chiefs in Nairobi, represent UNFPA and elaborate its substantive global perspective on data and on population and development and advocate in global, intergovernmental, UN, and other policy-related and technical meetings and fora in New York, as appropriate.
• In consultation with the Programme Division Chiefs in Nairobi, collaborate with UN agencies, in particular UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Divisions (Statistics Division and Population Division), with research and training institutions, professional societies, and act as global focal point for inter-agency working groups on data and on population and development.
• Engage in interagency and strategic partnerships and collaboration and convening, including with UN agencies, academia, research, training institutions, and professional societies to support knowledge generation and exchange and promote UNFPA’s positioning. Represent UNFPA in relevant New York-based inter-agency processes, including Inter-Agency Task Forces (IATFs).

D. Evidence and knowledge dissemination and use

• In collaboration with the Programme Division Nairobi-based Branches, support data analysis and synthesis of trends and findings in UNFPA’s thematic areas and demographic trends (including megatrends), in order to produce cutting edge technical knowledge.
• Identify, analyze, and synthesize state-of-the-art technical knowledge and evidence and ensure its transfer to improve the effectiveness of UNFPA’s field programmes.
• Ensure that evidence, technical knowledge, and analysis of lessons learned are collected, managed, disseminated and available for application in UNFPA programmes, in collaboration with relevant units in global, regional and country offices, and with other partners.
• Generate and share briefings and background materials in the substantive areas for senior management as needed.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Branch Chiefs or Division Director.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in demography, sociology, population studies, geography, medicine, public health, statistics, economics or other related fields

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10 years of professional experience in areas related to data and population and development, of which at least 5 years at international level is required.
• Extensive experience in intergovernmental and interagency engagement processes and high-level convening is a must.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills particularly in population and development is required.
• Extensive network within the development and academic community.
• Experience in policy development and national/regional development policy and planning processes is an asset.
• Experience with working with governments in developing countries and/or regional development institutions is highly desirable.
• Experience working for the UN desirable

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is 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,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners, and building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Job knowledge / technical expertise
• Adaptation and application of knowledge / innovations in different contexts
• Integration in a multidisciplinary environment

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. 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.