Chief, Population & Development Branch – D1  

[RE-OPENED] All applicants who have previously applied for this post do not need to re-apply. 

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 Position:

The Population and Development Branch (PDB) within the Programme Division ensures linkages between broader population variables and global megatrends and development agendas.The PDB links UNFPA’s mandate to the 2030 global development agenda of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA), and other international and regional commitments and country development plans. The branch will spell out the incredible importance of the role of population dynamics, patterns and trends (demographic diversity, gender, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), climate, technology, population movements, social and economic changes), for the development agenda and for global, regional, and country priorities. 

The primary roles of the Branch Chief are:

• Provide vision and leadership to UNFPA’s area of population and development
• Serve as UNFPA’s Chief on population matters .
• Global thought leader on demographic-development linkages.
• Liaise with the development-oriented agencies of the UN system.
• Strengthen partnership with scientific/academic community, economic and development planning communities/blocs, civil society, and private sector.
• Main go-to person in UNFPA on demography  and megatrends – not least in relation to the impacts of climate change on population and development outcomes.
• Coordinator of UNFPA-wide network on demographic dividend, demographic resilience and demographic megatrends
• Responsible for UNFPA value proposition, strategy and positioning and global corporate flagship initiatives on population,  development and climate change
• Technical oversight of research and analysis on population and development
• Oversight over reports, technical papers, policy briefs, briefing notes, speeches, op-eds on population and development
• Oversees three teams working on:, demographic dividend;  demographic resilience; and, population dynamics and megatrends.
• Supports fundraising and other strategic initiatives.
• Ensures collaboration and coordination across other branches in the Programme Division ensuring that population matters are integrated in others areas of work of the Division
• Guides internal UNFPA capacity and knowledge management on aspects of population and development policy and programming including leading internal reference groups and communities of practise on population and development  
• Main technical focal point on all matters related to the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the ICPD Programme of Action  
• Oversight of planning, monitoring and reporting for the branch.
   

Job Purpose:

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the ground-breaking International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the pace and direction of demographic change around the world has never been more diverse – with some countries continuing to experience rapid population growth, while others face population decline. And countries are facing other megatrends including:  demographic shifts, particularly population ageing; urbanization; climate change;  the emergence of digital technologies; and inequalities. The Branch Chief is the principal adviser in UNFPA providing authoritative advice and leadership for the positioning of UNFPA in Population and Development within the context of the global development agenda, and particularly the ICPD Programme of Action and the achievement of the SDGs. The Chief manages the work of the Branch in developing: conceptual frameworks; substantive strategies; policies; intellectual guidance; state of the art papers; and, global technical instruments and tools, relevant to the needs of countries.

Within the Branch, the Chief has overall responsibility for strategic direction, policy development, and management of human and financial resources.  

Strategic Direction and Technical Leadership 

• Support the Programme Division Director and Deputy Director in the strategic positioning of UNFPA in the assigned substantive thematic area;
• Provide vision, strategic direction, and leadership in the Branch’s area of responsibility, and ensure incorporation of the substantive area into organizational priorities;
• Conceptualize, plan, coordinate and lead the development of evidence-based strategy, policy, frameworks, technical guidance and tools in the substantive area of responsibility, providing quality outputs which are timely, coherent and relevant to the needs of countries;
• Identify needs for state-of-the-art technical knowledge, and ensure that such knowledge is developed and fed into UNFPA knowledge sharing systems;
• Provide authoritative technical advice, guidance and support to UNFPA senior management, HQ Divisions and, in particular, to UNFPA regional and country offices; 
• Support the use of the substantive work of the Branch in UNFPA programming, UN programming, and national development processes;
• Identify the need for, develop and maintain strategic partnerships and collaborative work within the UN system and other networks on substantive issues under the Branch’s responsibility;
• Represent UNFPA, and advocate for the ICPD Programme of Action in the Branch’s substantive area, in policy dialogues and technical meetings with donors, programme countries, international agencies and institutions, and development fora;
• Ensure the accuracy, consistency, coherence, and availability of technical content in the substantive area for global advocacy efforts; and
• Support, in coordination with the External Relations Division, resource mobilization efforts for technical issues. 

Capacity Development 

• Establish and maintain partnerships, and build the capacity of global partner institutions for advancing state-of-the-art knowledge and strengthening technical advisory resources; 
• Strengthen the substantive capacity of UNFPA technical and programme staff to ensure effective programming of resources;
• Foster partnerships and collaboration at the global level, including UN System, foundations, private sector and NGOs, to ensure a functioning network that facilitate access to financial and technical resources, and broad-based knowledge management and knowledge sharing in the substantive area of work;
• Identify lessons learned, and ensure, with knowledge management staff, their incorporation into the UNFPA knowledge sharing systems; and
• Ensure the validation of a broad-based roster of international experts and institutions.

Quality Assurance 

• Ensure the availability of new or updated global strategies, policies, indicators, tools and guidance for substantive quality assurance in the Branch’s area of work and for thematic evaluations;
• Direct and manage a substantive quality assurance framework for the Branch’s work; and
• Ensure the quality assessment of the UNFPA technical delivery system in the Branch’s substantive area. 

Resources Management 

• Assume overall accountability for achieving the expected results of the Branch;
• Develop, ensure approval, implement and monitor the Branch Office Management Plan;
• Propose annual financial requirements for the work of the Branch and monitor the use of core and external resources to ensure sound financial management in compliance with UNFPA  rules, regulations, and procedures;
• Direct, manage and supervise the staff of the Branch;
• Establish and maintain a harmonious working environment; promote communication; encourage innovations; strengthen team-building through active participation and interaction at all levels; and, foster staff motivation, development and empowerment;
• Appraise Branch staff performance; ensure training/orientation for staff; provide input to Division of Human Resources (DHR) on selection of Branch and Division staff candidates and provide technical input to the regions on the selection of regional technical staff candidates in the substantive area;
• Promote an ethics-based approach in the Branch to management of human and financial resources;
• Ensure that audit recommendations applying to the Branch are implemented; and
• Carries out any other duties as may be required by the Programme Division Director or Deputy Division Director. 

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Advanced university degree in public health, sociology, demography, population studies, economics, international development, or other field directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post.  PhD is an advantage; both post graduate and graduate degree must be directly relevant to the substantive work of the Branch. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 15 years experience of increasingly responsible professional performance in public administration and international development of which at least 8 years in the thematic area at the international level;
• Job knowledge and technical expertise – the incumbent is expected to be an expert in the field and recognized authority in the area of assignment;
• Proven experience in population policies and demography essential
• National development planning and population policy experience an asset
• Understanding of social and economic policies and current megatrends and how these impact populations and development outcomes
• Up-to-date on state-of-the art knowledge, essential in the discipline of population and demography
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams of high level experts to achieve demonstrable results;
• Extensive network within the academic and development community;
• Excellent communication skills in speaking and writing in English;
• Strong interest in development work, especially the mission of UNFPA and dedication to the principles of the United Nations; and,
• Field experience is a strong asset.
   

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.

Managerial Competencies: 

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

Functional Competencies: 

• Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise; 
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships; 
• Job knowledge/technical expertise

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.

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