UNFPA South Sudan: Population Data & Development Policy Specialist -National Post

  • Contractor
  • Juba South Sudan
  • TBD USD / Year
  • United Nations Population Fund profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


United Nations Population Fund

Job title: Population Data & Development Policy SpecialistLevel: NO-C

Position Number: 00032765

Duty Station: Juba, South Sudan Full/Part time: Full-Time

Fixed term/Temporary: Fixed Term

Rotational/Non-Rotational: Non-Rotational

Duration: One year (renewable)

Closing date: 4 September 2022

The Position:

Under overall supervision of the UNFPA Representative and direct supervision of Deputy Representative, the Specialist, Population Data and Development Policy (PDDP), leads UNFPA’s work in population data and population dynamics; plays leadership role in coordinating and managing population and development and related thematic interventions of the UNFPA supported program, including population and development inter-linkages, data for development, and integration of population variables in policy and programming processes. The specialist will offer policy insights into how demographic changes shape and social, economic and environmental development; inform economic and development planning including setting of targets and financing; and help accelerate achievement of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA) and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Population dynamics plays an important role in determining pathways to sustainable development, making it a critical factor in formulating and implementing development strategies, policies and programmes. Strong data systems enable countries to track and address inequalities and target their investments at federal, provincial and local level.

The specialist analyses trends in population and development as well as the social and policy related environments in-country. She/he is proactive in preparing reports, updates and information on progress and achievements of these components of UNFPA supported program, in line with results-based management principles. He/she ensures coherence with agreed national and international planning frameworks, including UNFPA Strategic Plan, the agreed United Nations Cooperation Framework, the National Development Plan and other development strategies. The specialist establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies and civil society organizations to address emerging issues and to facilitate programme delivery. He/she must effectively influence counterparts and work with networks, including civil society to advance the ICPD agenda, through partnerships and national capacity strengthening, as well as other approaches such as south-south cooperation.

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 new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

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:

South Sudan is fully commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the long periods of civil wars and conflict has resulted in major development and humanitarian challenges. The country has one of the poorest development indicators in the world. The projected demographic changes up to 2030 will have important implications for development and progress towards achieving the SDGs as well as achievement of South Sudan development targets elaborated in the National Development Strategy and sectoral strategies. It is essential, therefore, to map population and demographic characteristics and needs and to understand how demographic shifts, such as status and trends in population growth, youth dividend, urbanization, migration, population ageing, household structures and family life, will shape social, economic and environmental development, particularly in the context of leaving no one behind.

The way in which population trends are likely to interact with other factors in enabling or hindering the achievement of the SDGs and national development aspirations needs to be considered. Looking ahead, the inter-relationship between economic and human development, social and environmental challenges and projected demographic trends will need to be considered in formulating sustained economic and social development policies and plans. The availability of reliable up-to-date population and other socio-economic data (a rare phenomenon in South Sudan) in facilitating decision making cannot be over emphasized.

In pursuit of sustainable development, UNFPA will collaborate with partners to ensure everyone, everywhere, is counted and accounted for. The specialist, will lead the UNFPA’s efforts in promoting the inter-linkages between the ICPD mandate and the 2030 Agenda, engaging in policy dialogue and development planning, and drawing on rights-based and gender-responsive demographic analysis. Working closely with the UNFPA thematic teams and Communications team, the specialist will play a critical role in ensuring coordinated advocacy to reflect the ICPD agenda in national and sub-national development and sectoral policies and plans. In collaboration with the UNFPA M&E team, the specialist will ensure population data and trends analyses inform UNFPA and its partners in their policy and programme interventions in order to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the ICPD PoA and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

You will ensure interlinkages of the population and development work with other UNFPA supported programme areas, such as, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality and women’s empowerment, in development and humanitarian settings.

You will oversee and advance the integration of UNFPA’s work on strengthening national population data systems as well as enabling youth engagement in development processes including under the UNFPA mandated areas of work and will supervise the concerned staff.

You will work in close collaboration with the UNFPA partners on ensuring availability of population data and to generate information on demographic trends and analyses including proposed policy responses.

He/ she would be responsible for:

  • Facilitates and/or generates analyses on demographic megatrends and how they interact with social, economic and environmental challenges to inform economic and development planning including the setting of targets and financing in pursuit of sustainable development and leaving no one behind.
  • Translates data and analyses into policy briefs to support evidence-based policymaking, elevate advocacy and communication efforts, and guide programme and humanitarian responses for the achievement of ICPD agenda and the SDGs.
  • Analyzes population issues in the country to provide substantive inputs to institutional responses and advocacy strategies considering political, cultural and social sensitivities. Takes opportunities to advocate and advance UNFPA policy agenda by participating in public information events.
  • Conducts regular scanning of the political, socio-economic and development environment at national and sub-national levels, to identify opportunities and challenges for the achievement of the ICPD agenda and the SDGs.
  • Facilitates policy dialogue on emerging population and development issues and the interlinkages between the ICPD and SDG agendas, with the Government, civil society, development partners at all levels in collaboration with relevant UNFPA staff.
  • Identifies entry points for UNFPA to advance the ICPD agenda and leverage resources for the lagging indicators, working in collaboration with concerned UNFPA staff.
  • Identifies opportunities for strategic partnerships to leverage political, technical and financial support for the accelerated achievement of the ICPD PoA.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced degree in health, population, demography and/or other related social science discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

  • From two (2) years of increasingly responsible professional experience and responsibilities at national level in the field of sexual and reproductive and maternal health; population activities
  • Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners
  • Proven experience in coordinating/managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts and consultants
  • Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.
  1. Technical Leadership on Population and Development
  • Provides technical guidance on population and development trends and facilitates building data use and analytical capacities to forecast population dynamics and integration of demographic trends in development strategies, policies and plans.
  • Promotes use of analytic methods and tools to track and address inequalities, target investments, and monitor impact in pursuit of the unfinished business of the ICPD PoA.
  • Collaborates with a range of actors and serve as a bridge between data users, methodological and substantive innovators, and data producers and contributes to building national and sub-national capacities to generate usable information for development panning, coordinated risk reduction and humanitarian action.
  • Develops strategic partnerships to leverage the resources of government institutions, think-tanks, and academic institutions for achievement of the ICPD and SDG agendas.
  • Coordinates analysis, drawing on quantitative and qualitative socio-economic and demographic data, including analysis of socio-economic and demographic surveys, to inform UNFPA’s evidence-based advocacy, policy guidance and programming.
  • Leads UNFPA’s support for South Sudan’s reporting on progress towards achievement of the ICPD PoA and Agenda 2030, including inputs for the Voluntary National Reports.
  • Participates in UN system wide and development partners’ discussions on Agenda 2030 and represents UNFPA in interagency meetings, ensuring effective cooperation.
  1. Programme Management
  • Leads the formulation of the population and development component of the UNFPA supported country programme, ensuring the selected interventions position UNFPA as a thought leader in population dynamics and its links with Agenda 2030.
  • Provides programme leadership in the management and oversight of the population and development component, including activities related to population dynamics, data systems and use as well as the adolescent and youth programme component, ensuring synergies with all other relevant thematic programmes areas of UNFPA.
  • Applies results-based management in programme planning, implementation and monitoring in the area of population dynamics, including development of work plans, ensuring timely and high-quality reporting, as needed.
  • Contributes to strategic positioning of the ICPD agenda and UNFPA’s work in the context of UN programming and development frameworks, including in joint assessments and analyses, programme management, monitoring and reporting.
  • Establishes close working relationships with implementing partners, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies in the design and timely/efficient delivery of programme interventions, with a strong focus on harnessing the demographic dividend in line with UNFPA’s strategic plan and country programme and promotion of approaches that are grounded in gender equality and social inclusion.
  • Contributes to the resource mobilization efforts by analyzing information on potential donors, preparing substantive briefs and proposals in line with donor priorities, creating feedback mechanisms and providing information on progress of donor funded initiatives. Identifies opportunities for strategic partnerships, cost-sharing, leveraging resources and collaboration with civil society, the private sector, government and other partners as well as through joint UN programmes.
  • Collaborates with other thematic programme areas and the provincial teams to identify emerging issues, knowledge gaps and potential areas for research and analysis.
  • Adapts training materials, manuals and tools in population and development to the national and sub-national contexts and ensures their use for capacity building.
  • Leads and/or contributes to training activities in population and development for capacity building of UNFPA staff and partners at all levels.
  • Coaches and supervises national professional and support staff under his/her supervision; responsible for staff performance and advises on development needs; undertakes capacity building among UNFPA staff and first-line counterparts for issues pertaining to programme management and advocacy towards ICPD goals
  1. Data, Evidence and Knowledge Management
  • Provides technical support to the National Bureau of Statistics and other government institutions to strengthen the national statistical system, conduct population census, strengthen civil registration system and conduct SRH and GBV related surveys and assessment
  • Leads the analysis and synthesis of population dynamics and their implications for policy and development planning in the country and pursues research activities to addressing information gaps and produce new, cutting-edge technical knowledge.
  • Contributes to the documentation of lessons learned and best practice related to UNFPA’s work on population and development.
  • Identifies and participates in communities of practice related to population and development and shares new approaches with UNFPA staff and partners.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced University Degree in Population Studies, Demography, Statistics, Economic Development, Public Policy, International Relations and/or other related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

  • At least five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of data and population dynamics or a related discipline.
  • Experience in policy advocacy and upstream engagements with good understanding of development planning, policymaking, financing and governance processes.
  • Experience in programme management including designing and managing complex multi-disciplinary projects and liaising with a diverse range of partners.
  • Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce analysis with policy outcomes.
  • Knowledgeable of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ICPD Programme of Action, with a good understanding of human rights, gender equality and social inclusion dimensions for integration in policy and programming efforts.
  • Strong skills in Microsoft Office software.
  • Experience with statistical software (SPSS, Stata, R etc.) and geospatial software (ArcGIS, QGIS etc.) is an asset.
  • Experience in large scale national surveys and census taking is an asset.
  • Excellent writing skills and ability to make compelling oral presentations and produce high quality analytical documents and proposals.
  • Demonstrated ability to network within the development community.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably Arabic is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

  • Exemplifying integrity,
  • Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
  • Embracing cultural diversity,
  • Embracing change

Functional Competencies:

  • 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 mobilisation

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

Compensation and Benefits This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus cost-of-living adjustment, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave, 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.

How to apply

Follow the links below:

Internal Link: View the internal job posting

External Link: View the external job posting


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