[ad_1]

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Position:

The Regional Office for West and Central Africa (WCARO) covers 23 English, French, Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries. The countries in the region are organized at the sub-regional and regional levels into economic commissions. In its organizational set-up, the WCARO operates along broad thematic Units that are designed to stimulate and strengthen inter and intra-Unit coordination, coherence and synergy, facilitating timely and quality management and delivery of holistic population and development programme activities.

The position of Programme Analyst will function out of the WCARO office in Dakar (Senegal) within an interdisciplinary and multi-function Policy, Advocacy and Evidence Unit, reporting to the Advisor in Population, Evidence and Development. In general, the position is expected to focus on fostering and ensuring that reliable data, graph and evidence are available to support UNFPA high level advocacy and policy dialogue in... the region. The functions of the position on these issues will also extend to country programmes, in the context of the enhanced but supportive role that WCARO is expected to assume.

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 primary responsibility of the Programme Analyst is to support the effective provision of technical assistance and programme support to the countries of the region in the area of data analysis, evidence and policy. S/he analyses continental as well as specific regional/cluster trends and contributes to strategic action in response to these, contributing to the monitoring of UNFPA substantive areas being firmly placed within national development frameworks and programmes, including the achievement of the SDGs.

Responsibilities of the Programme Analyst include: support to the implementation and monitoring of the UNFPA strategic plan in the region with sound data and evidence; and, to contribute effectively to the update, generation, collection and dissemination of technical knowledge for effective technical, capacity building and policy dialogue.

In all activities, s/he works within an inter-disciplinary team that provides integrated programme and technical support to the region. S/he also liaises with other units and regions thus ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, relevance and quality of technical support to UNFPA operations.

You would be responsible for:

Under the overall policy guidance of the WCARO Director and under the direction and supervision of the Policy Advisor, the position will:
• Identify areas for research in development of UNFPA niche, leading the analysis and synthesis of substantive trends, emerging needs and research findings in order to support the production of new and cutting edge knowledge for policy development and programme implementation;
• Contribute to regional perspectives on the elaboration of UNFPA Strategic Plan and to support the development of actionable initiatives;
• Contribute to the analysis of substantive reports on population and development issues, specifically around the Demographic Dividend and assist in follow-up actions in review of policies, programmes and processes;
• Assist with periodic assessment of gaps and constraints to policy development and programme implementation as well as organize, as needed, sub-regional, regional or inter-country training and capacity development activities, assuring utilization of new skills-set in programme implementation;
• Assist with synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data as well as with preparation of reports on programme patterns and trends to facilitate decision making, quality programming activities and implementation of corrective actions on the programmes;
• Provide regional perspective into the preparation, revision, adaption of training materials, manuals and tools, ensuring their availability and monitored use in order to assess their effectiveness for programme implementation;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of collaboration schemes on substantive issues with UN agencies, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centres of excellence, professional societies in the region in furtherance of UNFPA Strategic Plan and the advancement of ICPD agenda, SDG goals and the demographic dividend agenda;
• Maintain and utilize an active network of sub-regional and regional experts of diverse skills mix and institutions in area of work as an integral part of processes of programme and policy development, as well as for the larger objective of capacity building and transfer of skills and programme ownership;
• Prepare subject matter documents including, but not limited to, briefing materials, best practices, lessons learned and success stories to aid policy dialogues at sub-regional, regional or global levels as well as promote strategies for knowledge utilization to improve programme implementation;
• Contribute to the organic development and implementation of results-based indicators, ensuring necessary follow-up for compliance;
• Participate in missions related to policy development and programming processes;
• Consolidate documentation on lessons learned/best practices in area of quality assurance and compliance, ensuring that these are incorporated into the UNFPA knowledge sharing system;
• Contribute inputs into strengthening and accessibility of programme databases;
• Contribute inputs, evidence and data to efforts at resource mobilization;
• Participate in UNFPA networks in domain of work, providing regional perspectives;
• Develop and implement strategies to spotlight, UNFPA comparative advantage in the population and development domain within the policies and programmes of political and technical arms of the sub regional and regional intergovernmental organizations;
• Carry out any other duties as assigned.

Within the context of an enhanced WCARO support to Country Programmes
• Serve as a potential resource person to country programmes in its domain of work.
• Provide inputs and if need be, participate in activities to strengthen national capacities.
• Contribute to the promotion of data for development approaches for policy making, programming and programme assessment activities in the area of the Demographic Dividend.
• Contribute and if need be, participate in the preparation of national development frameworks, country action plans and all related documents, assuring hands-on participation of national experts and institutions as an integral part of the processes.
• Provide support, with the participation of national experts and institutions, to analyze and improve national programme development, implementation and reporting systems.
• Contribute to strategies that promote technical knowledge, programme evidence, lessons learned and success stories for use in improving country programmes.
• Contribute to the interpretation and clarification of existing UNFPA policies regarding quality assurance and compliance requirements and standards as well as in respect of new approaches and techniques;
• Provide support in the adaptation and use of programming, monitoring, evaluation and reporting guidelines and tools.

Work Relations
• External partners include staff of sister UN agencies, both at the regional and country level, implementing partners at the regional and sub-regional level, Governments and donors to exchange information.
• The Programme Analyst will liaise closely with other colleagues in the RO, the Programme Division, including Knowledge Management, and the Regional Desk; and, with the Technical Division and the UNFPA Technical network, ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, relevance and quality of technical support to UNFPA operations. In all activities, s/he works within an inter-disciplinary team providing integrated programme and technical support to the region.

Qualifications and Experience:
• Two years of increasingly responsible professional experience in work related to international development Substantive knowledge and practical experience in population, policy development and data Experience in Population research, census, DHS, civil registration, evidence, data, an asset
• Experience of linkages between population and other UNFPA issues like the demographic dividend Demonstrated experience in data collection, analysis and reporting Experience in population related policy development, an asset Have sound knowledge of the social and cultural realities of the region.
• Have strong research and analytical skills Familiarity with UN procedures and working methods, particularly with UNFPA’s agenda, policies and procedures, is highly desirable.

Education:

Post-graduate University Degree or equivalent in public health, sociology, demography, economics, international relations, international development, public administration, management or other related field.

Languages:
• Fluency in English is required, French is desirable to enable effective communication with English speaking and French speaking country coordination groups and local organizations (West and Central Africa Region)

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,

Functional Competencies:
• Knowledge and understanding:
• Demonstrated knowledge and an understanding of the social, political, economic, dimensions (milieu, context) of policy making and programme implementation generally and in WCARO zone;
• Knowledge and experience of work in development assistance programming processes;
• Experience of work in development assistance in developing countries;
• Ability to lead and drive for results with a strong knowledge of results-based management.
• Cognitive skills:
• Ability to identify the relative merits of different policy arguments in the broad or specific thematic area, applying principles and reasoned personal view in a logical and coherent way including presentation of reasoned choice between alternative opinions and solutions;
• Ability to conceptualize and to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives;
• Capacity to interact with public and NGO officials in programme countries and credibly influence their senior decision makers and other international development organizations in regard to ICPD agenda and MDG goals
• Communication: Working with others:
• Ability to organize information using appropriate mode of presentation and style and to communicate effectively, illustrating relevance of information to the intended audience;
• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge product;
• Ability to promote knowledge management and a learning environment through leadership and personal example.
• Working with others
• Demonstrated ability to work with and within inter-disciplinary and multicultural groups to find agreed solutions to set problems and to accept responsibility and accountability for performance on any aspect of a team task;
• Demonstrated ability to provide constructive coaching and feedback;
• Ability to reflect critically on own performance up to identifying issues on which assistance is needed and to obtain such assistance;
• Excellent negotiating and networking skills.

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.

Apply for job

To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover/motivation letter where (unjobvacancies.com) you saw this job posting
Dakar Senegal

Salary Criteria