The UNFPA is hiring a Population Dynamics and Big Data Programme Specialist.
Organizational Setting
The Position
The Programme Specialist Demographic Dividend, Population Dynamics and Big Data provides strategic, technical and programmatic support for the Sahel Women Empowerment and Demographic Dividend project (SWEDD) Regional Technical Secretariat (RTS) and the region in the areas of demographic dividend, population dynamics and big data.
You will work under the direct supervision of the SWEDD Regional Coordinator and in collaboration with the Evidence, Knowledge, Data and Policy Unit at the West & Central Africa Regional Office.
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 (2018-2021), 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 program results.
Project description
The Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD) is a regional collaboration encompassing Cameroun, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Benin, and is funded by the World Bank’s regional IDA (International Development Association) resources. The Project acts on the UN-World Bank commitment and partnership to address the Demographic Dividend in the Sahel. The overall goal of the project is to accelerate the demographic transition, to spur the demographic dividend, and to reduce gender inequality in the participating countries.
The SWEDD Project interventions are structured around 3 primary components: (1) Generate demand for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health, and nutrition (RMNCHN) services by promoting social and behavioral change and the empowerment of women and adolescent girls; (2) Reinforce the regional availability of RMNCHN commodities and qualified health workers; (3) Reinforce advocacy and dialogue at high levels and promote policy development and the project’s implementation.
Project governance is vested in a Regional Steering Committee, supported by the Regional Technical Secretariat (RTS) located at the UNFPA’s West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO). The RTS is responsible for strengthening project management capacities of implementing agencies at national and regional levels. It also oversees the programming and implementation of all funding channeled through UNFPA for the project activities directly executed by UNFPA or sub-contracted to other agencies and partners.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
You would be responsible for:
Population Dynamics
- Support countries in establishing a road map for integrating population dynamics, the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2063 Goal, emerging issues, and capturing the demographic dividend into national development policies;
- Integrate an economic perspective into the analysis of population and development issues, and contribute to the positioning of population dynamics, reproductive health and gender equality and equity issues in sectorial development policies and regional frameworks;
- Contribute to advocacy efforts around population dynamics issues and the demographic dividend, at the same time contributing to the documentation of good practices, lessons learned, etc. to facilitate program activities and their scaling up.
Demographic Dividend
- Support countries in the programming, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of regional interventions related to the capture of the demographic dividend and the African Union Road Map, based on the DD Programming Guide;
- Provide technical support to countries for the implementation of the roadmap for the operationalization of the observatories (national and regional) of the demographic dividend;
- Ensure national and regional capacity building, and contribute to activities promoting national ownership of the demographic dividend and facilitate relations with countries in the implementation of initiatives to capture the demographic dividend;
- Identify opportunities for partnerships with individuals, groups and organizations (private sector, government entities, networks of religious and traditional leaders, parliamentarians, youth and women, and other development partners, media and civil society organizations) in mobilizing resources and for the strategic positioning of population issues, SDOs and the demographic dividend and the promotion of SWEDD;
Big Data
- Strengthen national and regional capacities in the production and use of quality data; and support data production to support SWEDD Project implementation at the national and regional levels, as well as the monitoring of SDOs;
- Develop projection tools to support advocacy for the demographic dividend and evidence-based programming;
- Provide assistance to countries in the design and implementation of surveys and projections, the drafting of evidence reports, and the development of a national strategy for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
Qualifications and Experience
Education
Advanced university degree in quantitative social sciences, such as epidemiology, statistics, demography, sociology, economics or related disciplines.
Knowledge and Experience
- Minimum five years of professional experiences in programme/project management, specifically dealing with the interrelationships between population and development, including issues of poverty and/or health economics, population dynamics, demographic dividend, etc.;
- Demonstrated experience in modeling the interrelationships of social sectors and development with the application of internationally accepted methodologies;
- Demonstrated understanding of national planning, programming and budgeting processes;
- Strong analytical, synthesis and communication skills on issues related to development, while ensuring respect for aspects sensitive to the culture and values specific to populations;
- Demonstrated experience in the application of demo-economic modeling and monitoring evaluation methods and tools (NTA, DemDiv, small area estimations), as well as statistical methodologies (including statistical packages such as STATA or SPSS);
- Demonstrated mastery of methods and techniques for data quality assessment, processing and analysis using a variety of health and population sources (DHS, MICS and population census);
- Strong knowledge and understanding of the socio-cultural and political context in SWEDD countries;
- Strong interpersonal communication skills;
- Excellent report writing and compelling oral presentations;
- Familiarity with the UN system is desirable
Languages
Fluency in French and working knowledge of English are required.
Required Competencies
Values
- Exemplifying integrity
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
- Embracing diversity in all its forms
- Embracing change
Functional Competencies
- Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness;
- Facilitating quality programme results;
- Innovation and marketing of new approaches;
- Leveraging the resources of partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships;
- Advocacy/ advancing a policy oriented agenda;
- Strengthening the programming capacity of Country Offices;
- Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information;
- Internal and external relations and advocacy for resources mobilization.
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
Disclaimer
Warning to applicants: UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Should you feel that you have received a fraudulent notice, letter or offer that makes use of the name or logo of UNFPA, you may submit a report through the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
How to apply
UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy. Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-recruit System of UNFPA at http://www.unfpa.org/ employment. Please print out the guide for your reference during the registration and application process. Note : There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of application process.UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of VIH or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
Closing date: 28 July 2021.
