Consultant-Population and Sustainable Development Policy Adviser (PSDP expert)

CATEGORY: Individual Consultant Contract

DUTY STATION: Bangkok, Thailand

DURATION: 6 months, starting early August

ORGANIZATION UNIT: Asia and the Pacific Regional Office

Background

UNFPA is charged with supporting the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, a touchstone in the paradigm shift of development that mandated the protection and fulfillment of human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRHR) for all, especially women and adolescents. While considerable progress has been made since 1994 in reducing maternal mortality and improving gender equality in some aspects, many issues remain to be addressed, particularly in light of enormous economic, social and demographic changes. The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda calls for a life of dignity for all, through development pathways that integrate the economic, social and environmental aspects of life. The collection, analysis and use of population data are fundamental for this endeavor, especially in realizing the SDG imperative to ‘leave no one behind.’ The PSDP consultant will generate strategic contributions toward advancing the ICPD and 2030 agendas in the AP Region, particularly focusing on incorporating population issues into environmental, economic and social policies.
People-centered development demands the realization of sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, the equality and empowerment of women and young people and their active participation in societies, and policies informed by a systematic analysis of population dynamics and its implications for sustainable development.
The Population and Sustainable Development Policy expert will provide policy and programmatic technical leadership for the region in the area of expertise to ensure that APRO and the UNFPA Country Offices in the region play a leadership role in advancing the ICPD and 2030 agendas in accordance with the Fund’s policies, as well as current thinking and academic advances. S/he will analyze regional as well as specific sub-regional trends and contribute to strategic action in response of these as well as to the monitoring of UNFPA substantive areas being firmly placed within national development frameworks and programmes, including the achievement of Agenda 2030.
Responsibilities of the Population and Sustainable Development Policy expert include: to support the elaboration of the next UNFPA regional programme 2018-21; to identify new and emerging needs in the area of evidence-based advocacy and policy dialogue, providing guidance and support to identify the impact of population dynamics in public policies and investments; to establish clear links between investments in reproductive and sexual health and reproductive rights, education, young people and the reduction of poverty, and maintain technical partnerships in the region; to provide leadership to regional efforts around evidence, knowledge and innovation; and, to ensure that technical knowledge is updated, generated, and disseminated for effective technical support, capacity building and policy dialogue.
The primary roles of the Population and Sustainable Development Policy expert are:

A. Strategic technical development, monitoring and oversight

• Provide technical and related programme leadership, management advice and strategic support and guidance to the region, in the area of expertise;
• Identify and provide analytical based advice, in the substantive area, on UNFPA’s comparative substantive role and specific contribution in the changing development agenda, and participate in policy dialogue;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of an integrated strategy for the delivery of high quality technical assistance and programme support in the region;
• Identify and analyze trends, threats and risks in the thematic area of work that may affect the ICPD and SDGs agendas and UNFPA’s work within the region;
• Scan the environment in the region to identify tendencies in the area of expertise, and ensure that they are appropriately addressed at the regional and/or sub-regional levels;
• Participate in the UNFPA technical network in the substantive area, maintaining communication and feedback loops on all substantive work;

B. Quality control of technical support and capacity development

• Advise the COs on the implementation and proper application of policy development and dialogue, strategies, guidelines and tools on substantive matters in the region, ensuring consistency and coherence in addressing priorities for UNFPA;
• Ensure that state-of-the-art thinking and research is integrated within the work of the APRO and partnership networks;
• Review products of technical support at key stages of UNFPA, UN, and national development planning exercises, including advice to APRO management;
• Initiate, develop, strengthen and monitor substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in the substantive area, including for South-South technical support to countries and for the implementation of the regional programme;

C. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination

• Lead the systematic analysis of population dynamics and their developmental implications and synthesize substantive trends in policy development and public investments, emerging needs and research findings in the region in order to produce new, cutting edge technical knowledge;
• Prepare briefings and materials for evidence-based policy dialogues at regional level, provide similar support at the request of country offices;
• Disseminate and promote the use of state-of-the-art technical knowledge, evidence, lessons learned and success stories and ensure their use to improve the effectiveness of UNFPA operations;
• Contribute to the advocacy efforts to advance the ICPD agenda and the attainment of relevant SDG targets in context of ICPD at the regional level;

D. Technical representation

• Represent UNFPA on substantive issues in the region and elaborate UNFPA’s substantive regional and global perspectives in the area of expertise;
• Participate in policy dialogue, and advocate for substantive issues in international, inter- governmental, UN and other policy and technical meetings and fora;
• Collaborate on substantive issues with UN agencies, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centers of excellence, professional societies in the region;

Education: Advanced degree in Economic Demography and/or Economics with Demography, or other fields directly related to the substantive area.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience – including practical experience in policy formulation and application -- in the substantive area, with emphasis on the linkages between population, economic and social policies and environmental sustainability, of which seven years at the international level;
• Demonstrated expertise in the substantive area of work and programme experience;
• Strong track record of intellectual and technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;
• Strong conceptual and analytical skills with the ability to articulate a holistic and interdisciplinary vision of, and solutions to issues
• Strong verbal and written communications skills, especially for transfer of knowledge;
• Demonstrated ability to network within the academic and development community;
• Familiarity with management and monitoring tools is desirable;
• Familiarity with ICT/ERP is an asset;
• Field experience and experience of working in the Asia Pacific Region is strongly desirable;
• Fluency in oral and written English is required.

Contract Terms and Conditions

UNFPA will pay a consultancy fee appropriate to the tasks assigned and qualifications and experience required and will provide the individual consultant with a round-trip air ticket (between originating city and duty station - economy class) plus the payment of the appropriate per diem by means of the applicable DSA at United Nations established rates. 

How to apply:

Candidates should submit the following documents:

1. An application letter which states the candidate’s motivation to apply for this post
2. A curriculum vitae, and
3. A completed United Nations Personal History (P 11)
All the above documents must be sent by e-mail to vac-robangkok@unfpa.org .
The P11 is available on the UNFPA websites at /resources/p11-un-personal-history-form

Please quote the Vacancy number VA JID 1607 - Population and Sustainable Development Policy Adviser - Consultant. The deadline for application is: 05 August 2016, at 15:00 Bangkok time.

UNFPA will only be able to respond to those applications in which UNFPA has a further interest.