Deputy Regional Director, ESARO, Johannesburg, South Africa, D1

The Position:

The Deputy Regional Director post is located in the East and Southern Africa Regional Office and reports directly to the Regional Director. The post supports the Director in terms of the day-to-day leadership, programme management, and representation of the Office. The Region includes Regional and Country Office structures. The Deputy Regional Director provides leadership and guidance to the regional team of technical and programme staff and provides oversight and leadership to the Regional Office (RO) in the absence of the Regional Director

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 with humanitarian action as one of the major outputs.

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 who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, and exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to deliver excellence in program results.

Job Purpose:

The Deputy Regional Director (DRD) supports the Regional Director in the day-to-day leadership, programme management, and representation of the Regional Office. In addition, he/she provides strategic programme direction and guidance for the regional team of technical and programme staff.  When required, the DRD will oversee and lead the Regional Office in the absence of the Regional Director.

You will be responsible for: '

A) Regional Programme Leadership

• Supports the Regional Director in the management of the Regional programme design, delivery, reporting, and accountability in contribution to the UNFPA Strategic Plan, working, in close collaboration with the International Operations Manager:
• Within the Regional Management Team, promote the development of region-specific strategies in response to current and future regional priorities; and ensure synergies with country-level interventions towards achieving the Transformative results, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and advancing the ICPD Agenda;
• Ensure regional contributions and perspectives are taken into account in the formulation of UNFPA global policies, strategic plans, and strategies in close collaboration with the Regional Director and Regional Management Team (RMT). This will also require engagement and consultations with the ESA Regional Desk Officer based in UNFPA Headquarters. For One Africa-related actions, collaborations will be required with the UNFPA Addis Representational Office to the African Union Commission (AUC) and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), as well as UNFPA ASRO and WCARO as may be applicable ;
• Ensure the preparation of results-based regional reports by responsible regional and country offices including regional annual reports, contribution to UNFPA reports to the Executive Board, System-wide reporting under the UN Reform, responses to the Board of Auditors and Management Audits, etc;
• Coordinate regional landscape review and analysis from Regional and Country Office Reports to identify critical new frontier issues, regional and transboundary issues requiring follow-up, including through environmental scan reports of topical normative issues requiring attention, quarterly and annual Results and Resources Plan (RRP)  reports, programme portfolio review reports; and
• Provide oversight and leadership to the Regional programme and operations teams in collaboration with the Regional Director.

B) Oversight for Organizational effectiveness and efficiency 

• Oversees the management of the regional programme assets, ensures the coherence of all programme, partnerships, communications, and operational interventions in the Region in line with corporate priorities and as guided by results-based management principles:
• Provide strategic direction and oversight to regional programme staff in support of the common country programming processes (e.g., CCA/UNSDCF and Joint Programmes)  through regional programming processes to ensure coherence with organizational, national and regional priorities  as well as ensuring alignment  with prevailing continental and regional development frameworks;
• Provide strategic direction and facilitation of the regional programme delivery in guiding and supporting Country Offices through thought leadership and tailored technical assistance to country programme delivery, management and operations-related issues in compliance with  UNFPA policies and procedures;
• Oversee management of regional programme resources and advise the Regional Director on the allocation of resources; monitor and periodically brief the Regional Director on the status of programme implementation; ensure course correct actions from corporate reporting inform timely quality results-focused programmes including through reprogramming and/or repurposing of funds as may be applicable. Support the team to leverage opportunities to undertake field monitoring visits as may be required, while bearing in mind relevant travel policy provisions;
• Collaborate with the Regional Management Team to consolidate/coordinate the preparation of Regional RRP (and its equivalent) and ensure quality assurance  in line with prevailing corporate systems and practices;
• In recognition of the evolving Humanitarian, Development, and Peace contexts in the region, support the regional management and oversight of UNFPA’s response to humanitarian crises in the region in consultation with the Humanitarian Response Division, Programme  Division and other HQ business units as may be applicable.
• Provide oversight for effective knowledge management strategies and practices, while also mainstreaming innovation across the region to accelerate progress towards achieving the Transformative results; and
• Promote opportunities for strengthened programme collaboration through South to South and Triangular Cooperation across countries, regions, and collaborating entities

C) Management of human and financial resources

• Provides leadership and guidance to the regional programme team, and, with support from the Regional Programme Coordination Unit and Operations team ensures effective and efficient management of resources to achieve measurable results:
• Support the Regional Director in oversight roles through the facilitation of strategic inputs in all aspects of the regional programme budget allocation, finance and human resource management to ensure value for money.
• In line with the corporate human resource policies, people strategy and talent management mechanisms, promote team cohesion, a harmonious working environment, and mutual accountability in the regional office that recognizes initiative, accountability, and performance. This will include fostering mentorship and coaching-related actions in support of performance and career development as may be required;
• Provide input to the performance appraisals of UNFPA Representatives, Heads of Office, and Deputy Representatives as may be applicable;
• Liaise closely with DHR, the Regional Director, and the Operations Manager to ensure that staff management issues are adequately addressed, and are in line with the vision of the People  Strategy and UNFPA policies and procedures; and 
• Ensure an ethical approach to the management of all human and financial resources.

D) Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

• Guided by partnership intelligence, and in coordination with the Regional Director and Regional Resource Mobilization team, position the Transformative Results and ICPD Programme of Action in partnership initiatives and provide a strategic guide on efforts to expand the partnership base for UNFPA mandate, including with academia, CSOs, private sector, MDBs, IFI, multilateral and bilateral institutions, Continental and Regional institutions including the African Union and its organs, Regional Economic Commissions, etc; 
• Lead and support regional resource mobilization efforts to secure increased core and non-core resources for the regional programme and countries in the region, including engagements with traditional and non-traditional donors, Regional UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, Continental and Regional bodies, MDBs, IFI, private sector, etc.
• Liaise with Regional and Country Office teams to ensure timely submission of donor and partner reports, as well as, undertake assurance activities in line with UNFPA Policies and Procedures, including implementation and reporting on Management Audit and Spot check recommendations
• Provide guidance and advance collaboration within the UN system in line with the global, continental, and national inter-governmental mechanisms

E) Representation 

• In close coordination with the Regional Director, ensures the Region is effectively represented within and beyond UN partnerships in line with UNFPA corporate priorities, UN Reform, and Our Common Agenda in the Decade of Action:
• In  liaison with HQ Business Units, Representational Offices, and in close collaboration with the ESA Regional Desk Officer advance the ICPD Agenda through Intergovernmental and UN Reform mechanisms;
• Serve as a member of the UN and UNFPA-related Deputy Regional Director teams and as an alternate member in the Regional Director teams;
• Engage in and represent the Region in positioning the Transformative Results in the SDG Decade of Action through UN inter-agency joint programmes, coordination platforms, and mechanisms;
• In line with the UN reform agenda, support the Regional Director in the assessment of RC performance; collaborate with the DHR/Division Director in obtaining information on the suitability of RC candidates; coordinate briefing/orientation of newly selected RCs;
• Support the Regional Director in undertaking dedicated outreach and maintaining contacts with UN Permanent Missions of member states in the region and donor countries at the global level in NY and the Regional in Ethiopia
• Represent the Regional Office in internal and external engagements in the absence of the Regional Director
• Carry out any other duties as may be assigned by the Regional Director.

Qualifications and Experience 

Education:  

• Advanced university degree in one of the Social Sciences, including Public Health, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, Economics, International Development, Public Administration, Management, or a related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 15 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in public administration and international development of which 10 years should be in the field of population and development at the international level, preferably with the UN
• Strong track record of achieving measurable results through leadership of transformative programmes, across humanitarian, development, and peace contexts
• Proven ability to lead, develop and motivate large multi-disciplinary and diverse teams of technical experts and programme specialists to achieve demonstrable results;
• Extensive network within the development community;
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English
• Field experience is essential.

Languages: 

• Fluent in English, knowledge of other official UN languages is desirable.

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

Required Skill Set:

• Advocacy/Advancing a Policy Oriented Agenda;
• Results-Based Programme Development and Management;
• Leveraging the Resources of National Governments and Partners/Building Strategic Alliances and Partnerships;
• Innovation and Marketing of New Approaches;
• Resource Mobilization;
• Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

UN Leadership Characteristics:

• Norm-based - grounded in UN norms and standards
• Principled - defends norms and standards without discrimination, fear or favour
• Inclusive of all personnel and stakeholders
• Accountable
• Multi-dimensional
• Transformational
• Collaborative
• Self-applied - modeled in our own behaviour

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus 
• Engaging staff and partners Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• 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 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.