Deputy Representative, Kabul, Afghanistan, P5

This post is rotational.

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The Position:

The Deputy Representative plays a leading role in the design and delivery of the UNFPA country programme.  Through building alliances and partnerships with governments, UN and bilateral agencies, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector, the programme aims to realize the 2030 Agenda in order to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of people; especially those furthest behind. The Deputy Representative is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Country Office, including supervising assigned Country Office staff.

 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:

In collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, the Deputy Representative plays a leading role in strengthening the Country’s capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action, supporting national development efforts to achieve the SDGs, and ensuring national ownership.  

Together with the Country Representative, the Deputy Representative is accountable for the effective development and management of an innovative Country Programme of Cooperation focused on population and development and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal health, family planning, gender, and adolescent and youth empowerment.

The Deputy Representative is responsible for promoting, at the national level, the goals of the programme and ensuring the integration of issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the broader national development agenda.  Through engagement with national counterparts, compelling advocacy, and delivery of effective programmes, including in emergency settings, s/he serves on the frontline, validating the mandate of the organization and its ability to deliver high quality results.  

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Postgraduate university degree in any of the following disciplines: Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in public administration and international development including programme designing, appraising and management; of which at least 8 years in the field of population and development, sexual and reproductive health or humanitarian at the international level
• Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities
• Experience at national and international level in advocacy and policy dialogue
• Excellent media/communication skills to foster engaged partnerships and to maintain political partnerships in the assigned country
• Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high quality results
• Experience in international development, particularly in the mandate of UNFPA and dedication to the principles of the United Nations;
• Field experience is essential; experience from a developing, humanitarian context is an asset.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other official UN language is desirable.