NATIONAL POST - Programme Specialist, Youth and Adolescents Empowerment, Participation and Leadership (EPL), Monrovia, Liberia, NOC

The Position:

The Programme Specialist, Youth and Adolescents, Empowerment, Participation and Leadership (EPL) is located in the Liberia Country Office. This position provides technical and programmatic support for the development and implementation of innovative and effective strategies for adolescent and youth engagement and meaningful participation in national development, particularly by ensuring the development of skills, agency to influence the national discourse on advancing SRHR in the context of national development. 

The position promotes adolescents and youth voices on access to quality, adolescent and youth -friendly sexual and reproductive health services, GBV prevention and response services and Sexuality Education. The position strengthens adolescents and young people skills and opportunities to promote bodily autonomy.

 The position reports to the Technical Specialist, SRHR under the direction of the Deputy Representative and works closely with the Country Office Programme, Policy and Partnerships and Operations staff with support from the Senior Management Team. The position might also have the responsibility to directly manage a team of 1 or 2 individuals/ consultants to support the thematic area.

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 UNFPA's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan and the UNFPA Global Strategy for Adolescents and Youth (2019) puts adolescents (10-19 years old) and youth (15-24 years old) at the center of UNFPA's work, recognizing their right to make informed choices about their own bodies, their own lives and the world they live in. 

The Programme Specialist coordinates Adolescents and Youth Empowerment, Participation Leadership (EPL) interventions of the UNFPA/Government of Liberia Country Programme in the context of accelerating the achievement of UNFPA three- transformative results . 

You will ensure coherence with agreed national and international policy and planning frameworks, including the UNFPA Strategic Plan, Country UN Coordination Framework, National Development Plan, and related sectoral strategies. The specialist ensures that youth development is prioritized in the Country Programme and other development and humanitarian programmes .

 You will therefore be a critical member of staff advancing leading UNFPA efforts to enhance the skills of adolescents and youth and empower them to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives including sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

Working within the Liberia Country Office (CO) environment, you will ensure the effective management of UNFPA -supported activities in the area of Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership.

 Employing your programme management experience, you will oversee the work of consultants, advisors, and experts. You will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, youth groups, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, private sector, and civil society, among others, to address emerging issues, and effectively influence diverse stakeholders to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate in achieving Adolescents and Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership.

You would be responsible for:

A. Programme Development and Management

• Oversee the design and implementation of Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership interventions of the country programme and its component projects, In collaboration with Government counterparts, NGOs and other partners aligning with Government priorities, the UNSDCF and UNFPA programme policies and procedures.
•  Establishing partnerships with implementers to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of the country programme results.
• Ensure that monitoring and oversight mechanisms are developed and implemented to improve Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership.
• Work with UNFPA technical staff and other relevant stakeholders to ensure integrated/coordinated, appropriate, effective and efficient Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes. 
• Facilitate development of platforms to engage relevant stakeholders (government, development partners, NGOs, CBOs and community) to ensure young people are consulted on key issues that affect them. 
• Provide technical inputs to the development and implementation of standard operating procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects. 
• Lead the CO management of funds (core and non-core) related to improving Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes to ensure efficient utilization and reporting.

B. Technical and capacity development support related to Youth and Adolescents 

• Strengthen the capacity of the Country Programme Implementing partners to fully comply with UNFPA policies, guidelines and standards related to National Execution and HACT operationalization. 
• Provide technical assistance relevant Country Programme Implementing Partners (IPs) to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate high impact and innovative interventions that enhance Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership. 
• Lead co-creation and validation of innovative approaches of youth empowerment participation and leadership for SRHR with young people and other stakeholders. 
• Identify technical support needs and facilitating these from sources such as Regional Offices, Country Offices, independent consultants 
• Design and deliver relevant training to young people groups/networks that will empower them to make informed decisions on issues that affect their lives and their communities and enable them to actively participate in such processes. 
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of partners for sustainable results on Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership.

 C. Strategic support to policy advice and systems strengthening, working closely with the Policy and Partnerships Specialist

• Lead UNFPA engagements in providing policy and programmatic advice related to at national and subnational levels, including in humanitarian settings. 
• Lead UNFPA normative work on Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership – to ensure this is mainstreamed in national development plans, policies, and strategies for advancing SRHR in the context of agenda 2030.
• Review the political, social and economic environment relevant to UNFPA programme activities, and pursuing opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. 
• Conduct and maintain analytics, development of relevant case studies, policy briefs and analyses on Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership and linkages to National Development.

D. Monitoring and Evaluation 

• Provide technical support in the evaluation of programmes/projects and documentation of program results, best practices and lessons learned and effectively sharing these with relevant partners to inform programming, policy advocacy and other actions relevant to Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes.
• Prepare regular and ad hoc programmes and other reports. 
• Coordinate joint regular field visits to follow up and monitor the technical quality and financial effectiveness and accountability of UNFPA-supported programmes to ensure value for money. 
• Provide technical inputs to review meetings to enhance coordination, implementation and planning across development and humanitarian settings.
• Monitor key partnerships through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant team members for timely resolution.

E. Partnerships and Resource mobilization/leveraging working in tandem with the Policy and Partnerships team
 

• Provide technical support to UN system-wide efforts to provide support to the government in the implementation of the National Development Plan or its equivalent, ensuring a focus on Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership for SRHR in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSCDF). 
• Liaise with partners appropriate UN coordination mechanisms (Results Groups) and support and contribute to development of joint programmes/activities among the UN agencies 
• Advance cross-sectoral efforts within and outside UNFPA for an effective multi-sectoral approach towards improving SRH outcomes for women and adolescent girls through Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes. 
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, implementing partners, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity, exchange knowledge/expertise in Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes.
• Facilitate the building and strengthening of local adolescents and youth networks as a voice for advocacy with and accountability of duty bearers in the context of empowerment, participation and leadership for the implementation of the ICPD programme of action. 
• Participate in advocacy and resource mobilization/leveraging efforts of the CO, by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, i.e., project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, concept notes/ proposals and participating in related meetings and public events.

F. Communication and Knowledge Management

• Generate evidence through facilitating research and evidence dissemination and use to improve Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership programmes. 
• Provide technical content in drafting of public advocacy materials, human interest stories, and programme visibility and other communication material as applicable. 
• Provide technical support to implementation of effective knowledge management strategies, documenting lessons learned and best practices for future planning. Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor and senior management team.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education: 

● Advanced university degree in public health, population studies, demography, development studies and /or other related social science discipline is required
 

Education:  

 Knowledge and Experience: 

● Minimum of five years of professional experience in programme management including experience in large multi-sector projects that promote Adolescent and Youth Empowerment, Participation and Leadership for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. 

● Experience in adolescent and youth development programmes. 

● Experience in coordination and liaison with government and civil society counterparts, UN agencies, private sector, development partners, and CBOs in the Youth Development Sector. 

● Proven experience in coordinating partnerships for youth development. 

● Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems
 

Skills: 

● Proven ability to communicate with, mobilize, engage and motivate adolescents and young people. 

● Strong conceptual, sound judgment, liaison and management skills, organizational and interpersonal skills.

 ● Excellent analytical, writing and interpersonal communication skills 

● Understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA’s mandate, policies, operations and development priorities within Liberia is an added advantage.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required with excellent oral, written communication skills; Working knowledge of other local languages is desirable.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system 
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Functional Competencies: 

● Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda 

● Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships ● Delivering results-based programme

 ● Internal and external communication and advocacy for results 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

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus, 
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• 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, 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:

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.