Programme Specialist, P3, LACRO, Panama City

Job Description

The Position:

The Programme Specialist post is located in the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office, and reports directly to the Deputy Regional Director who provides overall leadership, and receives input from the Programme Adviser on the overall programme strategy. S/he is part of an inter-disciplinary team, which provides integrated programme and technical support within a systems strengthening approach fundamental to UNFPA’s overall strategy. The focus of this position is in the Caribbean sub-region.

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. 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.

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Purpose:

The Programme Specialist contributes to the facilitation of quality, timely and integrated technical and programme support to Country and Liaison Offices in the sub-region (SRO) in LACRO, ensuring that country programmes are implemented in the context of: the ICPD Programme of Action and UNFPA Strategic Plan as well as national development processes, frameworks and UN reform. She or he will monitor country level technical support progress and needs, and provides feedback to a team of regional Technical Advisers.

Key results expected of the Programme Specialist include:

• Effective support for country and sub-regional level programmes;
• Programme facilitation and support to Common Country programming processes;
• Contribute to the capacity development and knowledge management under the programme context of population and development, sexual and reproductive health, and gender.

The primary activities of the Programme Specialist are:

• Support to Policy and Programme Development and Implementation;
• Contribute to Capacity Development;
• Support Knowledge Management;
• Programme Management and implementation Support.  

As focal point to Caribbean sub-region(SRO) and components of the regional programme, the Programme Specialist ensures that programme assistance and capacity development needs are identified in consultation with the Sub Regional Office and technical assistance is managed and delivered effectively.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Master’s degree or equivalent in public health, medicine, sociology, demography, gender, economics, international relations, international development, public administration, management or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Specialist knowledge and at least 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in management and development relevant to population and development, sexual and reproductive health, and gender, including three at the international level
• Professional experience in planning, designing and management of development programmes/projects or related subjects.
• Experience in coordination and liaison with local stakeholders, including partners, organisations, NGOs and communities.
• Demonstrated organizational skills: the ability to work independently and productively with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to analyse data/statistics for programme operations.
• Experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System
• Field experience is required

Languages: 

• Strong communications and writing skills in English and fluency in Spanish is desirable.