Readvertisement: Technical Adviser Population and Development, FTA, P5, Cairo, Egypt, ASRO

Re-advertisement: Technical Adviser Population and Development, Cairo, Egypt, P-5

This post is non-rotational.

Duration: One year renewable (*)

Closing date: 3rd November, 2022

Note: Candidates who previously applied will be considered and there is no need to re-apply 
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Job Purpose

The Technical Adviser post provides strategic technical, programmatic, and thought leadership for the Arab States region in the field of population-related data generation, analysis and dissemination. S/he will ensure that the RO and Country Offices (COs) remain abreast of current thinking and academic advancements in the given substantive areas affecting the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action as well as serve as an expert on UNFPA’s policy and programme policies in this regard.

S/he maintains primary responsibility for assuring quality technical assistance and programme support to the countries of the region in the areas of census, DHS and other relevant and applicable population surveys; civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS); Common Operational Datasets on Population Statistics (COD-PS); ; geospatial data; and in the modernization of population and development policies with full awareness and ability to integrate megatrends into PD work.  S/he provides guidance on population data standards and governance, to ensure that UNFPA Country Offices (COs) in the region remain abreast of the Fund’s population data strategy, tools and policies, as well as relevant academic advances. S/he guides the statistical analysis of regional, as well as specific sub-regional/cluster, trends and potential impact on the core domains of UNFPA’s mandate, including fertility; migration trends including forced migration in the context of humanitarian crises; impact of climate change on UNFPA’s 3 transformative results; population ageing; sexual and reproductive health and rights; gender equality; and tracking progress towards the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2030.

Key Responsibilities of the Technical Adviser:

Guide the regional implementation of the UNFPA strategic plan on outputs addressing demographic diversity and resilience in the context of the scale of protracted humanitarian crises and increasing climate change impacts; strengthening the generation and use of innovative, sex and age disaggregated data and evidence to leave no one behind; promoting and leveraging the cross-fertilization of humanitarian and development data systems for preparedness, response and recovery; and assuring the promotion of rights and choices within population and development work. S/he is responsible to identify emerging regional megatrends and humanitarian and development challenges in the context of humanitarian and development complementarities that would inform relevant and strategic  policy dialogue and devise strong statistical and demographic collaborations in the region for field-responsive and future-focused technical support to country offices.

In all activities, s/he works with HQ, UNFPA regional office as applicable and across ASRO thematic areas as well other Regional offices and the COs providing integrated programme support in the area of expertise. S/he mentors and supervises professional staff and associates working on population and development, including experts and technical experts in the generation and use of census, civil registration and vital statistics and survey data.  The position liaises closely with relevant UNFPA HQ units, particularly the Technical Division, Policy and Strategy Division, and Humanitarian Office; participates in relevant internal Reference Groups, including the inter-divisional working groups and communities of practice; actively contributes to system-wide improvements in population and development technical guidance to UNFPA operations. 

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

1. Technical oversight and quality assurance for population data and evidence

Assure that the data standards, analytic tools and approaches of the Regional Office in the domains of population and housing census, civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS), legal identity, geospatial data, model-based population estimates and humanitarian data are aligned with the guidelines and standards of UNFPA, the UN Statistical Division, UN-GGIM, the 2030 Agenda and the Data Strategy of the UN Secretary General.

Promote UNFPA technical guidance on the implementation of the population and housing census, and the progressive adoption and use of georeferenced population data; promote the guidance of the UNFPA Centre of Excellence on CRVS Systems for expanding coverage and quality of civil registration in the region;

Assess priorities and generate proactive response in the area of expertise to oversee the production of population data, up-to-date analysis and synthesis of substantive trends in regional demographic dynamics, including but not limited to fertility, maternal mortality, healthy life expectancy, population aging, migration and displacement, impact of climate change on UNFPA’s 3 transformative results and other related trends that could impact UNFPA programming and mandate;

In coordination with HQ and relevant COs, oversee the annual production / updating of Common Operational Data Sets in Population Statistics (COD-PS) for humanitarian preparedness and response and support COs in adjusting MISP calculator for country specific demographic data for implementation of minimum initial service package (MISP) for SRH in crisis and scaling up toward more comprehensive services.

Support COs and governments on the timely production of SDG indicators and ICPD-related metrics, and guide the development of regional dashboards and domains of the UNFPA Population Data Portal;

Oversee the development and implementation of a regional system of quality assurance for UNFPA population data outputs for the region including for humanitarian contexts, and guide the management of this system.

Provide strategic technical advice to COs and governments on new, state-of-the-art approaches to population data collection and analysis, including georeferenced data, satellite imagery and remote sensing, Big Data, small area estimation, climate and climate related vulnerability mapping and other emerging tools and methods; where relevant, guide the integration of new data sources and approaches within the work of COs and partnership networks.

Provide the required information management and data analysis for ASRO's needs among different thematic areas and COs and advice data information management officers in COs in strengthening data systems and quality assurance;

 

2. Thought leadership and strategic advice on population and development policies and capacity strengthening in population and development

Review the products of technical consultation at key stages of UNFPA, UN, and national development planning exercises, providing guidance on the identification of needs, priority-setting and the scope and relevance of proposed programmes of work in population and development across the humanitarian development nexus within CCAs, UNSDCF and CPDs/CPAPs.

Map regional gaps and shortfalls in population data systems, and assure timely and coordinated technical guidance in areas of population and housing census and other demographic surveys, civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS), legal identity, geospatial data, and model-based population estimates and humanitarian data assessments. 

Participate within UNFPA technical networks in population data systems strengthening, including the Interdivisional Working Group on Census, the Centre of Excellence for CRVS Systems, the Reference Group for the Population Data Portal, and related communities of practice, maintaining active regional communication on all substantive work in population data systems.

Provide substantive analytical advice on UNFPA’s comparative role and specific contributions to the global development agenda, UN Reform and actively guide strategic advocacy and policy dialogue at country and regional levels

Lead think tank discussions for innovative ideas that reflect new way of thinking and policy approaches to address regional humanitarian and development challenges and promote UNFPA role and its mandate.

3. Partnerships and Representation

Participate in policy dialogue about data and statistical systems, and advocate for substantive issues in international, inter-governmental, UN, and other policy and technical meetings and fora, centers of excellence, and professional societies in the region;

Contribute to UN inter-agency programming process (Common Country Assessment and UN Development Assistance Framework) through existing modalities, such as Peer Support Groups and support development of UNFPA Country Programmes;

Initiate, strengthen and sustain substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in population and development, population data systems, and the impact of demographic change and other megatrends; represent UNFPA on substantive issues (data and policies) in the region and promote UNFPA’s substantive regional and global priorities; contribute to regional South-South exchange, regional academic networks, and regional thought leadership;  

Coordinate with ESCWA, the League of Arab States and other relevant regional partners on shared development priorities and metrics, including ICPD-relevant indices and regional SDG data platforms and initiatives;

Contribute to the identification and synthesis of key population and development needs, opportunities and programme priorities for UNFPA regional and global advocacy and for resource mobilization;

Carry out any other duties as may be requested by the Office of the Regional Director. 

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Values and Competencies :

i) Values: Exemplifying integrity, demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change;

ii) 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;

(iii) Managerial Competencies: Providing strategic focus; engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders; leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance; making decisions and exercising judgement.

Education: 

Advanced University Degree or equivalent (preferably Ph. D.) in demography, population studies, statistics, sociology, international development, sustainability or other field directly related to population and development.

Knowledge and Experience:

Essential qualifications:

• 10 years of demonstrated increasingly responsible professional experience, of which 7 years at the international level. Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results.
• Substantial work experience in the generation and use of population data/statistics for evidence-based policy and population development studies;
• Quantitative research and analysis in the field of population dynamics (fertility, migration, aging, or demographic dividend, etc.);
• Experience in the implementation of population and housing census, and/or civil registration systems;
• Prior work experience in Arab countries is essential.

Desirable qualifications:

• Prior experience and familiarity with the generation and/or use of geospatial data;
• Prior experience and familiarity with one or more of the following topics of demographic dividend, ageing, sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, urbanization, migration or population and climate change.
• Demonstrated ability to network within the academic and development community.
• Understanding of Direct Budget Support is an asset;
• Understanding of human rights dimensions of population and development and familiarity with humanitarian contexts is an asset;
• Familiarity with management and monitoring tools is desirable;
• Experience in the Humanitarian field

Language Requirements:

Strong verbal and written communications skills in English. Working knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable. Working knowledge of French is an advantage.