Youth, Innovation, and Partnerships Consultant

Background:

Sierra Leone’s long-term development aspiration is to become a nation with educated, empowered, and healthy citizens capable of realizing their fullest potential by 2035. Considering the country’s youthful priority investments in education and health, including sexual and reproductive health are key to unlocking the country’s development goals as well as enabling young people to make a healthy transition from adolescence into adulthood.

UNFPA’s support to the country is informed by the three transformative results of ending the unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths, and ending GBV and other harmful practices. Acceleration of the achievement of these three transformative results requires that young people, in particular, young women, realize their rights to make informed choices about their own bodies, their lives, and the world they live in. Enhancing the skills of adolescents and youth and, empowering them to make informed decisions about their lives, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights, not only mitigates adolescents’ risk of embracing harmful behaviours but also promotes positive and protective factors that support youth development. It further promotes youth participation in development and climate-related processes, humanitarian and peace efforts, with a focus on accelerating the achievement of the three transformative results.

In order to strengthen its focus on the development and SRHR needs of adolescents and youths, UNFPA Sierra Leone seeks the service of a Consultant to spearhead its youth development, innovations and partnerships priorities. Within the context of UNFPA’s 7th Country Programme with the Government of Sierra Leone, the Independent Consultant will work to support the country office in the design and implementation of innovative youth programs to enhance youth engagement and participation, and access to adolescent sexual and reproductive health services and information

The objective of the consultancy: 

The Consultant will support the effective implementation of multi-sectoral integrated programmes and the mainstreaming of adolescent and youth in related sector policies and programmes both at the national and sub-national levels in the country. This will include expanding innovations, youth participation, partnerships, and strengthening UNFPA’s leadership role and coordination of the UN Youth Task Force and Youth Advisory Panel.  S/he will work closely with Programme staff and facilitate the creation of strategic linkages across the CO’s youth-focused programmes and initiatives, while collaborating with UN and significant NGO partners, to ensure collaborative, mutually reinforcing and consistent approaches to supporting the government efforts for strengthening adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health.

The consultant will be directly supervised by the UNFPA Gender Technical specialist under the overall oversight of the UNFPA Deputy Representative.

Duration of the mission: 11 months

Specific responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the implementation of adolescents and youth-focused programme interventions in line with UNFPA’s 7^h Country Programme and as articulated in national policies. This will include supporting the timely and high-quality implementation of interventions aimed at reducing adolescent pregnancy, child marriage, and GBV among young people
• Facilitate UNFPA Sierra Leone’s technical support to government and stakeholders at national and sub-national levels in the promotion of youth participation in development processes. This will include supporting timely and efficient capacity building programmes to strengthen the capacity of youths and youth networks as they seek to participate in national development processes including the development of the medium-term National Development Plan
• Support the review of the political, social and economic environment relevant to adolescents and youth programming within the country context and pursues opportunities for UNFPA strategic partnerships. This will include assessing of implications of new policy developments and strategies with respect SDGs targets and in line with the ICPD national commitments
• Support evidence-based advocacy, policy development and accountability initiatives as they relate to the provision of quality sexual and reproductive health services, active participation and youth leadership
• Participate in UNFPA’s collaborative partnerships, alliances and initiatives for youth development, including national and UN-wide coordination mechanisms that advance UNFPA’s mandate
• Support the generation and documentation of evidence and knowledge on current and emerging issues related to adolescent and youth development outcomes. This will include support to analysis and documentation of programme strategies, approaches and results, lessons learned, best practices, etc., as well as UNFPA’s actions to disseminate and influence use of the knowledge
• Ensure innovation and corresponding approaches are mainstreamed in programmes and projects to deliver better, faster and more impactful results
• Research, collect and analyze and document information on prospective and current innovations and make recommendations for their implementation and/or scaling up
• Support the CO’s engagement in the UN Delivery as One modality and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership Framework (UNSDPF) in Sierra Leone
• Performs any other duties as assigned by the UNFPA Sierra Leone Management

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Development Studies, public health, gender, population studies, and/or another related social science field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of working experience in development programming or project management
• Strong technical background in the areas of youth development and adolescent sexual and reproductive health
• Proven understanding of the local development context as it relates to the SRHR of youths and adolescents
• Knowledge of the youth development context in Sierra Leone or a similar context
• Demonstrated ability to produce clear written materials, track the progress of activities, and communicate information strategically to a national and global audience.
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment and as part of a cross-disciplinary team operating in multiple locations.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and management approaches
• Strong analytical orientation and sound judgment; initiative, culturally sensitive and, resourceful.
• Excellent facilitation, verbal communication skills required and ability to conduct consultative meetings
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact with national and global partners and provide creative solutions in a professional manner.
• Fluency in spoken English and excellent writing skills in English required

Required Competencies:

Values:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Strategically positioning UNFPA programme
• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness
• Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information
• Facilitating quality programmatic results

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

Compensation:

The compensation for this position is based on acceptance of deliverables in line with the prevailing UN Consultancy scale upon satisfactory performance

How to apply:

Interested candidates are invited to apply to the email address sierra-leone.office@unfpa.org

not later than 4 November 2022 including:

-  Motivational letter

-  CV (including working experience and references)

-  Copy of certificate(s)

-  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

UNFPA Work Environment
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity, and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and promoting equal opportunities for all.  We, therefore, encourage women and persons with disabilities to apply.

Disclaimer:

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing, or other fees in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters, or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA