Programme Specialist United Nations Population Fund Experience: Atleast 7 years Lilongwe, Malawi Apply By: 04-01-2025

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Job Description

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:

P&D Specialist/ Project Manager advances the ICPD policy agenda in a politically sensitive environment responding to changing substantive priorities of Governments. P&D Specialist/ Project Manager leads Data and M&E component of 9th Country programme and coordinates the implementation of UN joint “Establishment of the Harmonized National Management Information System (HN-MIS)” project. The Harmonized National Management Information System (HN-MIS) is an intervention to ensure decisions in governance are informed by evidence.
Working within a Country Office (CO) environment, the Programme Specialist, Population & Development will ensure the effective management of the UN joint “Establishment of the Harmonized National Management Information System (HN-MIS)” project activities. The holder of this position will also lead the population and development initiatives within UNFPA office including strengthening data from routine management information systems.

Under overall guidance of the Representative and direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, P&D Specialist/ Project Manager’s primary roles are:

Policy dialogue and advocacy.
Strengthening CO’s strategic partnerships and resource mobilization
Evidence management, knowledge management and innovation related to Data and M&E matters.
Managing and coordinating the implementation of UN joint “Establishment of the Harmonized National Management Information System (HN-MIS)” project
People management and leadership

You would be responsible for:

The Programme Specialist, Population & Development/ Project Manager, will be responsible for:

Policy Dialogue and Advocacy:

Identify and provide evidence-based and substantive policy advice on UNFPA’s role and priorities in Population and Development by ensuring that Demographic Dividend agenda, population dynamics and mega trends concepts are well understood by the Government and integrated into national and sectoral development planning, including policy development and action planning processes through inclusive consultations with all stakeholders.
Advocate for ICPD agenda with national institutions and other UN agencies represented at the national level
Enhance the leadership of the visibility of UNFPA in relevant strategic forums.

Strengthening the CO’s Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization:

Participate and contribute technical/programme inputs in UN and other inter-agency as well as national forums around Population data to maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, civil society, private sector, bilateral as well as multilateral development partners, etc.
Serve as UNFPA primary focal person on Population and Data issues in the relevant forums, including UN inter-agency processes, mainly through UNSDCF coordination mechanisms and donor groups.
Actively participate in technical working groups in the UNSDCF Strategic Priority Area and relevant national mechanisms to advance UNFPA’s area of work
Provide a strong technical support to UN Data Group;
Lead and coordinate the P&D component of funding proposal development and donor reporting in line with the 9th Country Programme Integrated Resource Mobilization and Partnerships strategy.
Promote South-South cooperation for the achievement of ICPD goals.
Promote operationalization Demographic Dividend agenda.
Pursue innovative ways to maintain and create new partnerships;
Lead the drafting of new proposals related to Population and Development component of country programme, including for the upcoming 2028 Population and housing census

Evidence Management, Knowledge Management and Innovation:

Ensure the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging, Population issues, by the programme team through the analysis of programme strategies, approaches and on-going experience for lessons learned, good practices, and uses this knowledge for information sharing and planning future strategies.
Collect, analyze and synthesize information/data and experience on good practices and programme priorities to be used at national level.
Coordinate and lead the establishment and maintenance of the knowledge platform in Population and Development as a mechanism to share technical skills and knowledge among national counterparts.
Lead the preparation of white papers, briefing, infographics and materials for evidence-based policy dialogues national and county levels.
Disseminate and promote the use of state-of-the-art technical knowledge, evidence, lessons learned, and success stories and ensure their use to improve the effectiveness of UNFPA operations.
Participate in relevant UNFPA technical networks, maintaining communication and feedback loops on all substantive work

Managing and Coordinating the Implementation of UN joint “Establishment of the Harmonized National Management Information System (HN-MIS)” project:

Coordinating the implementation of the UN joint project and aligning with Government priorities and UNFPA programme policies and procedures, in collaboration with the M&E Technical Committee, Project Coordination Unit, UN Data Group, UNFPA and UNDP.
Drafting annual work plans and budgets with respective implementing partners, UNFPA and UNDP and getting the work plans signed by all the parties;
Providing substantive and logistical support to partners in the implementation of activities, such as workshops, seminars and training sessions;
Overseeing the achievement of project results by ensuring appropriate policies are applied and monitoring and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented;
Overseeing and ensuring timely submission of the Project Progress/Annual Narrative and Financial Reports and other reports as may be required;
Ensuring the wide visibility of project achievements through communications materials and engagements;
Establishing partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts, UN Data Group and involved UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs;
Identifying the technical assistance needs for the project from various sources including national institutions/experts, UN advisors and international consultants;
Organizing and leading technical missions;
Ensuring effective knowledge management strategies are implemented by the programme team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning;
Addressing training needs of project personnel;
Participating in advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the UN team by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, donor profiles, and participating in related meetings and public events;
Integrating the project components in order to have the results of whole project not sum of project component’s achievements;
Updating of M&E Technical Committee and UNFPA, UNDP and RCO colleagues on regular basis and providing suggested solutions to address the challenges, if any

People Management and Leadership:

Supervise professional staff and associates under the Data and M&E team, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams.
Proactively ensure that P&D and related programmes and projects remain aligned with the broader aims of the CO and Country Programme.
Exchange relevant information and maintains an open line of communication with colleagues and his/her supervisor to ensure that synergies across programming activities are obtained.
Coach and supervise national professional and support staff; be responsible for staff performance and advise on development needs
Represent UNFPA at key development events where required, with regard to UNFPA’s mandate, including field visits by government and donors, international days and policy formulation fora.
Provide leadership, supervise and regularly appraise staff.

General Support

Stand-in for other team members on selected functions as may be required.
Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Education:

Masters Degree in M&E, Demography, Information Technology, Computer Sciences and /or other related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

At least 7 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in overseeing development of large MIS and data management systems and managing development programmes;
Strong results-based programme management experience, with particular focus on strategic planning and capacity building
Experience in implementing projects with multiple government counterparts;
Proven experience in coordinating/managing large multi-sector projects and a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts and consultants;
Field experience is an asset;
Prior experience in the UN system UN and understanding of Human Rights dimensions and approaches is an asset
A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Malawi will be an added advantage.
Demonstrated ability to work in and lead a team.

Languages: