Population and Data Specialist - Open to Non-Afghan Nationals (International Consultant)

About UNFPA:

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.

Job Purpose:

The purpose of hiring an Individual Consultant is two-fold that is provide population and data strategic advice to UNFPA Country Office and on the other hand to provide strategic advice to the UN Country Team and work with the Humanitarian Country Team to strengthen the data and evidence-based interventions for the UN system and beyond and coordinate the Data Working Group, working closely with key partners, including the World Bank, Asia Development Bank and humanitarian and development cooperation arms of partners and stakeholders at the national level.    

The consultant will report directly to the Deputy Representative and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society to address emerging issues. S/he must effectively influence counterparts from diverse backgrounds to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate. 

Responsibilities: 

• Review the political, social and economic environment relevant to population and development and data in Afghanistan, and pursue opportunities for UNFPA, the UN system and partners' assistance and interventions. 
• Assesses implications of new policy developments, strategies and decisions of the De Facto Authorities (DFA), regional and global narratives provide advice in respect to SDG targets in line with the ICPD, the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan to articulate evidence-based interventions using data. 
• Under the Data Working Group and auspices of the co-chairs lead the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging population development trends, and data issues in Afghanistan, by the UN Programme Management Team through the analysis of programme, projects, strategies, approaches and on-going experience for lessons learned, best practices, and uses this knowledge for information sharing and planning future strategies; Contribute to the development of the CO knowledge base on population dynamics.
• Under the Data Working Group and its co-chairs, provide technical advice to the data working group and steer the development of the national data and evidence strategy with focus on population related data
• Develop strategic analysis using large socio-economic, humanitarian and development datasets and lead the high level empirical quantitative and qualitative research and secondary analysis to advance the data and evidence in the country
• Provide technical support in generating evidence at national and sub national level to inform programming including technical support to national level surveys;
• Support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the progress on the Demographic Dividend
• Coordinate under the auspices of the UN RC/HC the Population projections for Afghanistan and develop policy briefs with focus on population related policies 
• Work with both development and humanitarian partners, including the UN, development cooperation partners, international and national stakeholders to have a consolidated potential data source and reference for effective evidence based interventions.
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of technical information provided as well as the confidentiality and protection of collected information. 
• Provides technical guidance and support to the revitalization of the civil registration and vital statistic program;
• Actively participates in relevant technical working groups in UNSFA Strategic Result Area to advance UNFPA’s area of work;
• Contribute to think-pieces, flagship publications, and other knowledge products on relevant themes and priorities.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education: Advanced degree in Public Health, Population Sciences, Demography or related field in Economics or Statistics or a relevant combination of education.
 
Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in the field of population and development and data for development
• Knowledge of Afghanistan’s socio economic landscape, population dynamics and understanding of socio-cultural issues as well as first hand experience in dealing with large data sets, survey and population census will be an asset
• Experience of conducting analysis of surveys (DHS and MICS) in sexual and reproductive health, family planning and GBV.
• Strong results-based programme management experience with particular focus on strategic planning and capacity building;
• Communication skills especially for transfer of knowledge
• Proven ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders and partners 
   
  Languages:  
  Fluency in English is required; Knowledge of other official UN languages would be an asset.

Core Competencies:

• Values: Integrity/Commitment to mandate, Knowledge sharing/Continuous learning, Valuing diversity;
• Managing Relationships: Working in teams, Communicating information and ideas, Conflict and self-management;
• Working with people: Empowerment/Developing people/Performance management;
• Personal Leadership and Effectiveness: Strategic and analytical thinking, Results orientation/Commitment to excellence, Appropriate and transparent decision making.

Expected travel: Travel to the field to UNPFA’s supported project sites as required.

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.