NATIONAL POST: Assistant Representative

The Position:

The Assistant Representative, in coordination with and support to the Representative, is primarily responsible for the coordinated, timely, and quality execution of the UNFPA Country Programme at the national level. You will contribute to the design and development of an innovative and responsive country programme. You will lead the UNFPA Country Office (CO) National Strategy Execution (NSE) Team, inspiring it to translate the regional and country goals into tangible solutions and results. You will collaborate closely with the CO’s Strategy Development and Branding (SDB), Mindanao Strategy Execution (MSE) and Operations Support (OS) Teams.

Reporting to the UNFPA Representative, you will act on her/his behalf as required.

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 the Philippines, UNFPA has started developing its new five-year 9th Country Programme 2024-2028.  The 9th CP is tightly aligned with the mid- and long-term development goals of the Philippines and Ambisyon Natin 2040, as well as the global Agenda 2030 including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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:

You will oversee the management of UNFPA programme related to Three Transformative Results Plus (3TR+): Ending Maternal Deaths, Ending Unmet Needs for Family Planning, Ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Ending Adolescent Pregnancies. Working to advance the ICPD policy agenda in a politically sensitive environment, you will anticipate and respond to changing priorities of the Government. Promoting partnership and strategic alliances with counterparts in government, multilateral and bilateral agencies and civil society will be key to your role. You will coordinate the work of technical advisers and programme staff comprising the National Strategy Execution (NSE) Team and contribute to UN systems coordination through participation in policy dialogue and provision of inputs into joint common system initiatives. 

You would be responsible for:

• Conducting policy dialogue with Government, UN and other development partners to rapidly advance the issues of Women and Girls, especially to accelerate the achievement of the 3TR+, into national plans and strategies, and UN systems, initiatives and development frameworks.
• Translating global strategies into country-specific advocacy strategies. This includes creating and delivering evidence-based advocacy messages to promote UNFPA’s programme goals, taking into account political and social sensitivities.
• Contributing to the identification/mapping of potential alliances and building partnerships with a wide range of traditional and non-traditional stakeholders (public, private, civil society, academic, faith-based, multilateral, bilateral, etc.) who are strategically positioned and possess a comparative advantage to advance the issues of Women and Girls. Engagements with these stakeholders may be operationalized through strategic and/or implementing partnerships or other viable partnership arrangements.
• In collaboration with the UNFPA Country Office (CO) Strategy Development and Branding (SDB) Team, contribute to results-based and innovative country programmes, sub-programmes and projects, helping ensure that programmes are responsive to the country’s needs in areas of UNFPA’s strategic priorities.
• Facilitating and assuring the coordinated, timely and quality achievement of national programme results by identifying, providing and coordinating inputs into programme development and implementation, ensuring programme monitoring and oversight, and coordinating and evaluating the inputs of strategic and implementing partners, consultants and technical experts. along the various modes of engagement and implementation employed by the CO:
  • Advocacy and policy dialogue; 
  • Knowledge management;
  • Capacity development; 
  • Service delivery;
  • Coordination, partnership and South-to-South and Triangular Cooperation;
  • Joint programming in the context of UN Reform.
• Overseeing the implementation of the CO’s humanitarian programme, from preparedness/anticipatory action to response to early recovery and rehabilitation, ensuring that the unique needs of Women and Girls in  humanitarian settings are advocated for, prioritized, and adequately responded to in humanitarian and/or recovery actions of the Government, the Humanitarian Country Team/UN Country Team and other relevant humanitarian actors.
• Promoting knowledge sharing and continuous learning including testing, evaluating and documenting innovative strategies and best practices internal and external to UNFPA, and integrating these as appropriate.
• Contributing to resource mobilization by identifying potential donors, reviewing proposals including outlining co-financing resources for support to the country programme, and supporting the government and other agencies in coordinating assistance for programmes.
• Performing any other duties as requested by the UNFPA Representative.
   

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Advanced degree in Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related discipline.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and population activities, including programme designing, appraisal and management.
• Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to foster engaged partnerships at a high level of representation and to maintain political partnerships.

Languages: 

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with fluency in English and national language (Filipino) both orally and in writing.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

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

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,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy / Advancing a policy-orientated agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners / building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Delivering results based programmes
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing strategic focus,
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
• Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgment

Compensation and Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

How to Apply:

1. Click on this job application link
2. Create your online CV if you are a new user, Update your CV if your profile is registered already
3. Click on “Apply”

Related Content:

UNFPA Application Guide
Frequently Asked Questions 
UNFPA jobs

Disclaimer: 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm. Qualified female candidates, and individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. 

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 therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities. 

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