The Position:

The Deputy Representative plays a leading role in the design and delivery of the UNFPA country programme. Through building alliances and partnerships with governments, UN and bilateral agencies, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector, the programme aims to realize the 2030 Agenda in order to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of people; especially those furthest behind. The Deputy Representative is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Country Office, including supervising assigned Country Office staff.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

In collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, the Deputy Representative plays a leading role in strengthening the Country’s capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action, supporting national development efforts to achieve the SDGs, and ensuring national ownership. Together with the Country Representative, the Deputy Representative is accountable for the effective development and management of an innovative Country Programme of Cooperation focused on population and development and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal health, family planning, gender, and adolescent and youth empowerment. The Deputy Representative is responsible for promoting, at the national level, the goals of the programme and ensuring the integration of issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the broader national development agenda. Through engagement with national counterparts, compelling advocacy, and delivery of effective programmes, including in emergency settings, s/he serves on the frontline, validating the mandate of the organization and its ability to deliver high quality results.

You would be responsible for:

A. Programme Leadership

• Develop, manage and monitor the Country Programme, in line with the strategic plan and on the basis of demographic, socio-economic data and national population policies
• Assess and address implications of national trends on UNFPA work in the country
• Expand and diversify UNFPA’s portfolio in pursuit of strategic new programme options in UNFPA’s mandate area
• Feedback country specificities on policy, procedures and lessons learned to the RO/SRO for the development of the global/regional strategic plan
• Establish quality standards for project development and delivery
• Oversee monitoring and evaluation of the programme, ensuring regular, rigorous monitoring and incorporation of lessons learned and adherence to the country programme theory of change; ensure adherence to corporate reporting requirements on CO results
• Take a leading role in ensuring UNFPA’s mandate areas are reflected in the country’s, and the UN country team’s, humanitarian preparedness and response plans, and ensure the country office develops capacities for humanitarian response

B. National Capacity Development

• Develop and implement a strategy for developing national capacity to deliver effectively on ICPD commitments; take the lead in identifying capacity gaps and needs among partner institutions; provide technical assistance and leverage resources to support the development of capacities
• Promote the capacity of national research and academic institutions to produce, analyse, disseminate and use demographic data and statistics for use in evidence based policy making in support of rights-based development programming
• In collaboration with development partners, promote health system strengthening to address the country’s ability to provide universal access to health care including SRHR
• Take the lead in articulating strategies to develop the country’s capacity to develop, implement and monitor rights-based policies and laws, focusing on Government entities, human rights institutions, academia and civil society
• Engage in a continuous dialogue with national partners to promote an enabling environment for the implementation of the ICPD agenda
• Create/improve national capacities to monitor, evaluate and learn from capacity development initiatives
• Foster knowledge sharing and innovative thinking in the country office, country and region

C. Partnership and Advocacy

• Build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships with key Government partners in support of shared objectives
• Advocate for the inclusion of the ICPD agenda within national policies, plans and strategies, including those focused on humanitarian preparedness and response
• Represent UNFPA’s mandate within the UN; ensure inclusion of ICPD issues in common country assessments and UN Development Assistance Frameworks and other strategies; where relevant take the lead/participate in inter-UN theme groups and task forces
• Liaise continuously with donors and development partners, contribute to development of joint positions on issues of common concerns, identify allies in advocacy for key UNFPA issues, and articulate UNFPA’s niche areas of value added
• Pursue resource mobilization opportunities among traditional and new donors
• Support efforts to communicate UNFPA’s mandate issues as well as visibility for UNFPA’s donors, by engaging with media partners, drafting articles and opinion pieces, and engaging on social media

D. Management of resources

• Support the UNFPA Representative in the management of the Country Office including formulation of annual work plans and monitoring implementation through consultations and field visits
• Support the design and implementation of a resource mobilization and partnership strategy; securing and using mobilised funds and budget allocations for the country programme
• Support the Representative in the management of staff, providing them with direction and motivation; fostering empowerment, learning and career management
• Facilitate capacity building of national staff by devolving authority for portfolio management; guide programme implementation with substantive oversight and effective programme representation
• Demonstrate performance appraisal and transparent leadership approaches that support a culture of growth and development, where good performance is incentivized and underperformers are held to account
• Set standards of performance, and assign responsibilities for achieving results according to the Country Office Strategic Information System
• Provide support to JPOs on career issues and advise managers on the JPO programme
• Support the development of a strategic plan for UNFPA’s humanitarian and preparedness actions in-country
• Support the staff safety by driving compliance with Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Security Standards (MORSS)

Carry out any other duties as may be required by the County Representative.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Postgraduate university degree in any of the following disciplines: Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in public administration and international development including programme designing, appraising and management; of which at least 8 years in the field of population and development, sexual and reproductive health or humanitarian at the international level
• Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities
• Experience at national and international level in advocacy and policy dialogue
• Excellent media/communication skills to foster engaged partnerships and to maintain political partnerships in the assigned country
• Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high quality results
• Experience in international development, particularly in the mandate of UNFPA and dedication to the principles of the United Nations
• Field experience is essential; experience from a developing, humanitarian context is an asset

Languages:

Fluency in English and Portuguese/Spanish is required. Working knowledge of other official UN language is desirable.

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
• Communicating for impact

Managerial Competencies:

• 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

UN Leadership Characteristics:

• Norm-based – grounded in UN norms and standards
• Principled – defends norms and standards without discrimination, fear or favour
• Inclusive of all personnel and stakeholders
• Accountable
• Multi-dimensional
• Tranformational
• Collaborative
• Self-applied – modelled in our own behaviour

Compensation and Benefits:

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

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.