Programme Specialist Adolescents and Youth P3-TA CairoASRO

The Position:

The Programme Specialist Adolescents and Youth located in UNFPAs Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) reports to the Adolescents and Youth Regional Advisor and is under the overall supervision of the Deputy Regional Director. The Specialist will lead the implementation of the regional Adolescents and Youth programme which promotes: youth participation and engagement; adolescent and youth health and wellbeing including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR); Comprehensive Sexuality Education; life skills and education; and youth peace and security. This will be carried out in the context of the ICPD30 adolescents and youth programming and coordination in humanitarian settings the UNFPA Global Strategy on Adolescents and Youth the UNFPA Strategic Planand regional development processes.

How You Can Make a Difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted every childbirth is safe and every young persons potential is fulfilled. UNFPAs new strategic planfocuses on three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths ending unmet need for family planning and ending genderbased violence and harmful practices.

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

UNFPA seeks candidates who inspire and deliver highimpact and sustained results. We need staff who are transparent exceptionally manage entrusted resources and commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

UN Member States reaffirmed that the Programme of Action from the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) is an unfinished agenda still relevant to all countries and expressed their full commitment to carrying forward the ICPD PoA.

The Arab regions current population of approximately 486 million is projected to increase by nearly 40 percent by 2045. The region is characterized by its youthful population with four in ten people aged below 20 years. In 2023 children under 15 years of age constituted about a third of the regions population. The number of youths aged 15 to 24 years increased from 51 million in 1995 to nearly 82 million in 2023 and is expected to reach 108 million in 2050. This young generation represents a major promise for economic development technological innovation and social change. Unmet need for family planning tends to be higher among adolescent girls and young women (compared to older age cohorts). Firsttime and rapid repeat pregnancies among girls are especially risky. Various forms of genderbased violence (GBV) are prevalent including physical and sexual violence child marriage 1 in 5 girls) female genital mutilation (FGM) (affecting 50 million women and girls) and concerning trends in technologyfacilitated violence. Countries cannot harness the first demographic dividend without investments in adolescents and youth and supportive policies for their human capital.

Against this backdrop UNFPA ASRO seeks a Programme Specialist who under the overall guidance of the Deputy Regional Director and direct supervision of the Adolescents and Youth Advisor will actively support and play a key role in the Regional Offices work on the adolescents and youth programme particularly focusing on CSE youthresponsive health services YPS adolescent girls programming and youth participation and engagement. The Specialist will assist senior management and country offices with partnership building with government counterparts bilateral and multilateral donors UN agencies and NGO/CSOs on emerging youthrelated issues and lead knowledge management with a view to supporting a vibrant adolescents and youth community of practice.

• Lead the creation documentation and dissemination of knowledge on adolescent and youth trends in the Arab region focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) gender issues and sustainable development.
• Develop and monitor regional workplan ensuring timely implementation and management of youth programme deliverables in collaboration with regional program associates.
• Strengthen a multidisciplinary approach by integrating population dynamics reproductive and sexual health education gender equality and poverty reduction.
• Provide support to country offices on implementing UNFPAs Youth Strategy (My body My Life My World).
• Support country offices and youthled organizations in identifying and documenting innovative approaches lessons learned and best practices to enhance youth programming.
• Ensure continuous updating and sharing of technical knowledge to support capacity building policy dialogue and advocacy efforts.

• Assess capacity gaps for youth focal points and facilitate the development of capacitybuilding plans.
• Provide technical assistance and guidance on adolescent and youth health CSE YPS and reproductive health to maximize impact.
• Foster partnerships with the League of Arab States UN agencies and other stakeholders to advance youth programmes.
• Support regional youth coordination forums including HighLevel Meetings on Learning to Earning and the YPS Task Team.
• Represent UNFPA in relevant UN and humanitarian youthrelated working groups and support advocacy efforts.
• Collaborate with the communications team to document human interest stories and advocacy materials.
• Foster strategic partnership and collaboration with external counterparts including research institutions think tanks academia civil society and other development partners for technical cooperation and knowledge sharing in the area of population change and development;
• Map key events and opportunities at the regional global and national levels that can be leveraged to advance the youth agenda and policy dialogue such as national development planning processes and regional intergovernmental convenings.

• Collect and compile information necessary for monitoring and reporting on youth programme activities.
• Review and monitor programme/project budgets in consultation with Finance Associates and Operations teams.
• Support budget revisions maintain project data and ensure documentation of youth activities within integrated programmes.
• Support youth programmes evaluation including regional CSE program evaluation and implement mechanisms to assess results conduct field visits and participate in evaluation missions.
• Document and share findings lessons learned success stories and best practices from youth programmes in the region.

Carry out any other duties as requested by the adolescents and youth Advisor or Deputy Regional Director.

Education:

Advanced degree in development studies youth work public health social work anthropology political science sociology international affairs and/or other related social science fields.

• Five years professional experience in the field of development and population activities with experience in programme/ project management.
• Strong track record of technical coordination and proven ability to produce demonstrable results is required;
• Field experience particularly in the region and around adolescent and youth programmes including adolescent girls initiatives is a strong asset;
• Demonstrated commitment to adolescent and youth participation;
• Ability to engage in highlevel policy dialogue is desirable;
• Demonstrated successful experience in Resource Mobilization is desirable;
• Good understanding of human rights based approach and results based management of development programmes/projects and M&E is required;
• Proven organizational skills including time management and ability to meet deadlines is required;
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills is required;
• ICT literate (MS Word MS Excel MS PowerPoint and other presentation software) is desirable;
• Prior experience with UN/UNFPA is desirable

Fluency in written and spoken English. Good working knowledge of Arabic and/or French language is desirable.

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

Functional Competencies:

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

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 worklife 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. 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 UNFPAs workforce click hereto 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.