The Programme Analyst, Population and Development, leads UNFPA’s work in population data and population dynamics to offer policy insights into how demographic changes shape social, economic and environmental development; inform economic and development planning including setting of targets and financing; and help accelerate achievement of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (PoA) and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Population dynamics plays an important role in determining pathways to sustainable development, making it a critical factor in formulating and implementing development strategies, policies and programmes. Strong data systems enable countries to track and address inequalities and target their investments at national, regional and local level.

You will report to the UNFPA Deputy Representative.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA strives to find solutions to the problems that humanity faces today. Working along critical pathways, the action will accelerate the fulfillment of unmet needs for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2022-2025), leads to 2030 and the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Emerging trends inform the plan, new and expanded priorities add to longstanding commitments, and “how we work” is changing. Yet every step continues to be guided by the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Sustainable Development 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:

You will lead the UNFPA’s efforts in promoting the inter-linkages between the ICPD mandate and the 2030 Agenda, engaging in policy dialogue and development planning, and drawing on rights-based and gender-responsive demographic analysis. Working closely with the UNFPA thematic teams and Communications/Knowledge Management team as well as the UNFPA sub-office, S/He will play a critical role in ensuring coordinated advocacy to reflect the ICPD agenda in national and regional development and sectoral policies and plans. In collaboration with the UNFPA M&E team, you will ensure population data and trends analysis inform UNFPA and its partners in their policy and programme interventions in order to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the ICPD PoA and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

You will support UNFPA CO work on integration of population dynamics in development policy and planning; promoting the generation, availability and use of data for decision making including support to surveys and databases; supporting research that provide evidence for the 8th CP implementation and advocacy in partnership with academia and Ghana Statistical Services. You will also support work of the CO on databases: CRVS, PWDS, GBVIMS, HMIS.

You will ensure interlinkages of the population and development work with other UNFPA supported programme areas, such as, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality and women’s empowerment, in development.

You would be responsible for:

• Policy Dialogue and Technical Support
• Technical Leadership on Population and Development
• Programme Management and Coordination
• Knowledge Management

Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor in consultation with the management.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Master’s degree in Population Studies, Demography, Economic Development, Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations and/or other related disciplines.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Two years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of population dynamics or a related discipline.
• Experience in policy advocacy and upstream engagements with good understanding of development planning, policy-making, financing and governance processes.
• Experience in programme management including designing and managing complex multi-disciplinary projects, and liaising with a diverse range of partners.
• Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce analysis with policy outcomes.
• Experience with statistical software (SPSS, Stata, R etc.) and geospatial software (ArcGIS, QGIS etc.) is an asset.
• Experience using Microsoft Office software packages, Cloud applications, like Google Suite, and web-based ERP management systems, such as, the Oracle, Quantum, QuantumPlus, Quantum PowerBI, etc.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented 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 mobilisation

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