Inter-regional Adviser for Population and Development

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Population Policies and Development Branch, Population Division (PD), DESA.

The Inter-regional Adviser (IRA) will work under the direct supervision of the Branch Chief and the overall guidance of the Division Director.

The Division is mandated to provide leadership / strategic / policy support to Member States, prioritizing developing countries.

More information on the Population Division can be found on The services of the IRA aim to ensure the provision of high-level technical expertise, the transfer of knowledge from global entities to Governments on policy-related issues and development strategies and the formulation, assessment or evaluation of projects and programmes.

The IRA will be a member of DESA's IRA Network.

The services of the IRA need to comply with intergovernmental guidance on the use of the Regular Programme on Technical Cooperation (RPTC), when appropriate, and with strategies and guidance concerning capacity development activities endorsed by DESA and supported by the Capacity Development Programme Management Office (CDPMO).

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Branch and the overall guidance of the Director, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provides policy advice online and/or through short-term field missions to Governments and other relevant stakeholders in developing countries upon their request on aspects of population dynamics and sustainable development and/or the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Monitors, studies and analyzes the trends and best practices on the use and analysis of population data and projections for policy analysis and prepares policy advisory notes to inform governments as well as feed into the intergovernmental process.
• Contributes to the design/redesign of national policies and strategies upon requests from developing countries on population and development and for the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and/or other relevant international norms and standards.
• Provides leadership in the design of capacity development programmes, projects and activities at national, regional and global levels and contributes to implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as reporting on these initiatives.
• Ensures implementation of gender mainstreaming guidelines by assessing the implications for men and women of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in all areas and at all levels.
• Makes substantive contributions to global/regional/sub-regional/national workshops, seminars, colloquia, and other training events, including proposals concerning agenda topics, possible participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Contributes to the Department's resource mobilization strategies, notably as far as extra-budgetary funding is concerned.
• Assumes other tasks in the area of expertise and in line with capacity development guidance as requested by the supervisor.
• Develops and updates training materials for the areas covered in capacity development activities for the use by different stakeholders.
• Liaises with relevant professional networks and makes relevant external capacity development resources available to DESA.
• Establishes and nurtures close relationships with various stakeholders in view of creating partnerships and an active network on the use of disaggregated demographic and economic data for development policy analysis.
• Provides inputs for the normative and advocacy functions of the Division based on the capacity development expertise.

Competencies

The successful incumbent is expected to adhere to and practice the three main core values of the UN system (integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity) and, in particular, possess the following competencies:

• Professionalism

In general:
a) Shows pride in work and achievements; b) demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; c) is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; d) is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; e) shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; d) remains calm in stressful situations.

In particular, DESA is looking for staff with the following technical competence: 1) a strong commitment to high-level technical expertise with capacity building in the relevant specialty of population and sustainable development; 2) proven ability in preparing robust project proposals; 3) familiarity with the policies, programmes and activities of potential donors, including member states, UN funds and programmes, global funds, International Financial Institutions etc.; 4) familiarity with concepts and approaches related to capacity development and conversant with Result-based Budgeting/Result-based Management (RBB/RBM) approaches and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) approaches; 5) proven ability to be a broker of knowledge and brokering issues close to DESA normative analytical mandates; 6) proven ability in building partnerships with national institutions and other organizations involved in the development process; 7) proven ability in mobilizing resources; 8) taking responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Communication:
a) Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; b) listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; c) asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; d) tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; e) demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Planning and Organizing:
a) Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; b) identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; c) allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; d) foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; e) monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; f) uses time efficiently.

Vision:

Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization's strategy and the work unit's goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

• Judgement/Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in demography or related field, such as economics, statistics, or sociology, with an emphasis on population.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience related to technical cooperation or other operational activities of the UN system in the area of population and development is required.

At least five (5) years of professional experience in advisory work in developing countries (including transition countries), preferably in more than one region, is required.

Experience in capacity development project and programme management is required. Experience in organizing national and international workshops is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This Job Opening refers to a specialized inter-regional adviser position. The initial appointment is for one year.

Annual renewal of appointment is subject to endorsement by an internal Departmental Panel on the continued need for the technical specialty depending on updates to DESA's priorities in the area of capacity development, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance.

The maximum duration of the assignment as IRA is three years. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her.

In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfil the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy.

Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Personal History Profile (PHP) and cover letter. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect.

The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.

The term "sexual exploitation" means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

The term "sexual abuse" means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

The term "sexual harassment" means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator's working relationship.

Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs.

The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c).

Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised.

This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on "Manuals" in the "Help" tile of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines.

Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening.

No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted.

Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING).

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.

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