Adolescent and Youth Programme Specialist, Dakar, Senegal, West and Central Africa Regional Office, P-4

The Position:

The Adolescent & Youth Programme Specialist is expected to focus on engaging the political and technical arms of intergovernmental sub regional and regional organizations as well as sub regional and regional academic and research institutions, relevant NGOs, professional associations and international development agencies to get adolescent, HIV-AIDS and youth, ICPD agenda and MDG issues into their policy focus, decisions and programmes, creating visibility for UNFPA.

More specifically the Adolescent and Youth Programme Specialist will provide leadership and technical guidance for policy and strategy development, and implementation and monitoring of programmes related to adolescents and youth in the region, such as child marriage, adolescent pregnancy, ASRH services, comprehensive sexuality education, youth participation and leadership.

You will be part of the Gender, Adolescents and Youth unit of the West & Central Africa regional office, and will work under direct supervision of the Gender Technical Advisor.

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 new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

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 program results.

Job Purpose:

West and Central Africa’s population is predominantly young, with more than 64% being under the age of 24. Young people in the region face considerable challenges. Six out of the ten countries with the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world are in this region; with the highest percentage of women between ages 20 and 24 who reported a birth before age 18, as well as the largest percentage of reported births before age 15. Such challenges need to be overcome, to allow girls and young women to realize their full potential. UNFPA plays a critical role in supporting governments and other partners to prioritize, strategize and invest in policies and programmes that will improve the lives of young people and result in the harnessing of the demographic dividend.

It is in this context that the Adolescent & Youth Programme Specialist will contribute to the co-ordination and management of quality, timely and integrated technical and programme support to Country Offices, ensuring that country programmes are implemented in the context of: the ICPD Programme of Action and UNFPA Strategic Plan as well as national development processes, frameworks and UN reform. S/He monitors country level technical support progress and needs, and provides feedback to a team of regional Technical Advisers.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

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

Knowledge and Experience:

7 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in management and/or programme development related to Adolescent and Youth, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, of which at least three at the international level;
Substantive knowledge and practical experience in population and development, sexual and reproductive health, and gender;
Experience in programme and/or technical assistance within the UN System;
Field experience is required.