Background:

The Regional Spotlight Programme prioritizes strengthening existing continental strategies and initiatives, such as the AU Gender Strategy 2017 -2027, Agenda 2030, Agenda 2063, the Maputo Plan of Action on the Operationalization of the Continental Policy Framework for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (2016-2030), the protocol to the African  Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the AU Roadmap on Harnessing the Demographic Dividend, the African Youth Charter (2006), the Common Position on Ending Child Marriage in Africa (2015) and others.

The Regional Spotlight Programme is fully aligned to the Africa Investment Plan with common objectives, pillars, Theories of Change and results framework; and is anchored on two work streams to support (a) the overall regional response to addressing SGBV, HP and SRHR and (b) the regional response to prevention of harmful practices, with a specific focus on FGM and Child Marriage. The programme is expected to deliver on three pillars (1, 5 and 6) of the Spotlight Initiative, while adopting a strategy of harnessing the respective strengths of multi-sectoral, multi-level partnerships which will support the acceleration of transformative changes.

The Position:

The Africa Spotlight Regional Programme Coordinator (ASRPC) will support the joint planning and implementation of activities across the two streams of the Africa Spotlight Regional Programme, ensuring coordination, technical coherence, synergies and complementarity.  This Unit is tasked with the goal of bringing the 3 components of the work together into a coherent programme under the leadership of the ASRPC.

The ASRPC will work closely with the other the three UN agencies delivering the Regional Programme – UN Women, UNICEF and UNDP. S/he will also work closely with the OUNAU and will be the main point of contact for technical/programmatic leads at the AUC.

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.

It is in this context that 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.

Education: 

• Advanced university degree in international relations/development, management, public administration, public health, gender, communication, economics, sociology, demography, and public policy or equivalent development related area.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years increasingly responsible professional experience in the management of complex, donor-funded multi-partner programmes.
• Work experience in a developing country context in Africa.
• Evidence of political acumen and partnership building.
• A track record of extensive national/international working experience with increasing managerial responsibilities in the development arena, preferably with experience in gender, eVAWG and/or SRHR programming.
• Experience in leading/managing knowledge product development and dissemination.
• Experience in leading/managing communications product development and dissemination.
• Experience of working closely with the AU/AUC, is preferred.
• Strong track record of leadership and management, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results.
• Ability to build and motivate / lead cross-cutting teams to produce client-oriented results.
• UN common system experience, especially field experience, is desirable.
• Strong verbal communication and writing skills in English is essential.
• Strong verbal communication skills in French, preferred.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.