The Position:

The Programme Specialist, Adolescent and Youth (A&Y) is based in the UNFPA Bangladesh head office in Dhaka, with frequent travel to programme sites.

You will report to the Deputy Representative. 

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. 

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:

Adolescent and Youth are at the core of UNFPA’s Vision for a Transformative Agenda. UNFPA works with the government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to ensure access to adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and services, and age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality and gender equality education.

Building on the achievements of the Generation Breakthrough, which was UNFPA Bangladesh’s flagship programme of a multi-pronged approach to preventing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and meeting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for adolescents, the Programme Specialist will lead the AY Unit in designing, planning, and monitoring the on-going efforts of the AY programme as well as guide the way forward to the designing of the new country programme. 

The key areas of interventions pursued in the AY unit are GBV (focusing on adolescent youth), gender equity, and adolescents’ SRHR and their linkages through educational and skills development programmes in schools, adolescent clubs, and sport clubs, as well as through public awareness campaigns. The development issues of adolescent youth is also strongly linked to demographic dividend, as Bangladesh has large proportion of young population (approx. 30mil) where around 30% are not in education or in training and where 68% of such population are girls. The impact such population would have for the future of the country’s development is significant. 

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Programme Specialist is responsible for overall management and coordination of the UNFPA programme on Adolescents and Youth. As the Adolescent and Youth programme cuts across UNFPA programme components – reproductive health (RH), gender, and population planning and research (PPR) – the incumbent is expected to work closely with RH, Gender, and PPPR teams of UNFPA Bangladesh Country Office. S/he shall also assume supervisory responsibilities as Unit Chief.

Requirements:

Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

Advanced degree in Public Health, Social Science, and/or other related disciplines.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 7 years of professional experience in programme/project management, of which at least 2 years of living and working experience in a developing country.

• Prior training and experience in adolescent and youth development and participation, sexual reproductive health and rights, and gender and their application in development settings is a plus

• Practical experience in ASRHR, gender, and adolescent development programmes.

• Demonstrated experience in coordination and liaison with government counterparts, nongovernment organizations, UN agencies, private sector, development partners and CBOs

• Proven ability to communicate and engage with adolescent and youth

• Pro-active and ability to motivate young people.

• Solid knowledge on ASRHR and gender, particularly in the context of Bangladesh, which includes development challenges and underlying socio cultural factors.

• Excellent understanding of human rights based approach and results based management. 

• Strong communication and writing skills in English.

• Initiative, strong conceptual and analytical abilities, sound judgment, liaison skills, negotiation skills, administrative and management skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills. 

• Experience in using computers and office software packages including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google/Gmail, and handling of web-based management systems.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset.