Deputy Representative, Freetown, Sierra Leone, P-4

Organizational Context

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights, aiming to fulfill its mandate by 2030. The Deputy Representative role is crucial for designing and delivering the country programme, fostering partnerships with governments, UN agencies, and civil society to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The position is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and reports to the UNFPA Representative.

Job Purpose

The Deputy Representative, in collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, spearheads the strengthening of national capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action and achieve SDGs. This role is accountable for developing and managing an innovative Country Programme focused on population and development, and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Key responsibilities include promoting the programme's goals nationally, integrating SRHR into the national development agenda, and engaging with counterparts through advocacy and effective programme delivery, especially in emergency settings. The position validates UNFPA's mandate and its capacity to deliver high-quality results.

Responsibilities

The Deputy Representative leads programme development, management, and monitoring, ensuring alignment with UNFPA's strategic plan and national policies. This includes expanding the programme portfolio, establishing quality standards, and overseeing monitoring and evaluation. A key focus is on national capacity development, implementing strategies to enhance partner institutions' ability to deliver on ICPD commitments, promoting data analysis for evidence-based policymaking, and strengthening health systems for universal healthcare access. The role also involves building and maintaining partnerships with government, UN agencies, donors, and civil society, advocating for the ICPD agenda, and pursuing resource mobilization opportunities. Management of Country Office resources, staff supervision, and ensuring compliance with security standards are also integral.

Work Experience

Requires 7 years of progressive professional experience in public administration and international development, including programme design, appraisal, and management. At least 5 years must be in population and development, sexual and reproductive health, or humanitarian work at the international level. Experience in advocacy, policy dialogue, leading teams, and field experience in developing or humanitarian contexts is essential.

Skills

Core competencies include integrity, commitment to UNFPA/UN values, cultural diversity, change embrace, results achievement, accountability, professional expertise, analytical and strategic thinking, teamwork, and effective communication. Managerial competencies involve strategic focus, stakeholder engagement, people leadership, and decision-making. UN Leadership Characteristics emphasize being norm-based, principled, inclusive, accountable, multi-dimensional, transformational, collaborative, and self-applied.

Explore related opportunities