Deputy Representative
Organizational Context
UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency dedicated to delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The Deputy Representative role is integral to the UNFPA country programme, focusing on realizing the 2030 Agenda and making a positive difference in people's lives, particularly those most vulnerable. The position is based in Damascus, Syria.
Job Purpose
The Deputy Representative plays a crucial role in strengthening the country's capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, 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. This includes maternal health, family planning, gender equality, and adolescent and youth empowerment. The Deputy Representative is responsible for promoting these goals nationally, ensuring their integration into the broader development agenda, and delivering effective programmes, including in emergency settings, thereby validating UNFPA's mandate and its ability to achieve high-quality results.
Responsibilities
The Deputy Representative leads the development, management, and monitoring of the Country Programme, ensuring alignment with the strategic plan and national policies. This involves assessing national trends, expanding UNFPA's portfolio, and establishing quality standards for project delivery. Responsibilities include overseeing programme monitoring and evaluation, ensuring adherence to corporate reporting, and integrating UNFPA's mandate into humanitarian preparedness and response plans. The role also focuses on developing national capacity to meet ICPD commitments, promoting health system strengthening, and fostering an enabling environment for rights-based policies. Building and maintaining partnerships with government, UN agencies, donors, and civil society is key, as is advocating for the ICPD agenda and mobilizing resources. The Deputy Representative supports the Country Representative in managing the Country Office, including staff, finances, and ensuring compliance with security standards.
Work Experience
Requires 10 years of progressive professional experience in public administration and international development, including programme design, appraisal, and management. At least 8 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 and the UN system, embracing diversity and change, achieving results, accountability, professional expertise, analytical and strategic thinking, teamwork, and effective communication. Managerial competencies involve strategic focus, stakeholder engagement, leadership, people development, performance culture, and decision-making. UN Leadership Characteristics emphasize being norm-based, principled, inclusive, accountable, multi-dimensional, transformational, collaborative, and self-applied.