UNFPA recrute un Regional Director, West and Central Africa Regional Office

There is no expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulations 4.5.
This post is subject to a maximum term limit. The term limit applicable to this post is currently 5 years.
The Position:

The post of Director, Regional Office, is located in the West and Central Africa UNFPA Regional Office (WCARO), and reports directly to the Deputy Executive Director for Programme. The Director is a member of the Executive Committee, provides overall strategic vision, direction and leadership in the Region, and serves as the senior adviser within the Fund on all matters related to the Region.

S/he supervises the Regional Office, Sub-regional offices (as relevant), as well as the Country Representatives in the region.

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 strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the International Conference on Population and Development programme of action and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

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 programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Director ensures that the Regional Office fulfills its overall terms of reference through, inter alia; leading the strategic positioning of UNFPA in the region;  bringing a regional perspective to bear on all aspects of UNFPA’s work; advocating at the high policy level for political and financial support for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD); overseeing policy support and operations to ensure the relevance, quality and effectiveness of integrated programme and technical support in the region; strengthening country offices and United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) in results-based programming; ensuring rapid and appropriate responses to humanitarian crises; and assuming leadership and accountability for the management of regional operations and resources.

Key activities include:

• Strategic direction, planning and management
• Programme support and representation
• Programme oversight and coordination
• Management of resources

In all activities, the Regional Office Director ensures collaboration and coordination among the Regional Office’s business units, Sub-regional and country offices as well as with all Headquarters Divisions, ensuring the timeliness, adequacy, quality and relevance of the work of the Regional Office in increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of UNFPA’s programmes and operations in the Region.

The Director chairs the Regional Management Team and is a member of the Regional Directors’ Team.

You would be responsible for:

• Oversees implementation of the regional and country programmes, ensuring that they reflect country and regional priorities;
• Ensure the application of results-based management and quality assurance frameworks and procedures for the work of the Regional Office and Country Offices;
• Ensure the application of financial and substantive monitoring processes, and the evaluation of programmes in the region;
• Establish and oversee processes for the incorporation of evaluation results in new and updated programme and operational guidance for the region;
• Establish and oversee processes to ensure the Regional Office complies with Audit recommendations;
• Ensure UNFPA accountability for United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) results.

D. Management of resources

• Assume overall accountability for the management and work of the Regional Office;
• Propose and secure annual allocations for the Regional Office, the regional programme and country programmes, and ensure the efficient and effective use of such resources in compliance with UNFPA financial rules, regulations, and procedures;
• Direct the formulation and implementation of a resource mobilization strategy for the region, and mobilize, in coordination with Division of Communications and Strategic Partnerships (DCS), additional financial resources for the region;
• Develop and guide an integrated and systems approach to the work of the Regional Office;
• Supervise the Deputy Director of the Regional Office, Coordinators of sub-regional teams, Country Representatives, and the Operations Manager, and support and guide them in their work;
• Appraise RC performance; ensure RCs in the region are adequately briefed on UNFPA mandate and organizational strategies and priorities; provide inputs to the Division for Human Resources (DHR) on selection of RC candidates;
• Communicate standards of performance, and assign responsibilities for achieving results according to the Regional Office and sub-regional Office Work Plan and the PAD system;
• Uphold standards for the recruitment and selection of the highest quality of staff for the Regional Office, sub-regional offices and country offices;
• Establish and maintain a harmonious working environment; seek to strengthen team-building by encouraging active participation and interaction at all levels; foster staff motivation, development and empowerment; and lead by example;
• Establish a regional security strategy and plan in line with UN procedures and requirements;
• Ensure an ethics-based approach to management of all human and financial resources; and

• Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Office of the Executive Director.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

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

Knowledge and Experience: 

Fluency in English required; fluency in French highly desirable; and fluency in Spanish or Portuguese an asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity;
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system;
• Embracing cultural diversity;
• Embracing change.

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results;
• Being accountable;
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen;
• Thinking analytically and strategically;
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships;
• Communicating for impact.

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/advancing a policy-oriented agenda – influencing the public policy agenda;
• Results-based programme development and management – achieving results through conceptual programme leadership;
• Leveraging resources of national governments and partners, and building strategic alliances and partnerships – creating opportunities through a broadening network of alliances;
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches – creating a culture of innovation;
• Resource mobilization – developing a global and regional strategy; and,
• Job knowledge / technical expertise – external; authority in one’s own discipline.

Managerial Competencies:

Compensations and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer: 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.