Overview
Serves as UNFPA’s global lead on population dynamics, demographic change, and population–development policy. Provides strategic vision, intellectual leadership, and managerial oversight for the Branch, ensuring delivery of the fourth outcome on ‘adapting to demographic change while upholding individual rights and choices’ in UNFPA’s new Strategic Plan for 2026-2029.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide overall vision, strategic direction, and leadership for UNFPA’s population and development agenda.
- Serve as the principal adviser to senior management on demographic change, population policies, and population and development linkages.
- Lead the development and implementation of global strategies, frameworks, and policy guidance.
- Position UNFPA as a global thought leader on demographic change.
- Oversee the development and application of Demographic Dividend Analysis, Demographic Resilience Reviews, demographic foresight, and population strategies.
- Ensure the systematic integration of demographic analysis into development planning, fiscal policy, and sectoral strategies.
- Lead UNFPA’s global evidence and analytical agenda on population and development.
- Oversee the production of flagship analytical outputs, reports, policy briefs, and technical guidance.
- Advance UNFPA’s leadership in demographic foresight and scenario analysis.
- Promote the integration of population data, economic analysis, and geospatial insights into policy-relevant knowledge products.
- Ensure that evidence informs global advocacy, policy dialogue, and programme design.
- Provide strategic leadership to ensure integration of population dynamics into UNFPA’s programmatic areas.
- Promote life-course and human capital approaches to adapting to demographic change.
- Support the development of policy and programmatic responses.
- Ensure coherence between population policies and sectoral interventions.
- Lead UNFPA’s efforts to shape a balanced, evidence-based global narrative on demographic change.
- Position UNFPA as a credible and authoritative voice on rights-based population policies and demographic resilience.
- Oversee and guide global advocacy, policy dialogues, and high-level convenings.
- Ensure that UNFPA’s messaging effectively communicates the opportunities and challenges of demographic change.
- Provide strategic inputs for high-level engagements.
- Lead UNFPA’s efforts to strengthen national capacities in demographic analysis, population policy, and development planning.
- Promote the development of next-generation expertise in demography and population sciences.
- Foster south–south and triangular cooperation.
- Strengthen internal UNFPA capacity in population and development programming and policy advisory services.
- Guide knowledge management, communities of practice, and institutional learning.
- Lead strategic engagement with UN agencies, international financial institutions, academia, private sector, and civil society.
- Strengthen collaboration with development planning, economic, and research communities.
- Represent UNFPA at high-level global and intergovernmental fora.
- Drive coordination across the UN system.
- Lead resource mobilization for UNFPA’s population and development agenda.
- Develop and implement funding strategies and investment cases.
- Engage bilateral donors, development banks, foundations, the private sector and partners.
- Position population dynamics as a critical entry point for development financing and investment.
- Strengthen alignment between technical work, advocacy, and financing opportunities.
- Lead and manage the Population and Development Branch.
- Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, accountability, and excellence.
- Ensure effective coordination across Programme Division, HQ units, regional offices, and country offices.
- Oversee planning, monitoring, and reporting for the Branch.
- Perform additional tasks as required.
Required Experience
- Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience in public administration and international development, including at least 8 years at the international level.
- Recognized technical authority and thought leader in population and development, with deep expertise in demographic analysis and policy.
- Proven experience in population policies, demographic transition, and development planning.
- Strong understanding of global megatrends (e.g., climate change, urbanization, migration, technological change) and their implications for population dynamics.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and manage high-level expert teams and deliver strategic results.
- Extensive networks within academic, research, and development communities.
- Strong track record in policy influence, partnerships, and resource mobilization.
- Experience in working in low and middle income countries is highly desirable.
Qualifications
- Advanced university degree in demography, population studies, economics, public health, sociology, international development, or related field.
- PhD is an advantage.
