Population and Data Specialist 40 views0 applications

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the leading UN organization in Reproductive Health and Population and Development.

We are  recruiting to fill the position below:

 Job Title: Population and  Data Specialist

Job ID: 37335
Location: Abuja

The Position

• The Programme Management Specialist, Population and Data leads the Policy, Population and Data Unit of the Country Office in coordination with all programmatic thematic units and staff to advance UNFPA’s upstream work on demographic change, population dynamics, sustainable financing, and evidence-based development planning. S/he reports to the UNFPA Deputy Representative and acts on her/his behalf in her/his absence.
• S/he contributes directly to the operationalization of the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2026–2029, particularly Outcome 4: adaptation to demographic change through evidence-based and rights based policies.
• S/he establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, parliamentarians, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, UN agencies, civil society, local authorities, academia and the private sector to ensure that population dynamics inform national development planning, demographic intelligence guides policy development and implementation, and sustainable financing supports population and SRHR investments.

How You Can Make a Difference

• UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
• The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal.
• It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Data (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
• This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
• 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 who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.
• In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), UNFPA provides technical support to build stakeholders’ capacity to increase the use of data in decision-making at national and subnational levels, promoting incorporation of key sustainable development issues linked to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights (SRHR), population change and a life-cycle, gender transformative, rights-based approach in short-, medium- and long-term planning, financing and monitoring instruments, and data-backed and evidence-based policy advice for accelerating achievement of the ICPD Programme of Action and Agenda 2030.
• With a demographic context characterized by very slow fertility decrease, high maternal mortality, high unmet need for family planning, and a youthful and rapidly growing population, it is paramount for the demographic dividend agenda to be clearly and effectively integrated in the National Development Plan (2021-2025), as well as other medium-term Government planning instruments and sectoral strategies.

Job Purpose

• UNFPA Nigeria Country Office (CO) requires the services of a Programme Management Specialist in Population and Data based in Abuja, Nigeria.
• Under the guidance of the Representative and direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Programme Management Specialist, Population and Data will support the UNFPA Representative in overall accountability for the management and work in Population and Data within the Country Office.
• She/he will provide strategic support in achieving the Population and Data-related outputs of the Country Programme and provide technical expertise/guidance, quality assurance, policy application.
• More specifically she/he will advise the Deputy Representative on the national development policies in the relevant sector and ensure UNFPA’s priorities are well taken care of during sector policy discussions with the Government and the development partners. The incumbent ensures strategic advocacy and policy advice at the highest levels for the assigned areas.
• She/he will facilitate UNFPA’s interactions with the Government at all levels and support the management of all implementing partners. She/he will act as an analyst/advisor, proactively providing the Deputy Representative and the Representative with information on achievement of results in the implementation of the UNFPA programme.

You Would Be Responsible For
Strategic policy leadership:

• Lead UNFPA engagement to integrate population dynamics into national development planning.
• Lead high level policy dialogue with Government counterparts, UN and other development partners to facilitate the incorporation of UNFPA’s programme priorities and ICPD agenda into national policies, strategies and plans, UN systems initiatives and development and humanitarian frameworks (CCA, UNSDCF, HNA, HRP).
• Participate in formulation, implementation, and review of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and contribute to the UN system wide policy coherence through participation in policy dialogues, thematic groups, and joint programmes.
• Leads the translation of global and regional frameworks and strategies using population  data, trends and  demographic intelligence to inform country specific strategies, creates and delivers effective evidence-based advocacy messages to promote UNFPA’s programme goals taking into account political and social sensitivities.
• Provides support to programme teams in tracking Nigeria’s commitments to global, regional and national frameworks related to UNFPA’s agenda.
• Utilizes population data, demographic trends and demographic intelligence to inform policy dialogue, strategic planning and evidence-based advocacy on population dynamics and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and strengthens accountability mechanisms to track national commitments and progress toward the ICPD Programme of Action and UNFPA Strategic Plan outcomes.
• Utilises population data, demographic trends and demographic intelligence to advocate for evidence informed policies and strategies engaging government ministries, parliamentarians, multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, UN agencies, civil society, religious leaders, local authorities, the private sector and media to advocate for the advancement of universal access to comprehensive SRHR, GBV prevention and response, and population dynamics.
• Utilises population data, demographic trends and demographic intelligence to inform the development of white papers, briefing notes, policy briefs and infographics and other products, by considering the targeted audience.
• Utilises population data, demographic trends and demographic intelligence to provide innovative technical knowledge and deliver substantive technical advice on current and emerging approaches in population change and data and policies to CO, government, intergovernmental bodies, and the UN.
• Develop and implement a political engagement strategy and broker policy and political engagements with key stakeholders including the Ministries of Finance, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth Development, the Ministry of Women Affairs, International Finance Institutions, academic & research institutions, development partners, key civil society actors, religious and cultural leaders on the four transformative results of UNFPA.
• Strengthen media and stakeholder engagement by cultivating relationships with local and regional media outlets, journalists, and communication networks to raise awareness and generate public interest in UNFPA’s mandate and key thematic areas, including SRHR, GBV, and youth empowerment. Support organization of media briefings, visibility events, and field visits for partners and donors.
• Represents UNFPA in strategic forums, coordination mechanisms, policy dialogues, and advocacy platforms to position the ICPD agenda and the four strategic outcomes under the UNFPA mandate.
• Support UNFPA’s integration and participation in the Delivering as One modality in Nigeria.

Demographic Intelligence, Data and Foresight:

• Oversee support to the Government of Nigeria in undertaking national census, population-based surveys, civil registration and vital statistics systems including brokering the provision of technical assistance, resource mobilisation, use of digital technologies and knowledge-sharing.
• Oversee support to the Government of Nigeria in strengthening harmonized national information systems, relevant national sectoral data systems including National Health Management Information System (NHMIS), Gender-based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS).
• Advocate, promote, and strengthen national capacity to gather, analyse and use disaggregated data to inform the development of policies, programmes, track progress in achieving global, continental and regional commitments.
• Promote demographic foresight and gathering of demographic intelligence to advocate for Nigeria to make investments in youth so that Nigeria can harness its demographic dividend.
• Support the integration of migration policies within the range of possible solutions to address demographic change, informed by disaggregated migration data, and to ensure that planning reflects the rights and needs of migrants, displaced people and host communities, including in access to SRH services.
• On climate change and humanitarian crisis, support the Government of Nigeria to use demographic and geospatial data to assess vulnerability, plan for mobility and integrate SRHR and gender equality into climate adaptation strategies.
• Ensure the strategic collection, analysis and use of population data, demographic and political intelligence to inform the development of evidence-based advocacy strategies, policies and sectoral strategies and approaches to advance the four key outcomes of the UNFPA Strategic Plan. This includes the development of policy briefs, briefing notes, white papers, analytical reports and  demographic profiles.

Strategic Programme Leadership and Implementation:

• Support country programme design, implementation, monitoring and reporting with appropriate guidance and orientation of implementing partners on effective modalities and practices.
• Act as UNFPA liaison with the Government (the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, other line ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), etc.), civil society, and other relevant stakeholders on national priorities; and proactively provides the country office management with timely information to guide CO actions within the national context.
• Support the evaluation of the UNSDCF, the Country Programme and the Projects to enable evidence-based adaptation and scale up.
• Oversee the management of P&D projects, including budgeting, financial management, monitoring and reporting.
• Foster collaboration across thematic areas and national and sub-national levels, ensuring timeliness, adequacy, relevance, and quality of programming support to national and sub-national entities.
• Prepare and disseminate reports on program performance and impact, comply with donor requirements and contractual obligations.
• Promote knowledge management practices, including continuous learning, documenting innovative strategies, lessons learned, best practices, and support the CO to advocate for scaling up successful interventions with national partners and regional office using south-south cooperation.
• National Capacity Development
• Oversee Implementing Partners (IPs) activities and delivery tracks across all the Units, provide technical support for grant beneficiaries, coordination of capacity building and assessment.
• Provide day-to-day technical support to the implementing partners, which include Federal and State Governments, regional authorities, local government units, civil society constituents and academia in the thematic areas of the UNFPA programme.
• Support and coordinate the development and implementation of strategies for capacity development at national and sub-national levels within the context of the global and regional strategies.
• Recommend areas of technical assistance in the context of the UNFPA Country Programme and based on continuous review and analysis of demographic and socioeconomic  data, cultural trends and shifts, national and subnational population-related policies, and analysis of the political context.
• Resource Mobilization and Partnerships
• Support the CO engagements with government, UN agencies (especially in the context of the UN Reform, joint programming, joint programmes), donors, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector on priority investments required for the achievement of the three transformative results in Nigeria.
• Support the CO resource mobilization efforts by coordinating the development and implementation of the Resource Mobilization and Partnership Strategy and facilitating the documentation of best practices in resource mobilization and partnerships establishment.
• Support CO efforts to leverage resources from government and development partners to expand the financing base for the ICPD Programme of Action in Nigeria by identifying local funding opportunities and contributing to proposal development and donor reporting.
• Lead technical components in writing proposals and engaging in resource mobilization efforts to support joint programming and UN delivering as One initiative by preparing relevant documents, i.e., project summaries, conference papers, donor profile and participating in donor meetings and public information events including as part of efforts to support joint programming and UN delivering as One initiative.
• Support the CO management of funds (core and non-core) to ensure efficient utilization and reporting.
• Contribute to the CO communications and visibility efforts by generating compelling human-interest stories, field updates, and social media content that highlight UNFPA’s results and impact.
• Undertake periodic budget and expenditure analysis, investment case studies and cost of inaction studies to advocate for leveraging public finance, including domestic budget allocations and public investments frameworks to ensure that SRHR, gender equality and population change are meaningfully resourced in national policies and budgets.
• Lead development of policy briefs, analytical reports to integrate the four key outcomes of UNFPA into national budgets and public investment frameworks.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the UNFPA Representative, Deputy Representative, Regional Office or Headquarters.

Education
Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in  Demography, Population Studies, Statistics, Geography, Economics, Public Health, Sociology, Development Studies, with an emphasis on  demography, or related field, as well as a first-level university degree in any of the same fields.
• Programming experience is necessary to perform this task.

Knowledge And Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of Population and Data, with good knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Strong results-based programme management experience, with particular focus on strategic planning and capacity building.
• Previous experience working with the UN and understanding of Human Rights dimensions of Population and Data, an asset.
• Experience in national and/or sectoral policy dialogue, especially in the context of UN Reform and Joint Programming, and the new aid environment, would be a distinct advantage.
• Proficiency in current office software applications and corporate IT systems.
• Demonstrated ability to produce quality policy analysis, papers, and briefs.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to make compelling oral presentations.
• Understanding of development planning and policy processes.
• Experience in large scale national surveys and censuses.
• Highly motivated, proactive and ability to work both independently and in teams.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required – strong capability to communicate clearly and concisely in both oral and written English.

Required Competencies
Values:

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

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual Innovation in the provision of technical expertise, and Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/Building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Job knowledge/Technical expertise: Good knowledge of population data and research – population dynamics and interrelationships.
• Advocacy/advancing a policy-oriented agenda.
• Delivering results-based programmes
• Facilitating quality programme results
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation.

Core Competencies:

• Integrity/Commitment to our mandate/Valuing Diversity
• Performance Management.
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Developing People/Coaching and Mentoring and Fostering Innovation and Empowerment;

Working in Teams/managing ourselves and our relationships.

• Self-Management/Emotional.

Intelligence.

• Analytical and Strategic Thinking and Results Orientation/Commitment to Excellence.
• Knowledge Sharing/Continuous Learning
• Achieving results.

Managerial Competencies:

• Providing strategic focus
• Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders
• Leading, developing, and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
• Making decisions and exercising judgment
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact.

UN Leadership Characteristics:

• Norm-based – grounded in UN norms and standards.
• Principled – defends norms and standards without discrimination, fear, or favour.
• Inclusive of all personnel and stakeholders
• Accountable
• Multi-dimensional
• Transformational
• Collaborative
• Self-applied – modelled in our own behaviour.

Application Closing Date
24th October, 2026; 05:00 AM.