Background
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.
In most cultures, volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.
In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.
Organizational context and brief project description
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, focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA has been operating in India since 1974.
The Programme Analyst – Adolescents & Youth, located in the Programme Coordination and Technical Support Unit, assists in the ASRH programme management including planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. He/she is responsible for the effective programme support and management of the programme component on access to youth-friendly, gender sensitive and socially inclusive ASRH information and services and linkages with other programme areas; The programme analyst will provide support to (i) assessment of political, social and economic trends relevant to adolescents and youth development, and universal access to ASRH for young people; and (ii) programme formulation, monitoring and evaluation, joint programming and national development frameworks to address the needs of young people including adolescents and with a focus on adolescent girls.
Living Conditions
As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.
New Delhi is the national capital of India and is situated in the central part of India. The city is home to thousands of businesses and international companies and embassies, making it very cosmopolitan in nature, and culturally rich.
Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers
The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.
Travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event the duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment. The Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of Rs. 42,473.67 (Rupees Forty Two Thousand Four Hundred Seventy Three and Paise Sixty Seven only) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as final repatriation (if applicable) and resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance of the Programme and Technical Support Coordinator and the direct supervision of the Adolescent and Youth Specialist, the NUNV will perform the following tasks:
- Provide strategic, technical and programmatic support for the development and implementation of innovative and effective strategies for the promotion of Adolescent and Youth development and civic engagement.
- Assist in promoting, advocating and providing technical assistance to programmes for availability and access to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) services, Life skills education and youth empowerment, with a special focus on vulnerable groups.
- Assist in analyzing bottlenecks at national and state levels to the delivery of ASRH information and services and suggest approaches to address challenges, applying a leave no one behind approach.
- Provide support to the planning, implementation and monitoring of ASRH work plans, in collaboration with implementing partners.
- Provide technical expertise to the formulation, review, implementation and monitoring of ASRH policies, guidelines and protocols and programmes at national and state levels. Participate in the development and updating of guidelines, standards, tools, manuals and approaches as required.
- Promote, advocate and participate in designing and implementing innovate programs for youth civic engagement and participation.
- Assist in gathering experience/information from various sources, including A&Y development and ASRH programme sites and publications on civil engagement and ASRH issues, and assist in the production of programme related documentation.
- Participate in and contribute to existing coordination, technical working group and joint programme mechanisms on young people development.
- Assist in providing technical and administrative support to implementing partners including capacity strengthening through training and other capacity development activities in the areas of ASRH, including promoting youth leadership, civic engagement and participation, youth friendly service provision, and comprehensive sexuality education.
- Collect, registering and maintaining information on youth development and ASRH programme activities by reviewing quarterly and annual reports from partners.
- Contribute to the preparation of status and progress reports in line with funding donor requirement.
- Support advocacy efforts for increases in national/state budgetary allocations and expenditures for Family Planning to leverage financing for the ICPD agenda and to ensure sustainability of interventions.
- Support country office resource mobilization efforts through researching on innovations, drafting concept notes and proposals. Preparing background material for use in discussions and briefing sessions with donors.
- Supporting operations research for the Adolescent and Youth Development programme.
- Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
- Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
- Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
- Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
- Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
- Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
- Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs
As an active team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNFPA Country Programme in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
- Support provided to strengthening access and quality of ASRH services, youth participation and civil engagement, especially in UNFPA focused states
- Technical support provided to implementing partners for the implementation of their Annual Work Plans
- Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
- A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed
Competencies
Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNFPA technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNFPA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNFPA in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;
Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNFPA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
Required Skills and Experience
Masters' level degree in in Public Health, Sociology, Gender, International Development, or related disciplines;
At least two years of relevant professional work experience in programme implementation and management
Strong team skills including ability to establish effective working relations with persons of different national and cultural backgrounds; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor own work plan and those relevant to the team members
Resourcefulness, efficient in taking initiative, maturity of judgment, tact;
Good analytical, organizing and planning skills;
Good communication, emotional intelligence and negotiation skills;
Ability to work independently and within culturally diverse teams;
Willingness to travel to project sites and other areas as needed
Disclaimer
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.
United Nations Volunteers reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this opening for other openings with United Nations Volunteers with similar assignment description, experience and educational requirements.
