Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist, United Nations and Intergovernmental Affairs Branch (UNIB), Division for External Relations, New York, P-3

The Position:

The Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist post is located in the United Nations and Intergovernmental Affairs Branch (UNIB), Division for External Relations (DER). Reporting to the United Nations Affairs Coordinator, and working in close collaboration with all members of UNIB, the Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist will be working as part of the team responsible for facilitating the development of UNFPA’s strategic positioning in UN reform and inter-agency matters. The Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist will manage assigned portfolios within the team, maintain regular contact with external partners and organizational focal points to position UNFPA’s mandate in inter-agency coordination dialogues, mechanisms, and processes to advance the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

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 ICPD and 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 Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist plays a key role to facilitate the development of UNFPA’s strategic positioning in UN reform and promoting and positioning UNFPA in inter-agency matters and affairs. The Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist prepares strategic analysis to guide UNFPA’s position and develop action plans for the Fund’s strategic engagement with partners in  the  inter-agency processes. The Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist will manage a specific portfolio in the team and act as a focal point for UN strategic financing, common business operations, and will provide necessary guidance to the UNFPA Regional and Country Offices to advance the implementation of the UN Development System reform. The Inter-Agency Affairs Specialist will explore, expand and manage partnerships and promote strategic collaboration with UN agencies, the Member States and counterparts for positioning UNFPA’s mandate in intergovernmental and interagency  processes and ensure full engagement within UNIB, DER and across relevant UNFPA offices and divisions.

You would be responsible for:

1. Preparing strategic analysis to guide UNFPA’s position and development of the action plans for the Fund’s strategic engagement with partners in  the inter-agency processes; 
2. Identifying risks, opportunities, and impact of the UNDS reform and inter-agency processes on UNFPA’s operations and mandate;
3. Independently managing a specific portfolio, under the overall guidance of the United Nations  Affairs Coordinator, and acting as a focal point for UN strategic financing, common business operations, and will provide necessary guidance to the UNFPA Regional and Country Offices to advance the implementation of the UN Development System reform;
4. Participating in and representing UNFPA in inter-agency fora related to UN system-wide coherence.
5. Providing strategic, logistical and programmatic support to senior management and other UNFPA staff in the inter-agency affairs and interaction with strategic partners;
6. Developing briefing notes and other material to support UNFPA Senior Management’s participation in the inter-agency meetings;
7. Identifying corporate areas in need of updates, including policies and procedures, and developing guidance for incorporating UN Coherence-related changes/principles, working with focal divisions/offices on necessary updates;
8. Maintaining and facilitating active engagement in inter-agency processes across the organizational business units; country, regional and liaison offices, including through the internal Inter-Divisional Working Group (IDWG) on UN Reform
9. Engaging with me