Deputy Representative Jobs – United Nations Population Fund

Job Title: Deputy Representative

Organisation: United Nations Population Fund

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About Organisation:

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.

Job Summary: In collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, the Deputy Representative plays a leading role in strengthening the Country’s capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action, supporting national development efforts to achieve the SDGs, and ensuring national ownership. Together with the Country Representative, the Deputy Representative is accountable for the effective development and management of an innovative Country Programme of Cooperation focused on population and development and universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including maternal health, family planning, gender, and adolescent and youth empowerment. The Deputy Representative is responsible for promoting, at the national level, the goals of the programme and ensuring the integration of issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the broader national development agenda. Through engagement with national counterparts, compelling advocacy, and delivery of effective programmes, including in emergency settings, s/he serves on the frontline, validating the mandate of the organization and its ability to deliver high quality results.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
*Programme Leadership

• Develop, manage and monitor the Country Programme, in line with the strategic plan and on the basis of demographic, socio-economic data and national population policies
• Assess and address implications of national trends on UNFPA work in the country
• Expand and diversify UNFPA’s portfolio in pursuit of strategic new programme options in UNFPA’s mandate area
• Feedback country specificities on policy, procedures and lessons learned to the RO/SRO for the development of the global/regional strategic plan
• Establish quality standards for project development and delivery
• Oversee monitoring and evaluation of the programme, ensuring regular, rigorous monitoring and incorporation of lessons learned and adherence to the country programme theory of change; ensure adherence to corporate reporting requirements on CO results
• Take a leading role in ensuring UNFPA’s mandate areas are reflected in the country’s, and the UN country team’s, humanitarian preparedness and response plans, and ensure the country office develops capacities for humanitarian response

National Capacity Development

• Develop and implement a strategy for developing national capacity to deliver effectively on ICPD commitments; take the lead in identifying capacity gaps and needs among partner institutions; provide technical assistance and leverage resources to support the development of capacities
• Promote the capacity of national research and academic institutions to produce, analyse, disseminate and use demographic data and statistics for use in evidence based policy making in support of rights-based development programming
• In collaboration with development partners, promote health system strengthening to address the country’s ability to provide universal access to health care including SRHR
• Take the lead in articulating strategies to develop the country’s capacity to develop, implement and monitor rights-based policies and laws, focusing on Government entities, human rights institutions, academia and civil society
• Engage in a continuous dialogue with national partners to promote an enabling environment for the implementation of the ICPD agenda
• Create/improve national capacities to monitor, evaluate and learn from capacity development initiatives
• Foster knowledge sharing and innovative thinking in the country office, country and region

Partnership and Advocacy

• Build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships with key Government partners in support of shared objectives
• Advocate for the inclusion of the ICPD agenda within national policies, plans and strategies, including those focused on humanitarian preparedness and response
• Represent UNFPA’s mandate within the UN; ensure inclusion of ICPD issues in common country assessments and UN Development Assistance Frameworks and other strategies; where relevant take the lead/participate in inter-UN theme groups and task forces
• Liaise continuously with donors and development partners, contribute to development of joint positions on issues of common concerns, identify allies in advocacy for key UNFPA issues, and articulate UNFPA’s niche areas of value added
• Pursue resource mobilization opportunities among traditional and new donors
• Support efforts to communicate UNFPA’s mandate issues as well as visibility for UNFPA’s donors, by engaging with media partners, drafting articles and opinion pieces, and engaging on social media

Management of resources

• Support the UNFPA Representative in the management of the Country Office including formulation of annual work plans and monitoring implementation through consultations and field visits
• Support the design and implementation of a resource mobilization and partnership strategy; securing and using mobilised funds and budget allocations for the country programme
• Support the Representative in the management of staff, providing them with direction and motivation; fostering empowerment, learning and career management
• Facilitate capacity building of national staff by devolving authority for portfolio management; guide programme implementation with substantive oversight and effective programme representation
• Demonstrate performance appraisal and transparent leadership approaches that support a culture of growth and development, where good performance is incentivized and underperformers are held to account
• Set standards of performance, and assign responsibilities for achieving results according to the Country Office Strategic Information System
• Provide support to JPOs on career issues and advise managers on the JPO programme
• Support the development of a strategic plan for UNFPA’s humanitarian and preparedness actions in-country
• Support the staff safety by driving compliance with Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Security Standards (MORSS)
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by the County Representative.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Postgraduate university degree in any of the following disciplines: Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in public administration and international development including programme designing, appraising and management; of which at least 8 years in the field of population and development, sexual and reproductive health or humanitarian at the international level
• Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities
• Experience at national and international level in advocacy and policy dialogue
• Excellent media/communication skills to foster engaged partnerships and to maintain political partnerships in the assigned country
• Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high quality results
• Experience in international development, particularly in the mandate of UNFPA and dedication to the principles of the United Nations
• Field experience is essential; experience from a developing, humanitarian context is an asset

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other official UN language is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change
• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

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

Tranformational

Collaborative

• Self-applied – modelled in our own behaviour

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

Compensation and Benefits:

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

UNFPA Work Environment:

• UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance.
• We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply.
• Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply.
• Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
• UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click Here to learn more.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and Interested applicants should apply online at the link below.

Opens the employer’s application pageApply Now →

Deadline: 2nd October 2026

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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Level of Education: postgraduate degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 120