Chief, Berlin Representation Office, Division for External Relations (DER), Berlin, Germany, P-5

The Position:

Under the supervision of the Director, Division for External Relations (DER), the Chief of the UNFPA Representation Office in Berlin serves as UNFPA’s most senior Representative in Germany and has overall responsibilities for managing UNFPA relations with the government of Germany as well as private sector and civil society partners. The Chief is also responsible for spearheading a proactive diplomatic and advocacy agenda with Austria and Liechtenstein, and in Central European Member States. The Chief ensures close coordination with other teams in DER and relevant regional offices.

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 (2026-2029), 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. It also adds a fourth outcome on demographic resilience. In a shifting political landscape, we need a principled leader who can courageously defend international norms and standards regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality while mobilizing political and financial support for the work of UNFPA.

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:

Within the goal to deliver on the four transformative results contained in the UNFPA Strategic Plan, and ultimately on the ICPD and the 2030 Agenda, the network of Representation Offices is aimed at strengthening advocacy and partnerships capacities of UNFPA.

The Chief will proactively advance UNFPA’s mandate and positioning in a fast-changing aid landscape, including the integration of the ICPD agenda in regional frameworks and global development and humanitarian agendas. With a view to ensuring predictable and growing resource mobilization and coalitions of support, a critical component of this role is elevating UNFPA’s advocacy and political engagement, ensuring a constant and senior-level interface with high-level missions, the diplomatic community, and the highest-level political officials in the countries of coverage .

You would be responsible for:

1. Strategic Representation and Regional Advocacy

• Represent UNFPA at the highest levels in Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
• Act as the lead advocate for the ICPD agenda, navigating sensitive political landscapes to build consensus on SRHR, gender equality, and population dynamics as well as UNFPA’s humanitarian work.
• Monitor and provide sophisticated political analysis of economic and social shifts in Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, providing regular strategic updates and alerts to headquarters and proactively developing response plans and actions to ensure UNFPA is well funded and its mandate protected .
• Organize and lead high-level missions and interactions of the UNFPA Executive Director and senior management to Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
• Ensure close collaboration and represent UNFPA in coordination with other UN entities in Germany and other countries of coverage.
• Work with EECARO on expanded and joint advocacy and outreach for the Central European Member States (including Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic).

2. Regional Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization

• Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive Regional Engagement Strategy and workplans in close collaboration with the Division, other business units, and relevant regional offices.
• Cultivate and maintain a diverse network of stakeholders, including government entities, civil society organizations, the private sector, foundations, and academia, with a focus on building and strengthening pro-mandate coalitions for UNFPA’s development and humanitarian work across the regional coverage area.
• Maintain close relations with Government officials and Members of Parliament across the region to ensure continuing and increasing (core and non-core) revenue and to ensure the UNFPA mandate is protected.
• Identify and propose specific fundraising strategies and donor approaches, driving UNFPA’s individual giving campaign.

3. Strategic Communication and Visibility

• Strengthen communication, visibility, and advocacy with key partners in government, media, and academia to improve donor engagement and public awareness of UNFPA’s development and humanitarian work.
• Spearhead high-impact advocacy campaigns tailored to the specific cultural and political contexts.
• Ensure proactive campaigns and outreach to ensure resources for UNFPA are not only protected but can grow.
• Contribute to corporate communication and advocacy strategies

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree in one or more 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:

• 10 years of relevant increasingly responsible professional and managerial experience, including at the national and international levels.
• 10 years of experience working on development and humanitarian issues
• Proven political acumen and the ability to navigate complex, sensitive intergovernmental processes and human rights dialogues.
• Proven expertise on advocacy and coalition building.
• Up-to-date knowledge of issues of population and development, sexual and reproductive health, and gender; strong knowledge of human rights and global health.
• Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results.
• Existing strong connections and networks with the ecosystem of government officials, private sector partners, civil society, media, and resource mobilisation context in Germany and the wider region.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.

Languages:

• High level German language skills in diplomacy and politics (both in writing and speaking) and fluency in English are required.
• French, Spanish, Chinese and other official UN language skills are assets in managing development program proposals from different regions, and partnerships.

Required Competencies:

Values:

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

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Personal Leadership and Effectiveness,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments & partners
• Resource mobilization and Partnership building

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.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.