NATIONAL POST: Programme Analyst, ASRH, (NOB), Accra, Ghana

The Position:

The Programme Analyst analyses and assesses relevant political, social and economic trends and provides substantive inputs to project formulation and evaluation, joint programming initiatives and national development frameworks. He/she ensures coherence with agreed national and international planning frameworks; and guides and facilitates the delivery of UNFPA programs by monitoring results achieved in the implementation. He/she ensures and guides the appropriate application of systems and procedures and develops enhancements if necessary.

You will report to The Programme Specialist, Adolescents & Youth(AYD)

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 Development (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.

Job Purpose:

To substantively contribute to the effective achievement of UNFPA activities in the area of sexual and reproductive health, reducing maternal mortality, and accelerating progress on the ICPD agenda and MDG 5. This involves incorporating elements of population and development, access to maternal and newborn health services, family planning, HIV/STI prevention, gender equality, and poverty reduction into programmes—with a special, dedicated emphasis on adolescents and youth.

You would be responsible for:

Technical Expertise/Management:
Analyses and interprets the political, social and economic environment relevant to adolescent sexual and reproductive health; and identifies opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. Keeps abreast of new policy developments and strategies analysing policy papers, strategy documents, national plans and development frameworks.
Participates in relevant national and sub-national fora, enhancing UNFPA mandate on adolescent sexual and reproductive health; and works to ensure that technical issues are incorporated in national development plans and frameworks.
Addresses policy issues and provides substantive inputs to facilitate policy dialogue and the central positioning of adolescent sexual and reproductive health within policies, national plans and strategies, UN system initiatives, and development frameworks in national and development partners’ coordination mechanisms in line with the new aid environment.
Creates substantive knowledge of adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues in the country, assesses technical assistance needs in these areas and advises on the suitability of programmes and related interventions to meet these needs.
Participates actively in appropriate UN coordination mechanisms (e.g. Joint UN Teams) and supports and contributes to all joint programmes/activities among the UN agencies.
Ensures the integration of ASRH in such United Nations system-wide processes as the CCA, UNDAF and MDGs Monitoring Report. Assists in ensuring the prioritization of ASRH in SWAPs, health sector reforms, GPRSPs and similar development frameworks.

Programme Management:
In collaboration with Government counterparts, NGOs and other partners, provides substantive leadership and inputs into the design and formulation of the Country Programme and its component projects in line with Government priorities and according to UNFPA programme policies and procedures. Ensures quality of programme/project design incorporating lessons learned, newly developed policies and best practices, and establishing appropriate execution and monitoring mechanisms and systems.
Leads programme implementation guiding and orienting executing agencies and programme personnel introducing effective modalities and practices for implementation.
Expedites and coordinates project implementation by:
Establishing collaborative relationships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies.
Facilitating timely and efficient delivery of project inputs.
Identifying and addressing capacity development needs of implementing partners and project personnel.
Advises and reports on achievement of programme results, proactively measuring substantive progress and the effective utilization of financial and human project resources using appropriate monitoring and measuring mechanisms and tools. Identifies bottlenecks, constraints and resource deficiencies and recommends corrective action.
Creates and documents knowledge about current and emerging adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues, by analysing programmes, strategies, approaches and on-going experience for lessons learned, best practices, and shares with management for use in knowledge sharing and planning future strategies.

Funds Management:
Prepares and manages programme budgets.
Monitors programme expenditures and disbursements to ensure delivery is in line with approved programme budgets and to realize targeted delivery levels.
Ensures the timely and accurate reporting of financial information.
Raises requisitions for relevant travels and procurement under the e-procurement module in Atlas.
Manages assets that have been procured by the UNFPA and supplied to the implementing partners; ensuring that they are put to proper use (Form C).

Resource Mobilisation
Assists advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the Country Office by analysing and monitoring national health sector funding, devising advocacy strategies that lead to increased funding, preparing relevant documentation (e.g. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles) and participating in donor meetings and public information events. Builds strong technical and programme multi-sectoral partnerships for advocacy for ICPD agenda through national institutions, networks, alliances and coalitions.

People Management & Leadership:
Proactively ensures that all activities remain aligned with the broader aims of the CO and Country Programme.
Exchanges relevant information and maintains an open line of communication with colleagues and his/her supervisor to ensure that synergies across programming activities are obtained.
Actively participates in CO and programme unit team meetings.
Undertakes capacity building among project staff and counterpart government institutions on issues pertaining to adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Directs the efforts of the Programme Assistant in line with the programme objectives.
Manages the performance and development goals of the Programme Assistant to ensure optimal performance; identifies and remedies performance gaps.

Administrative Management
Submits progress reports and field visit reports in a timely manner and in line with required quality standards.
Ensures that programme progress and analysis reports are prepared and submitted in a timely manner and in line with required quality standards.
Develops TORs (and specifications) and other required documentation when submitting procurement requests and official requests for procurement.
Participates in the procurement committees when appropriate.
Provides evaluations of service providers to the CO, upon completion of said services.
Ensures that procured goods are distributed to implementing partners in a timely manner.

Other:
When appropriate, undertakes other job-related duties assigned by the supervisor and/or Representative.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• Master’s degree in public health, social development, medicine, or other related social science field.
• Familiarity with issues of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 5 years’ professional experience preferably in programme/project management in the public or private sector (at national level).
• Experience in working with government institutions, NGOs and/or donor institutions.

Languages:

• Fluency in oral and written English.
• A second UN language is an asset.

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,

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy oriented agenda
• Results-based programme development and management
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/Building strategic alliances and partners
• Resource mobilization
• Training and facilitation skills
• Ability to conduct operational/interventional research

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.