Please note that this is a re-advertisement; applicants who have previously applied do not need to reapply.

The Position:

The Community Mobilization Specialist works under the overall supervision of the Programme Coordinator and in close collaboration with the Programme and Humanitarian teams. S/he will lead the offices efforts in engaging young people across the components of UNFPA’s humanitarian nexus response and will also provide inputs to UNFPA’s overall engagement and mobilization of affected communities.

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:

You will work in a highly complex operating environment and be responsible for working with the different programme teams/thematic areas to increase youth engagement and mobilization within UNFPA’s programmes and at the community level. You will serve as a youth community organizer and mobilizer and will be responsible for facilitating activities in the communities including planning, monitoring, and evaluation of programme/project interventions. The incumbent will facilitate and strategize to effectively and efficiently implement planned activities and initiate onsite interaction, where possible, with targeted communities and project partners. This will include identifying and building partnerships and contributing to the overall networking and coordination work with different stakeholders. You will also contribute to strategies for wider engagement and mobilization of affected communities.

You would be responsible for:

A. Programme Support:
• Provide quality and timely technical input and support to UNFPA and partners on implementation of existing projects as well as design of new projects
• Support mobilization and repurposing of the work of local and national youth partnerships and networks towards engagement in the current humanitarian context.
• Support the thematic teams on methods and strategies for increasing engagement with youth in light of the protracted and heightened humanitarian context, including focusing on IDPs and returnees, where youth are the majority of the target population.
• Support UNFPA units to mobilize underprivileged youth to increase their engagements in reproductive health, gender-based violence response and humanitarian interventions.
• Lead in designing interactive and didactic methods to create spaces for men and youth as “agents of change” to challenge the norms, beliefs, and behaviors of men related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
• Support other thematic areas to update strategies for community engagement, to ensure continued support for services.

B. Partnerships and Advocacy:
• Engage key traditional and non-traditional partners, including civil society, private sector, development partners and others on the inclusion and engagement of youth in humanitarian response in Afghanistan.
• Liaises with communities and local authorities on a regular basis to ensure the active involvement of local communities and other stakeholders to mobilize resources, coordinate activities, and ensure participation of beneficiaries.
• Provide support for resource mobilization for community engagement and support for young people in humanitarian response.

C. Monitoring & Evaluation:
• Collect relevant data and information necessary for programme and project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Contribute to best practices for youth in humanitarian response, including in relation to reproductive health and gender-based violence response.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree in social/behavioral sciences, international relations, public administration or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in youth and community engagement, mobilization, and advocacy.
• Understanding of Afghan Context, in particular the current political and security context in which UNFPA is required to operate.
• Familiarity with SRH and GBV programming.
• Skills in building strategic alliances and partnerships; strong communication and networking skills; excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to self-manage, good level of emotional intelligence, empathy, and conflict management.
• High level of ability to negotiate and experience in team working in culturally diverse contexts.
• Strong analytical ability and experience in representing an organization.
• Good knowledge of humanitarian response, prior experience in challenging and complex humanitarian response is desirable.

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

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
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Delivering results-based programmes
• Internal and External communication and advocacy for resource mobilization

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. 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.