The Position:

The Innovation and Transformation Branch, plays a pivotal role in guiding UNFPA towards a future of heightened efficiency, impact, and relevance, by shaping and executing strategic initiatives through cultivating innovation. Through the Equalizer, UNFPA Accelerator Fund, UNFPA’s Innovation and Transformation Branch leverages innovation, research, and technology to deliver at the scale and pace needed to achieve its transformative results by 2030. Against this backdrop, UNFPA established the WomenX Collective to advance innovation, research and investment in women’s health. This initiative aims to close the gap in women’s health solutions by enhancing partnerships and mobilizing resources for gender equity in science, technology, and finance. The WomenX Collective seeks to address women's unmet health needs in low- and middle-income countries by linking global solutions with local capabilities, ensuring sustainable impact. It emphasizes utilizing knowledge and expertise from UNFPA program countries to foster international collaborations focused on improving women's and girls' health and well-being.

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:

Reporting to the Global Coordinator, WomenX Collective, the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Innovation Specialist, WomenX Collective, will play a vital role in providing technical guidance to support the conceptualization and implementation of holistic WomenX Collective strategy and approach. The role will include technical support to building the pipeline of the most impactful and scalable solutions addressing unmet needs in women’s health, technical support in formulations of forward-thinking strategies, identifying and assessing emerging innovations and technologies in the field of SRH and ensuring they align with the needs and priorities of women and girls. The incumbent will also support the development and implementation of quality standards and guidelines for innovations supported by the WomenX Collective to ensure they meet ethical, safety, and effectiveness criteria. Responsibilities will include technical guidance and support to implementation of the innovative solutions, including support to national capacity building, and collaborating with stakeholders for innovation scaling. The Specialist will support the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative solutions, as well as ensuring quality standards, and fostering community engagement. The role will also include networking, advocacy, monitoring progress, and reporting to the key stakeholders, including close collaboration with relevant Business Units within UNFPA, ensuring coherence and aligning the operations of WomenX Collective with UNFPA programmes, strategies, policies and procedures.

You would be responsible for:

1. Technical Guidance

• Provide technical guidance to support conceptualization and implementation of holistic WomenX Collective strategy and approach.
• Provide technical support to building the pipeline of the most impactful and scalable solutions addressing unmet needs in women’s health.
• Provide technical support in formulating forward-thinking strategies, identifying and assessing emerging innovations and technologies in the field of SRH and ensuring they align with the needs and priorities of women and girls.
• Provide technical guidance and support to implementation of the innovative solutions, including support to national capacity building, and collaborating with stakeholders for innovation scaling.
• Closely collaborate with relevant Business Units within UNFPA, ensuring coherence and aligning the operations of WomenX Collective with UNFPA programmes, strategies, policies and procedures.

2. Project Design and Management:

• Support the work of the experts collaborating under the framework of WomenX Collective and engaged in identifying the challenges and sourcing the solutions, and related processes.
• Support design and implementation of the calls for proposal as part of WomenX Collective operation, sourcing innovative solutions, as well as the subsequent selection and award process.
• Support design and oversight of the pilot and ready-to-scale projects, including evaluation of the feasibility and effectiveness of innovative SRH interventions.

3. Strategic Analytics:

• Contribute to the formulation and execution of forward-thinking strategies aimed at addressing the identified areas for improvement within SRH programs. This includes the creation of actionable plans to introduce and sustain innovative practices in SRH services.
• Support the strategic planning for WomenX Collective, including analyzing trends, identifying opportunities, and understanding challenges within the ecosystem.
• Establishing and maintaining a feedback mechanism to gather insights and track the progress of stakeholders’ inputs into the WomenX Collective, to continuously improve and refine innovation strategies and interventions.

4. Quality Assurance and Reporting:

• In close coordination with UNFPA Programme Division, and other Business Units as required, support the development and implementation of quality standards and guidelines for SRH innovations supported by the WomenX Collective to ensure they meet ethical, safety, and effectiveness criteria.
• Coordinate and align the quality assurance with project teams to integrate the quality standards into the innovation development and implementation processes.
• Support robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of projects and initiatives.
• Compiling and communicating progress, identifying challenges, and highlighting achievements to stakeholders, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and strategic adjustments.

5. Knowledge Management and Innovation Ecosystem:

• Support disseminating knowledge and best practices within the ecosystem, including through training and knowledge-sharing platforms to build capacity among partners and stakeholders, enhancing their ability to contribute effectively to women’s health innovations
• Support engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, private sector and technology partners, to leverage resources and expertise for scaling and supporting the identified innovations.
• Scan and analyze emerging innovations and technologies in the field of SRH for potential support, ensuring they align with the needs and priorities of women and girls.
• Continuously engage with the relevant actors and experts to stay abreast of the latest research, trends, and developments in SRH and identify potential innovations for feasibility, impact, and alignment with the WomenX Collective's objectives.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

An advanced university degree in public health, medicine, social sciences, public health epidemiology and related areas is required.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in developing and implementing innovative solutions in sexual and reproductive and maternal health or related fields at national and international level is required.
• Experience in programme/project management including experience designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners.
• Experience in managing projects from conception to implementation.
• Field experience is an asset.
• Familiarity with the UN system is desirable.
• Familiarity with Innovation Portfolio Management and understanding of applying human-centered design and design thinking.
• Strong skills in report writing, communications, and presentation to diverse, technical, and non-technical audiences.
• Initiative, sound judgment, and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Knowledge of the latest advancements in technology and their application in SRH programs and public health in general.
• Understanding of ethical considerations related to SRH and the ability to navigate sensitive issues with diplomacy.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Initiative, good conceptual abilities, sound judgment, strong interest in development work, especially the mission of the United Nations Population Fund and dedication to the principles of the United Nations.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, 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:

• Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise,
• Job knowledge / technical expertise/expert knowledge,
• Creating visibility for the organization

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.