Consultant on Aging Programme Work (Home-based/Remote)

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:

UNFPA's Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECARO) seeks an International Consultant to enhance the organization's capacity to address the development challenges and opportunities of aging populations in the region.

The consultant will undertake a review of UNFPA existing work on aging in the EECA 17 programme countries, mapping the addressed challenges and opportunities, identifying good practices and documenting key lessons learned. Based on this analytical review, the consultant will develop regional guidance for UNFPA on integrating aging considerations into country-level programs and strategies, as well as will contribute to strengthening the knowledge management system in the region.

This consultancy aims to:

• Ensure alignment with UNFPA's mandate and better understanding of impact of aging-related interventions, good practices, and policies within the region.
• Strengthen the capacity of Country Offices to integrate aging into their programs and advance the implementation of the Demographic Resilience Programme.
• Promote human-rights- and evidence-based and gender responsive approaches to address aging-related issues across the EECA region.

You would be responsible for:

Under the supervision of the Regional Strategic Partnerships Advisor and guidance by the Demographic Resilience Regional Adviser and Regional Programme Specialist, the consultant will:

1. Collect information about UNFPA work on aging over the last 4 years in the 17 countries of the EECA region:
   
   • Design and implement the data collection tools (including questionnaires and interview guides) .
   • Collect the information from the Country Offices in the 17 countries of the EECA region.
2. Document and analyze UNFPA's work on aging in the region:
   
   • Develop a template for archiving the information collected and analysed.
   • Review and analyze the collected information, and document the best practices in a structured database to be placed on the Knowledge management platform.
   • Validate the areas of UNFPA support in EECA region against the UNECE ageing policies data base and UNFPA EECA Demographic Resilience framework.
   • Conduct in depth analyses in 2-3 countries of the region to identify the areas where UNFPA could work in the future. 
   • Summarize the key results in a report. 
3. Prepare and present a guidance note for future UNFPA work on aging:
   
   • Prepare a guidance note and recommendations to inform future UNFPA  regional and country-level work on aging based on the collected and analyzed information and the conducted case studies.
   • Conduct a webinar to present the results and review the guidance note based on the feedback received.

In performing this task, the consultant will adopt a human-rights-based, evidence-based, gender responsive approach and will distinguish their work and its results by rural and urban settings.

Duration and working schedule:

Consultant will be expected to work between March 2025 and May 2025 up to 30 days.

Place where services are to be delivered:

• Home-based / Remote technical support and communication with UNFPA EECARO.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

In particular, the consultant will be responsible for completing the following key deliverables by the deadlines* listed below: 

1. Inception report [1 working day from the start of the contract]
2. Data collection tools [2 working days] 
3. Template for archiving the information collected and analysed, including good practices [2 working day]
4. Database of Country Office Activities: Structured and accessible, covering activities and  good practices on aging [3 working days]
5. Document on good practices [6 working days]
6. Document on in-depth case studies [6 working days]
7. Report on key results [3 working days]
8. Guidance Note and Recommendations: Developed to inform regional and country-level strategies on aging, based on the research and analysis [7 working days]

 The deliverables are expected to be submitted electronically in English and be professionally edited and proofread. 

The total number of days: 30 workdays

*the stated deadlines are preliminary and might be adjusted based on the progress

Monitoring and Progress Control:

The Regional Strategic Partnership Advisor will supervise the consultancy and monitor the consultant’s completion of deliverables.  

Supervisory Arrangements:

• Direct supervision to the Regional Strategic Partnership Advisor.

Expected Travel:

• Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in Istanbul, Turkiye and selected country offices, as necessary (to be determined at the design phase). All travel related expenses will be covered separately and in addition to the consultancy fee following UNFPA Travel Rules.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:  

• Master’s degree or equivalent in development studies, population studies, economics, social studies, international relations or other related fields;

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in conducting desk reviews and analytical work for international organizations or development agencies;
• Experience in conducting desk reviews and analytical work in areas of human rights, gender and social norms, sexual and reproductive health, aging, or population policies;
• Strong knowledge/expertise in demography, population and development, population dynamics, etc. is an asset;
• Prior working experience in the EECA region or familiarity with the region is an advantage;
• Extensive knowledge of the mandate areas of UNFPA, as well as the UN system;
• Proven skills in evaluation methodology and analysis, including quantitative and qualitative research techniques;
• Excellent drafting/report writing skills, analytical skills, and computer skills;

Language: 

• Excellent command of written and spoken English. Knowledge of Russian language will be an advantage.

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,

Job Specific Competencies: 

• Initiative and sound judgement.
• Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to work under pressure, be proactive and within strict deadlines.

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.