Job Description

The Position:

The Editorial and Coordination Specialist position is located in the Executive Board Branch (EBB) in the Office of the Executive Director. The Executive Board Branch is the UNFPA organizational unit responsible to coordinate the relationship with UNFPA’s governing body – the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board, and manage the relationship with the Executive Board members and observers to position UNFPA and promote the ICPD.

The incumbent for this position will play a strategic role in ensuring that UNFPA documentation and engagement with the Executive Board are effective and efficient, responsive to Member State expectations, and aligned with UNFPA’s mandate, strategic priorities and institutional positioning.

The post reports directly to the Chief, Executive Board Branch and works in close cooperation with all EBB staff.

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 will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, 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:

This role ensures that all official documentation and engagements for the Executive Board are high quality, editorially compliant with UN standards, cleared by Senior Management, and timely submitted. Acting as an operational bridge between UNFPA business units and Member States, the Specialist leads the coordination of formal Board sessions, informal consultations, decision negotiations, Country Programme Documents (CPDs), and high-visibility events such as the Salas Lecture to position UNFPA's strategic priorities effectively. 

You would be responsible for:

A. Executive Board documentation - Coordination and editing

• Prepare plans for the development and submission of Executive Board documentation, with a view at ensuring that deadlines are met, while maintaining high quality standards and ensuring that all necessary senior management clearances can be obtained.
• Coordinate with UNFPA business units to ensure that the official documentation for the Executive Board is developed and submitted according to the plan.
• In close collaboration with the Executive Board Specialist, ensure substantive and quality review of all documentation for the Executive Board. 
• Ensure timely clearances by UNFPA Senior Management of all documentation of the Executive Board.
• Coordinate, in close collaboration with the Programme Review Committee Secretariat, and with Regional Offices and Country offices, the development of Country Programme Documents (CPDs). Ensure that Member States comments on the CPDs are compiled and shared on the UNFPA website.
• Edit the documentation to be submitted to the Executive Board ensuring compliance with United Nations  United Nations editorial policy, terminology, style, rules and directives.
• Maintain a roster of external editor consultants to be used to manage workload peaks and coordinate with such external editors ensuring quality and timely submissions.
• During the Executive Board sessions, provide support during the decision negotiations, working with Member States and the Executive Board Secretariat to ensure that the language agreed by Member States is duly captured and edited according to the decisions editorial requirements.

  B. Coordination of briefings, consultations and other engagements with Member States

  • Work in close collaboration with the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board Secretariat in organizing the formal Executive Board sessions.
  • Coordinate the organization of Executive Board informal briefing and consultations, liaising with UNFPA organizational units and Member States as needed.
  • In close collaboration with the Executive Board Specialist, ensure substantive and quality review of all documentation for informal briefings and consultations. 
  • Ensure timely clearances by UNFPA Senior Management of all documentation for informal briefings and consultations.
  • Coordinate the timely submission of documentation and statements for informal briefings and consultations with Member States.
  • Support Executive Board sessions ensuring smooth Member States and senior management engagement.
  • Participate in the organization of Executive Board field visits as applicable.

    C. Member States Relations

    • Liaise with Member States as needed to ensure successful outcomes of the formal and informal Board sessions.

      D. Coordination for the organization of the Salas Lecture

      • Coordinate the event organization, ensuring Member States and other guests participation and high-visibility to the event.

        E. Overall support to the work of the Executive Board Branch

        • Any other task as requested by the Chief, EBB.

          Qualifications and Experience: 

          Education:  

          • Advanced university degree (minimum Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences, law, humanities, international relations, political science or related disciplines.

            Knowledge and Experience: 

            • At least 5 years of relevant progressively responsible experience in an international organization.
            • Experience working in the intergovernmental space, knowledge of intergovernmental processes, external relations, governance or strategic planning.
            • Solid understanding of UNFPA’s substantive areas of work.
            • Political acumen and judgement.
            • Experience in UN editorial policy, terminology, style, rules and directives a strong asset. 
            • Excellent report drafting and speech writing skills.
            • Excellent interpersonal skills.

              Languages: 

              • Fluency in English is required; 
              • French strongly preferred;
              • Working knowledge of another official 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:

                    • Creating visibility for UNFPA/ supporting UNFPA’s capacity to advocate
                    • Global leadership and advocacy for ICPD goals
                    • Organizational awareness
                    • Job knowledge/technical expertise

                      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.

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