RE-OPENING: Programme Analyst, Youth, Kabul, NO-B

UNFPA is reopening this vacancy. All candidates who have already applied do not need to reapply. All applications received to date will be considered.

Please note that this vacancy is open only to nationals of Afghanistan.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. UNFPA is committed to achieving gender balance and fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce.

The Position:

The Programme Analyst, Youth is based in the UNFPA Afghanistan Country Office in Kabul and operates in a highly complex, fragile and sensitive environment.

The position leads the design, coordination and oversight of UNFPA’s youth portfolio, including the strategic and operational management of UNFPA-supported Youth Centres. The role ensures that youth programming is cross-cutting and integrated across Reproductive Health (RH), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), social cohesion, life skills and humanitarian response interventions.

The incumbent plays a critical role in safeguarding and advancing adolescents’ and young people’s health, protection and wellbeing—particularly for adolescent girls—through context-adapted, principled and culturally sensitive programming approaches.

The position reports directly to the Deputy Representative.

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:

The Programme Analyst, Youth provides technical leadership and programme management support for UNFPA’s youth portfolio, ensuring effective implementation, quality assurance and integration of youth-focused interventions across health, protection and resilience programming, including oversight of UNFPA-supported Youth Centres in a complex and evolving operating environment.

You would be responsible for:

Programme Development and Technical Support

• Contribute to the design and implementation of youth programming within the Country Office portfolio, ensuring integration across Reproductive Health (RH), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), social norms and resilience initiatives.
• Provide technical support on adolescent and youth engagement approaches, including life skills, youth participation and community-based interventions.
• Support the development of guidance, tools and programme approaches to strengthen youth-focused programming across UNFPA interventions.
• Assist in identifying innovative and sustainable solutions to integrated youth programme designs and implementation. 

Oversight of Youth Centres

• Ensures the effective functioning and quality assurance of UNFPA-supported Youth Centres as platforms for youth engagement, life skills and wellbeing services.
• Monitor implementing partners to ensure delivery of planned activities and compliance with programme, financial and safeguarding standards.
• Contribute to strengthening the capacity of implementing partners involved in youth centre programming

Programme Management and Monitoring

• Support the preparation and management of annual workplans, budgets and implementing partner agreements related to youth programming. 
• Monitor progress of programme activities, identify implementation challenges and identify solutions and mitigation measures. 
• Conduct field visits and assessments to monitor programme implementation and inform programme improvements. 
• Contribute to programme reporting, documentation of lessons learned and knowledge sharing

Partnerships and Coordination

• Maintain collaborative relationships with local authorities, community stakeholders, youth networks and civil society partners to support programme implementation.
• Coordinate with relevant UNFPA programme units to ensure integration of youth interventions across programme areas.
• Oversee the Adolescents and Youth coordination bodies including providing technical guidance for the Adolescents and Youth Working Group chaired by UNFPA
• Participate and contribute in relevant coordination mechanisms and results group, and assist CO senior leadership through sharing of analysis, advocacy briefs and technical inputs as required

Resource Mobilisation and Reporting

• Contribute to the preparation of programme documentation, donor reports and briefing materials related to youth interventions.
• Support resource mobilization efforts through inputs to proposals and programme development processes.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor or designated authority.

Education:

• Advanced university degree in gender studies, youth development, international development, and/or other related social science fields is required; or
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least two years (with master’s degree) or four years (with bachelor’s degree) of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of development or humanitarian programming are required.
• Work experience in the field of Reproductive Health is preferred.
• Specialized knowledge and experience in Youth Development approaches will be desired.
• Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector programmes is desirable.
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Afghanistan will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team is required.

Languages: 

Fluency in English and local language Dari and/or Pashto is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages would be 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
• Communicating for impact 

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• 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. 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.

UNFPA will only accept properly completed job application forms in Quantum before the closing date & will not consider late submissions after the closing date.

Any information provided on the Quantum job application form will be considered binding.

To Apply Click Here