Deputy Representative, Kampala, Uganda

Job Details

The Deputy Representative plays a leading role in the design and delivery of the UNFPA Uganda Country Programme and is responsible for day-to-day operations of the Country Office, including supervising assigned staff. Working in collaboration with the UNFPA Representative, the role strengthens national capacity to implement the ICPD Programme of Action, supports national development efforts to achieve the SDGs, ensures national ownership, and integrates sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) — including maternal health, family planning, gender, and adolescent and youth empowerment — into the broader national development agenda.

• Grade: P5
• Vacancy Type: Fixed Term – Non-Rotational
• Contract Duration: 1 Year with Possibility for extension
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Location: Kampala, Uganda
• Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
• Posting Date: 09/10/2026, 10:36 PM (Job ID: 36800)
• Reporting to: UNFPA Representative, Uganda
• Vacancy Timeline: 3 Weeks
• Compensation and Benefits: Attractive remuneration package including competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable (UN Common System).
• Work Environment: UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance; encourages applications from women, LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups.

Through building alliances and partnerships with governments, UN and bilateral agencies, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector, the programme aims to realize the 2030 Agenda and make a positive difference in the lives of millions, especially those furthest behind.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

A. Programme Leadership

• Develop, manage and monitor the Country Programme, in line with the Strategic Plan 2026-2029 and on the basis of demographic, socio-economic data and national population policies
• Assess and address implications of national trends on UNFPA work in the country
• Expand and diversify UNFPA’s portfolio in pursuit of strategic new programme options in UNFPA’s mandate area
• Feedback country specificities on policy, procedures and lessons learned to the RO/SRO for development of the global/regional strategic plan
• Establish quality standards for project development and delivery
• Oversee monitoring and evaluation of the programme, ensuring regular, rigorous monitoring, incorporation of lessons learned and adherence to the country programme theory of change; ensure adherence to corporate reporting requirements on CO results
• Take a leading role in ensuring UNFPA’s mandate areas are reflected in the country’s and the UN Country Team’s humanitarian preparedness and response plans, and ensure the country office develops capacities for humanitarian response

B. National Capacity Development

• Develop and implement a strategy for developing national capacity to deliver effectively on ICPD commitments; identify capacity gaps among partner institutions; provide technical assistance and leverage resources
• Promote capacity of national research and academic institutions to produce, analyse, disseminate and use demographic data and statistics for evidence-based, rights-based development programming
• In collaboration with development partners, promote health system strengthening to provide universal access to health care including SRHR
• Articulate strategies to develop national capacity to develop, implement and monitor rights-based policies and laws, focusing on Government entities, human rights institutions, academia and civil society
• Engage in continuous dialogue with national partners to promote an enabling environment for the ICPD agenda
• Create/improve national capacities to monitor, evaluate and learn from capacity development initiatives
• Foster knowledge sharing and innovative thinking in the country office, country and region

C. Partnership and Advocacy

• Build and maintain positive and collaborative relationships with key Government partners in support of shared objectives
• Advocate for inclusion of the ICPD agenda within national policies, plans and strategies, including those focused on humanitarian preparedness and response
• Represent UNFPA’s mandate within the UN; ensure inclusion of ICPD issues in Common Country Assessments and UN Development Assistance Frameworks and other strategies; lead/participate in inter-UN theme groups and task forces where relevant
• Liaise continuously with donors and development partners, contribute to joint positions on issues of common concern, identify advocacy allies and articulate UNFPA’s niche value added
• Pursue resource mobilization opportunities among traditional and new donors
• Support communication of UNFPA mandate issues and visibility for donors by engaging media partners, drafting articles and opinion pieces, and engaging on social media

D. Management of Resources

• Support the Representative in management of the Country Office including formulation of annual work plans and monitoring implementation through consultations and field visits
• Support design and implementation of a resource mobilization and partnership strategy; securing and using mobilised funds and budget allocations for the country programme
• Support management of staff, providing direction and motivation; fostering empowerment, learning and career management
• Facilitate capacity building of national staff by devolving authority for portfolio management; guide programme implementation with substantive oversight and effective representation
• Demonstrate performance appraisal and transparent leadership that supports a culture of growth and development, where good performance is incentivized and underperformers are held to account
• Set standards of performance and assign responsibilities for achieving results according to the Country Office Strategic Information System
• Provide support to JPOs on career issues and advise managers on the JPO programme
• Support development of a strategic plan for UNFPA’s humanitarian and preparedness actions in-country
• Support staff safety by driving compliance with Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) and Minimum Operational Residential Security Standards (MORSS)
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Country Representative

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Education: Postgraduate university degree (Master’s Degree) in Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field
• Experience:
  • At least 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in public administration and international development including programme designing, appraising and management
  • Of which at least 8 years in the field of population and development, sexual and reproductive health or humanitarian at the international level
  • Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational objectives to national priorities/capacities
  • Experience at national and international level in advocacy and policy dialogue
  • Excellent media/communication skills to foster engaged partnerships and maintain political partnerships in the assigned country
  • Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high quality results
  • Experience in international development, particularly in the mandate of UNFPA and dedication to principles of the United Nations
  • Field experience is essential; experience from a developing, humanitarian context is an asset
• Languages: Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable
• 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
• UN Leadership Characteristics: Norm-based – grounded in UN norms and standards; Principled – defends norms without discrimination, fear or favour; Inclusive of all personnel and stakeholders; Accountable; Multi-dimensional; Transformational; Collaborative; Self-applied – modelled in own behaviour
• Managerial Competencies: Providing strategic focus; Engaging internal/external partners and stakeholders; Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance; Making decisions and exercising judgment
• Other Requirements: 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. Applicants holding permanent resident status in a country other than their nationality may be required to renounce such status upon appointment.

About UNFPA — Company Detail

UNFPA is the United Nations Population Fund, the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency. It works to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people across more than 150 countries. Source: https://www.unfpa.org/

Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

UNFPA tackles critical global challenges where almost half of all pregnancies are unintended, one in three women faces physical or sexual violence, and every two minutes a woman dies from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth – most preventable. Guided by the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action in Cairo and renewed at the Nairobi Summit 2019, and the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2026-2029, the organization pursues:

• Zero unmet need for family planning – world’s largest provider of donated contraceptives to developing countries
• Zero preventable maternal deaths – strengthening health systems, training midwives and expanding reproductive health services, especially in 32 highest-mortality countries
• Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices – working with policymakers, justice and health systems, engaging men and boys
• Enabling governments to plan for changing population needs – using demographic data for rights-based policies

In Uganda, UNFPA partners with the Government of Uganda, UN agencies, donors and civil society to end preventable maternal death, end unmet need for family planning, address HIV & AIDS, advance gender equality and support population data for development. For the Deputy Representative role, this mandate directly shapes day-to-day leadership: aligning the Country Programme to national priorities, strengthening health systems for SRHR, generating and using population evidence, mobilizing resources and advocating for rights-based policies – vital context for applicants seeking impact in humanitarian and development settings.

Learn more: https://www.unfpa.org/about-us and Uganda office: https://uganda.unfpa.org/en

Application Procedure

• Click the application link: Apply Now
• You will be redirected to the UNFPA Oracle HCM Candidate Experience site (Job ID 36800)
• Create a candidate account or log in if you already have one
• Complete the online application form and upload required documents (CV, cover letter, and supporting credentials as requested)
• Review all information for accuracy before submitting before the deadline: 2026-10-02, 06:59 AM
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted; no application fee is required at any stage
• For assistance, refer to UNFPA Jobs page: https://www.unfpa.org/jobs

Job Summary

• Job Category: Administrative
• Job Type: Full-time
• Deadline of this Job: 2026-10-02
• Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
• Date Posted: 2026-09-10
• No of Positions: 1
• Application Link: Apply Now
• Location pin: 📍 Kampala, Uganda
• Grade / Contract: P5 – Fixed Term, 1 Year with Possibility for extension – Non-Rotational