National Consultant: Socio-Demographic Data Specialist

The Position:

Socio-Demographic Data Specialist Consultant will provide high-level technical and statistical support to the P&D unit. The consultant will assist in translating complex demographic data into actionable policy insights, strengthening national statistical capacities, and ensuring the technical integrity of UNFPA-supported population programs in the Pacific.

The Consultants will be under the direct technical supervision of the Population & Development Technical Advisor.

How you can make a difference:

The UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office (PSRO) provides technical assistance to 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to ensure that "every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled." Central to this mandate is the Population and Development (P&D) unit, which supports governments in generating, analyzing, and utilizing high-quality disaggregated data to inform National Population Policies (NPP) and sustainable development planning.

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:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to provide high-level technical and statistical support to the P&D unit. The consultant will assist in translating complex demographic data into actionable policy insights, strengthening national statistical capacities, and ensuring the technical integrity of UNFPA-supported population programs in the Pacific

You would be responsible for:

Data Analysis and Reporting: 

• Lead or support the in-depth analysis of population and housing census data, CRVS data, and various household survey data (e.g., MICS and HIES) to identify key socio-demographic trends, patterns, and disparities relevant to national and regional development priorities. 
• Draft analytical reports, policy briefs, factsheets, and presentations synthesizing complex socio-demographic data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences (policymakers, civil society, development partners, public). 
• Develop and present statistical dashboards and visualizations to enhance data accessibility and understanding. 
• Contribute to the development of national demographic projections and estimates. Support the drafting of population policies and other policies supported by UNFPA

Technical Support and Capacity Building: 

•  Provide technical guidance and on-the-job training to national statistical office staff and relevant government counterparts on data processing, cleaning, validation, analysis, and interpretation of socio-demographic data. 
• Assist in the development and review of methodologies for data collection instruments (e.g., census questionnaires, survey modules), ensuring alignment with international standards and national contexts. 
•  Support the integration of new data sources and technologies (e.g., GIS, mobile data collection) into existing statistical processes. 
•  Contribute to the preparation of training materials and delivery of workshops on specific socio-demographic data topics.

 Data Dissemination and Utilization: 

•  Support initiatives to improve data dissemination platforms and portals, ensuring data is available. 
•  Promote the use of socio-demographic data among various stakeholders for policy formulation, program design, and academic research. 
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations and workshops to discuss data findings and their policy implications. 

Coordination and Partnership: 

• Collaborate closely with national statistical offices, relevant government ministries (e.g., Health, Education, Planning), UN agencies (e.g., UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCAP), regional organizations (e.g., SPC, PIFS), and other development partners. 
•  Actively participate in technical working groups and coordination meetings related to population data, CRVS, and SDGs. 
• Identify opportunities for data sharing and methodological improvements across different data collection initiatives that are user-friendly and widely accessible.

The specialist will be expected to produce, but not limited to, the following deliverables: 

• Comprehensive analytical reports and thematic briefs on key socio-demographic issues (e.g., population growth and distribution, age and sex structures, urbanisation, fertility, mortality, migration, education, health, gender, youth). 
•  Data visualisations, dashboards, and statistical tables for dissemination. 
• Training materials and reports on capacity-building activities conducted. 
•  Technical notes and recommendations on data collection, processing, and analysis methodologies. 
•  Presentations for key stakeholders and workshops. 
• Monthly progress reports. 
•  Deliverables are to be submitted both in hard and electronic copies.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Master's degree in Demography, Population Studies, Statistics, Economics, Social Sciences, or a related field with a strong quantitative component.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in socio-demographic data analysis, statistical methods, and population studies, preferably within a national statistics office, academic institution, or international development organization. 
• Demonstrated experience in analyzing complex population and housing census data and/or large-scale household survey data (MICS, DHS, HIES).
• Proven experience in statistical software packages (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS, SAS, CSPro) for data management and analysis. 
• Experience in data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) and/or GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) is highly desirable. 
• Experience in capacity building, training, and technical assistance delivery. 
• Familiarity with the socio-economic and demographic context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories is a strong advantage

Skills

• Excellent analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills. 
•  Strong technical writing and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex statistical information to non-technical audiences. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a multi-cultural team. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
•  Results-oriented, with a commitment to producing high-quality deliverables within agreed timelines. 

Languages: 

• High level of proficiency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of a major Pacific 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,

Compensation and Benefits:

Payment will be on a monthly schedule after submission and approval of monthly reports.
 

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.