The Position:
EmpowerED is UNFPA’s global initiative to expand universal access to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for adolescents and youth. This initiative seeks to enhance their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and ensure they live a life free from violence. The project will improve access to in-school and out-of-school gender-transformative CSE for adolescents and youths in 10 countries while also strengthening the linkages to services for gender-based violence (GBV) and SRHR.
To achieve these goals, EmpowerED will work at the global level, regional level (in the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, East and Southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and West and Central Africa) and national level (in Argentina, Benin, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Moldova, Philippines, Tunisia and Zambia) to:
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:
As per the donor’s requirements, a baseline assessment for the project needs to be conducted in the first months of implementation. This assessment will provide critical data to inform programme planning, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring that the programme's goals and objectives are met effectively.
The baseline assessment will be conducted at the country level based on an existing Performance Measurement Framework and a standard methodology developed at the global level to ensure comparability between EmpowerED countries.
Under the direct supervision of the EmpowerED focal point at UNFPA Zambia Country Office, and in close consultation with the global M&E Consultant and the CSE M&E Specialist at the Gender, Human Rights and Inclusion Branch (UNFPA Technical Division), the incumbent will conduct the baseline assessment for the EmpowerED programme in Zambia.
You would be responsible for:
Consultancy Period: From 01 July 2025 - 30 September 2025
Place where services are to be delivered: The consultant will be based in Lusaka, with possibility to travel to program locations to conduct data collection.
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered:
Estimated timeframe
Task
Throughout
Attend meetings and capacity strengthening sessions with Global M&E Consultant and UNFPA focal points.
15 July 2025
Documentation and ethical clearance - if relevant - for baseline assessment is completed.31 July 2025
Data collection is completed
25 August 2025
Data analysis for all relevant indicators is completed and preliminary findings shared with UNFPA for feedback
30 August 2025
Validation meeting with relevant stakeholders is conducted15 September 2025
Baseline assessment is finalized and submitted to UNFPA electronically.15 - 30 September 2025
Attend meetings and answer requests from Global M&E Consultant and UNFPA focal points.Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
UNFPA will apply performance-based principles to the management of the consultancy contract, in which case the contract sum will be paid in instalments as will be stipulated in the contract and based upon certification of works done. The instalments will be paid in the following stages:
i) 30% upon submission of the inception report
ii) 40% upon submission of the draft baseline report
iii) 30% upon submission of a satisfactory final baseline report, 5 paper summary and a slide deck of the baseline report
Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will report to the EmpowerED focal point at UNFPA Country Office, and in close consultation with the global M&E Consultant and the CSE M&E Specialist at the Gender, Human Rights and Inclusion Branch (UNFPA Technical Division)
Expected travel: Potential travel to Northern, Western and Western Provinces for data collection.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in Monitoring and Evaluation, public health, social sciences (gender, women’s studies, social work, sociology, psychology, anthropology) or other relevant field with specific training or advanced knowledge and experience in baseline assessment.
Knowledge and Experience:
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.
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 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, 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.