Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Office of the Executive Director (OED), New York, P-5

The Position JOB DESCRIPTION The Special Assistant post is located in the Office of the Executive Director (OED) and reports directly to the Chief of Staff, Office of the Executive Director. This role is pivotal in supporting the Executive Director to lead UNFPA effectively.

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 The Special Assistant provides high-level executive support, strategic advisory analysis, and stakeholder coordination to advance the Executive Director’s agenda under the supervision of the Chief of Staff. The incumbent manages front-office operations and mission execution, leads the Executive Committee Secretariat while analyzing policy briefings, and drives global organizational initiatives alongside participation in key UN intergovernmental bodies.

You Would Be Responsible For Under the general supervision of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Executive Director, the incumbent will be a key enabler of the Executive Director’s agenda, performing the following functions:

• High-Level Support to the Executive Director:
• Support the management of the Executive Director’s schedule, in coordination with the Personal Assistant to the Executive Director and under the supervision of the Chief of Staff.
• Oversee the flow of correspondence addressed to and originating from the Executive Director, ensuring prioritization and timeliness of responses. Coordinate the flow of information and communication between OED and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timely closure of the feedback loop.
• Contribute to streamlining and managing communication of instructions, decisions, and messages of the Executive Director to those concerned at all levels within UNFPA and with external partners.
• Provide direct support for the Executive Director’s meetings and conferences, including ensuring effective meeting preparation, identifying participants, preparing documents and presentations, and coordinating comprehensive background materials and talking points.
• Coordinate preparation and execution of the Executive Director’s field missions and accompany them as required.
• Engage with internal and external partners on programme development, country level engagements with government officials and partners and provide requisite guidance. Oversee the preparation and submission of key background documents, briefing materials and trip books.
• Facilitate convening of mission briefing and debriefing sessions for the Executive Director. Advise on the Executive Director’s mission delegations in coordination with the Chief of Staff. Follow-up on key action items emanating from missions and Executive Director’s engagement with constituents.
• Coordinate with the Special Assistants of the DEDs and those of other directors, to ensure coherent support to the Executive Director.
• Supervise the work of the Personal Assistant to the Executive Director and the Administrative Associate in OED.
• Provide overall support to the functioning of the OED front office,…