[Hiring] Population Policy Development Specialist @UNFPA

Role Description

The Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC), in collaboration with the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO), is reviewing the current National Population Policy and will be developing a new SINPP for 2027–2036. This review responds to the 2019 National Population and Housing Census, which projects continued population growth for several decades. To ensure sustainable development, demographic trends must be systematically integrated into national and provincial planning. The NPP 2027–2036 will harmonize population dynamics with economic and social development and improve the quality of life for all Solomon Islanders.

The Consultant will report directly to the UNFPA PSRO Population and Development Technical Advisor in collaboration with the Programme Specialist, UNFPA Solomon Islands field office; and the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination’s Deputy Secretary, Programme Development Coordination and Monitoring Group (PDCMG), and the Director of the Social Development and Governance Division.

Deliverables will be delivered remotely; however, the consultant is expected to travel to Honiara, Solomon Islands to conduct the National Validation Workshop. Travel may also be required to at least two provinces out of nine provinces in the Solomon Islands for provincial consultations. Travel costs for any designated and approved travel will be provided by UNFPA.

The candidate should use their own laptop and IT equipment. The duration of this consultancy is for 44 days from August to December 2026.

Qualifications

• Master’s qualification in Demography, Statistics, Social Sciences, Economics, or Geography, with specialization in demographic studies.
• Experience with population and/or demographic studies.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• Experience working in the public sector, the UN, or other international development organization is an advantage.
• Excellent oral and writing skills; excellent project management, policy formulation, and reporting writing skills.
• Having sound statistical knowledge and analytical skills will be an advantage.
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) and email/internet.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Fluent in English.

Requirements

• Integration of consultation feedback:
• Finalise National Consultation Report, including Provincial Synthesis Reports.
• Update policy principles, vision, goals, objectives and implementation frameworks to reflect the realities of Solomon Islands nine provinces, and Honiara.
• Analyse and incorporate issues raised by the MNPDC and UNFPA in alignment with the outcomes of the various consultations completed in 2026.
• Technical Refinement and policy coherence:
• Address technical reviews provided by line Ministries and development partners.
• Ensure the NPP is perfectly aligned with the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016-2035.
• Refine the Implementation Framework in collaboration with the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) and relevant partners to ensure indicators are measurable and baselines are accurate.
• Develop a Monitoring & Evaluation Framework for the NPP 2027-2036.
• Finalisation and Validation:
• Produce a clean version of the NPP 2027-2036, ready for formatting for high-level government review and feedback.
• Develop a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the final changes and the strategic direction of the policy.
• Presentation for Endorsement:
• Prepare the final Policy for the NPP Steering Committee.
• Lead the presentation of the final draft at the NPP Steering Committee Meeting.
• Address any final queries from the Steering Committee to achieve formal endorsement.

Benefits

• Payments will be made upon satisfactory delivery of associated deliverables and with acceptable quality by the UNFPA Representative, upon submission of Certificate of Payment and Accomplishment Report agreed by the supervisor.
• 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.