NATIONAL POSTS: Area Reproductive Health Programme Analyst, Herat / Kandahar, Afghanistan, NO-B (2 posts)

The Area Reproductive Health (RH) Programme Analyst is based in Herat and leads the coordination, implementation and monitoring of UNFPA’s reproductive health portfolio in the western region of Afghanistan. Operating in a complex humanitarian and politically sensitive environment, the incumbent ensures the delivery and continuity of essential reproductive health services, including safe motherhood, emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), family planning, and life-saving RH commodities.

The position has a strong field coordination function, ensuring effective engagement with provincial de facto authorities, health partners, implementing NGOs, community representatives and humanitarian coordination platforms. The incumbent supports principled engagement while safeguarding UN standards, humanitarian access and service delivery to women and girls under restrictive conditions.

The position reports directly to the respective Area Coordinator with a technical reporting line with the RH specialist based in Kabul. 

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 who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and 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.

The Area RH Programme Analyst ensures effective coordination and oversight of reproductive health interventions in Herat and the surrounding provinces under the Area Office coverage, with a strong focus on maintaining the continuity and quality of maternal and newborn health services and safeguarding women’s and girls’ access to essential care within prevailing policy and operational constraints. The role supports the availability, accountability and last-mile distribution of life-saving RH commodities, strengthens field-level monitoring and partner performance, and ensures the integration of reproductive health services within humanitarian response frameworks. The incumbent continuously analyzes political, security, social and operational developments affecting service delivery and proposes context-sensitive risk mitigation measures to ensure uninterrupted and principled programme implementation. 

Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor or designated authority.

Advanced university degree in health, population, demography and/or other related social science field is required. 

Fluency in English and local language Dari and/or Pashto is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset.

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

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 [link removed] to learn more.

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.