International Consultancy, Mentorship Capacity Building of young female leaders – Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Project in Belize and Suriname: Empowering Adolescent Girls to Realise Their Full Potential, Belize and Suriname

The Position:

Under the overall guidance of the Director & Representative for the  Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean, the International Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNFPA Liaison Specialists of the respective country offices - Belize and Suriname,  and the overall supervision of the UNFPA Technical SRH Advisor. 

The Consultant will work in Belize and Suriname and will be required to travel to both countries to conduct and support the Training of Trainers.

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 International Consultant will establish a structured and evidence informed mentorship programme that equips out-of-school adolescents with knowledge, skills, social support, and access to services necessary to prevent adolescent pregnancy, improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and enhance their life opportunities. This includes economic empowerment and life skills alongside SRHR knowledge, and a strong focus on gender equality, recognising that reducing adolescent pregnancy and improving girls' life outcomes requires more than health knowledge alone. 

You would be responsible for:

• Develop a comprehensive inception report detailing the context, methodology, sampling frame, stakeholder engagement strategy, data collection tools, ethical safeguards, work plan (with detailed schedule for undertaking the assignment across Belize and Suriname), and the proposed monitoring mechanism for the mentorship programme.
• Conduct a mapping of existing mentorship models and out-of-school CSE initiatives in each country to avoid duplication, including any existing cadre of trained mentors or peer educators who could be fast-tracked into the mentor cadre, and the communities and potential mentees the programme should target, including out-of-school AGYW and persons living with disabilities.
• Conduct a mapping of existing economic empowerment, livelihoods, TVET and cash transfer initiatives in each country, including relevant government ministries and CSOs, to inform economic empowerment content and activities within the mentorship model, as well as establishing formal referral pathways to these existing initiatives.
• Assess existing CSE curricula and training materials used by implementing partners in Belize and Suriname, and adapt or develop content as needed, to design a standardised culturally-relevant Safe Space Training Package (integrating ASRHR, economic empowerment, life skills and women/gender-transformative approaches) for female mentors serving adolescent girls and young women in Indigenous and Tribal communities and other marginalised or vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities.
• Develop screening criteria, recruitment protocols, and Mentor Code of Conduct (including clear child protection, GBV, and ethical safeguarding referral protocols) for the identification and recruitment of qualified female mentors and facilitate national multistakeholder validation of the curriculum and screening tool in both countries.
• Conduct a Training of Trainers (ToT) for female mentors in Belize and Suriname using participatory approaches.
• Develop a practical monitoring mechanism and M&E toolkit (including key performance metrics, routine progress trackers, and tools for supporting data gathering and qualitative feedback, throughout project stages) to evaluate the mentorship programme's contribution to improved ASRHR knowledge and service utilisation, and to economic empowerment and life-skills outcomes, in Indigenous and Tribal communities.
• Provide a comprehensive final report summarising key deliverables and cost-recommendations for the long-term sustainability and scaling strategy for the mentorship model.
• The consultant is responsible for the overall execution of the assignment, including inception, desk review, stakeholder engagements, development of the curriculum and subsequent use for the TOT in coordination with UNFPA and the relevant state agencies of the respective countries. 
• The consultant is expected to coordinate with other relevant project activities and stakeholders, including community engagement work, youth-led organisation mobilisation, CSE curriculum development for in- and out-of-school settings, and communications/advocacy activities, to ensure complementarity, avoid duplication, and identify practical linkages. Specific points of connection will be confirmed with the programme team during inception.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences, Behavioural Science, International Development, Health Systems, or a closely related discipline OR
• A first university degree with additional relevant professional experience of minimum 9 years may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
  
   

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of proven experience in implementation of SRHR programmes, experience in Safe Space model and mentorship approaches for adolescent programmes.
• Strong background in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, behavioural science, gender, or public health programming, preferably within the Caribbean or similar multicultural contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in SRHR and gender interventions in Indigenous, Tribal, or geographically remote communities, including culturally sensitive engagement and ethical practices.
• Proven experience in reviewing or adapting existing curricula or training materials, development of training packages and conducting of Training of Trainers.
• Experience conducting landscape assessments, baselines, mappings or stakeholder analyses is an asset.
• Experience in economic empowerment, livelihoods or life skills programming for adolescents is an asset.
• Prior experience working with UN agencies, government counterparts, and civil society organizations is an asset.
• Strong capacity in technical document development, adolescent programming, mentorship/coaching and leading of Training of Trainers.
• Excellent report-writing, data visualization, and presentation skills.

Languages: 

• Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory.
• Working knowledge of Spanish (for Belize) and/or Dutch or Sranan Tongo (for Suriname) is an asset; however, interpretation support will be available where necessary.

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,

Functional Competencies:

• Communicating for impact
• Strong analytical, writing, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines independently.
• Cultural sensitivity and diplomatic acumen in engaging stakeholders.

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Not applicable

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.