Youth Engagement Analyst

Background

As of the 2020 Census, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a total population of 109,035,343. Individuals aged 15 to 30 years—classified as youth—numbered approximately 31.4 million, representing about 28.8% of the household population. In the 2023 Global Youth Development Index (YDI) published by The Commonwealth Secretariat, the Philippines ranked 108th out of 183 countries, sharing this position with Nepal and Paraguay. This reflects a decline from the 79th position out of 170 countries reported in the 2016 YDI. The YDI assesses youth development across various domains, including education, employment, health, and civic participation. These statistics underscore the significant presence of youth in the Philippines' demographic landscape and highlight areas for improvement in youth development and engagement.

In the Philippines, UNDP works largely with different stakeholders in establishing strong institutions and partnerships, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, and resilience and peacebuilding. UNDP believes in meaningfully engaging youth in the Philippines who comprise 31.4 million of the country’s total population (PSA). Despite the growing youth population, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) reports that 3.88 million Filipino youth belong to the NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) category, 24% of these are female, 19% are in rural areas, and 23% come from poor families.

UNDP believes that youth can make a real and positive difference by engaging with challenges head on through innovation, exploring dynamic approaches to mobilizing their peers and communities, and creating adaptive solutions.

Through Youth Co:Lab, a regional initiative co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, supported through the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, with the Philippines as a country participant, a social innovation service model was designed to empower and engage youth to internalize innovation, co-design and develop the next generation of services by prototyping new ideas and solutions that address national priorities.

In 2022, the Youth Empowerment Project in Asia and the Pacific (YEP-AP) became a pioneering initiative that uses a portfolio approach. It aims to invest in and empower young people across the region, to accelerate the implementation of SDGs. YEP-AP focuses on youth political, social, and economic empowerment by building the capacities of young people and key stakeholders and creating safe, inclusive, and enabling environments for youth participation and civic engagement, especially for women and those from marginalised groups.
UNDP Philippines is looking to engage a Youth Engagement Analyst who will implement Youth Co:Lab as the project manager and ultimately to serve as the country office focal for youth engagement, leading the design and formulation of the CO Youth Engagement Strategy. The Analyst will also be contributing to the Regional Programme through reporting and coordination.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under a matrix reporting relationship, the Youth Engagement Analyst will report both to the United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines Institutions and Partnerships Programme Team Leader, and the Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) Youth Team, YEP-AP Manager. The Youth Engagement Analyst will focus on national level Youth Engagement, Project Management and Implementation, Events Coordination, Partnership Management, Communications, and regional level coordination.

YEP-AP Youth Engagement. Lead initiatives on youth engagement, specifically: 

• Ensure the formulation and implementation of the UNDP Philippines Youth Engagement Strategy and Youth Portfolio;
•  Ensure the formulation and implementation of the annual project work plan;
• Oversight and support the Youth Co:Lab Philippines initiative on day-to-day operations;
• Assist in the preparation of reports (technical and financial) for the Country Office and the Bangkok Regional Hub
• Provision of technical inputs in the implementation of the project under the overall guidance and advisory support of the Institutions and Partnerships Team Leader and Youth Team of Bangkok Regional Hub
• Serve as UNDP Philippines Youth Focal in the United Nations Youth Thematic Group (UNYTG);
• Support to the development of projects on Youth and Innovation; and
•  Collect and keep track of youth-related practices within UNDP Philippines, including the youth and partners database.

Events Coordination and Management

• Coordinate the inputs of UNDP Philippines and BRH, Citi Philippines and other partners into the agenda, and coordinate the event management for the Youth Co:Lab Philippines National Dialogues;
• Provide necessary administrative and logistical support to UNDP Country Office and youth participants in events including inputs to building the agenda; and 
•  Support to organize other innovation and youth events.

Partnerships

• Support in pipeline development of and resource mobilization for youth initiatives; 
• Maintain effective partnerships to ensure the strategic positioning of the project;
•  Identify and collaborate with potential partners to leverage project’s fund and results; 
• Develop and finalize Memorandum of Agreements, Responsible Party Agreements, or other relevant legal instruments with relevant entities, such as thinks tanks and academic institutions; 
• Promote coordination and regular dialogues among stakeholders; and 
• Ensure effective collaboration with the UN and other development partners.

Communications and Knowledge Management

• Provide regular project updates to the CO Communications Team and the BRH Youth Team, to ensure media presence; 
•  Oversee development and ensure implementation of the Communications Plan including social media plan, presentations, brochures, etc.; 
• Identification of sources of information related to project implementation related issues;
•  Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to project goals;
• Maintain effective network with development partners and Government at national level and subnational level; and 
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Project Management

• Lead annual YEP-AP service offers such as National Springboard (Youth Social Innovation Lab), Movers Programme, and Skill Our Future.
• Lead the pillars on youth portfolio: entrepreneurship and innovation, civic engagement and political participation, digitalization and employability, and climate action.
• Maintain support to country office projects such as Youth HIV Response with UBRAF, Youth Involvement on NDC updating with Climate Action Programme Team, Ideation Workshops for Joint Programme – Digital Pinas, and Ideation Workshops and materials development for COMELEC project.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
 

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People Management competencies: 

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

2030 Agenda: Peace     

• Governance. Youth empowerment
• Governance. Inclusion and Participation of Marginalised Groups

2030 Agenda: Prosperity     

• Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility. Entrepreneurship

Business Management     

• Project Management. Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Direction & Strategy    

• Strategic Thinking. Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight.
• Effective Decision Making. Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in in Public Policy, International Studies, Economics, Management, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship, or a related area is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree.

Experience:

• Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in designing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and/or evaluating development programs and projects with a multilateral international organization, I/NGOs, civil society organizations, and/or government agencies;
• Demonstrated capacity in project management and M&E is highly recommended;
• Excellent communication and digital and social media skills;
• Experience working on youth empowerment or engagement.
• Proven experience of effective partnership development with national counterparts, development partners and civil society 
• Entrepreneurial skills with experience working with or operating a startup or enterprise;
• Previous experience on community and youth engagement;
• Previous assignment in a similar position;
• Experience working with international non-government organizations or the UN;
• Adept in the use of digital tools apart from Microsoft or Google Suites;

Required languages:

• Fluency in English and Filipino is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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