National Consultant: National Research Coordinator - Solomon Islands

The Position:

The Research Coordinator will work closely with national partners (MWYCFA and SINSO), civil society organizations, and technical experts to facilitate the day-to-day coordination, management, monitoring, and reporting of a national study on women’s well-being. The consultant will ensure that the agreed strategic interventions are implemented in strict accordance with the highest national and global ethical and safety standards. 

The national consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Solomon Islands Head of Office with technical support from the Technical Advisor, Gender and Human Rights, PSRO, with the Assistant Representative for Micronesia and Humanitarian Specialist including a dotted reporting line to the Solomon Islands Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs. 

The consultants primary work station will be within the relevant Ministry in addition to a seating space provided by UNFPA within the Honiara office. 

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.

The Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), is committed to addressing the well-being of women and girls. Recognizing that robust, up-to-date data is fundamental to this goal, UNFPA is supporting MWYCFA and the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) to conduct research for national evidence to support programming for Gender Equality.

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 position requires engaging systematically with government line ministries, the Steering Committee (SC), the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), civil society, and development partners (including the Australian DFAT post) to manage stakeholder expectations and foster strategic alliances.

You would be responsible for:

1. Strategic Coordination and Governance Support

• Serve as the key operational hub for the Research Coordination Team (RCT), coordinating daily project activities between MWYCFA, SINSO, UNFPA and DFAT.
• Provide comprehensive secretariat and administrative support to the high-level Steering Committee (SC) and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG).
• Facilitate regular communication, manage information flow, and synthesize complex, highly sensitive updates for different government, civil society, and donor stakeholders.

2. Operations, Documentation, and Project Management

• Produce, manage, and systematically archive all research documentation, including minutes, protocol adaptations, questionnaire versions, ethical clearance papers, and training materials.
• Monitor the research implementation timeline (across study preparation, digital CAPI tool adaptation, provincial enumerator recruitment, and field data collection).
• Coordinate the logistical requirements for the intensive interviewer training and subsequent fieldwork schedule across provinces.
• Support the financial and programmatic tracking of the project budget, ensuring compliance with UNFPA rules and implementation agreements.
• Support and coordinate timely and quality procurement for survey equipment and recruitment of enumerators.
• Ensure support and mentoring to enumerators during the training period and throughout the fieldwork to ensure quality data collection and adherence to ethical standards.

3. Fieldwork Supervision and Quality Control

• Support oversight of risk management protocols and coordinate "spot-checks" during data collection to ensure adherence to strict respondent safety and ethical guidelines.
• Liaise with provincial authorities, SAFENET actors, and the Ministry of Health to ensure referral pathways and support mechanisms are functioning and responsive during fieldwork.
• As part of SINSO survey management protocols, maintain continuous, real-time communication with deployed field teams to address operational constraints promptly.

4. Dissemination, Knowledge Management, and Advocacy

• Support the coordination of data processing, cleaning, and the Data Interpretation Workshop.
• Assist in drafting, proofing, and formatting the main technical report, fact sheets, and high-level launch materials.
• Coordinate logistics for the high-level national launch event and assist with the roll-out of a UNFPA short course for policy-makers and practitioners.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Master’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) in Gender Studies, Sociology, Public Health, Demography, Statistics, International Development, Public Administration, or a closely related social science field is required.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of five (5) of increasingly responsible professional experience in project management, research coordination, or social program implementation.
• Deep familiarity with the Solomon Islands Government context, including established professional working relationships with key ministries (such as MWYCFA and SINSO) and provincial governance structures.
• Prior experience working within the UN system, with a strong preference for direct familiarity with UNFPA’s programmatic procedures, operational modalities, and mandate.
• Substantive knowledge and technical understanding of gender-based violence (GBV), violence against women and girls (VAWG), and the ethical/safety sensitivities surrounding population-based social surveys.
• Superb organizational skills with a proven track record of producing, managing, and maintaining complex project documentation, tracking frameworks, and risk registers.
• Demonstrated ability to manage communications involving highly sensitive information with diplomacy, political acumen, and absolute confidentiality.
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, with a proven ability to mediate, negotiate, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders across all levels—from high-ranking government officials and international donors to field researchers and civil society practitioners.
• Computer Literacy: Proficiency in the use of standard MS Office packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaborative digital workspaces (Google Workspace).

Languages: 

• Absolute fluency in both spoken and written English and Solomon Islands Pijin is required.

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:

• Promoting accountability and results-based management
• Managing data and sensitive documentation safely
• Organizational awareness and political acumen
• Leveraging national partner resources & building strategic alliances
• Internal and external communication for results

Compensation and Benefits:

 Consultancy payment will be on a monthly schedule after submission and acceptance of monthly reports.

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.