Post: Technical
Specialist, Maternal/Reproductive Health, ICS-11 (P-4), Nigeria
Organizqation:UN
Population Fund
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
VACANCY NO.: Job ID
2336
New York time)
POST TITLE: Technical
Specialist, Maternal/Reproductive Health
CATEGORY: ICS-11
(equivalent to P-4)
POST NUMBER: 83320
POST TYPE:
Non-Rotational
DURATION: One year
(renewable) 1/
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT:
West and Central Africa Region
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
UNFPA Nigeria implements an integrated reproductive health
programme aiming at increasing access to gender sensitive and culturally
appropriate quality maternal health services, including emergency obstetrics
and neonatal care in public and private facilities in supported States for
women, adolescents, youths and affected population during emergency situations.
The programme has a 3-pronged strategy as follows: i) Prevention of unintended
pregnancies through access to modern contraception of family planning; ii)
Ensuring pregnant women have access to antenatal care and skilled care at the
time of birth; iii) and at birth and during the post partum period All those
with complications have timely access to quality emergency obstetric care.
These interventions respond to Nigeria's
large population and extremely challenging reproductive health indicators make
its Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care needs enormous.
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE:
Under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Representative and
the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, the Maternal/Reproductive
Health Technical Specialist will be ensuring high technical and programmatic
support, in accordance with the principles of results based management and good
governance to reinforce the quality of the reproductive health programme within
health system. S/he is part of a team, consisting of Programme and Operational
staff, including a Humanitarian Response Programme Officer.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
A. POLICY, ADVOCACY ANDCOORDINATION
• Provide government and non-governmental organization (NGO)
counterparts with technical assistance and advice on the strategic direction
for strengthening the delivery, access to and quality of Reproductive and
Maternal and Newborn Health Services, formulate recommendations on potential
critical maternal health issues and provide advice in respect to Millennium
Development Goal (MDG) targets and the post 2015,
• Assist and advise the country office in financial resource
mobilization for reproductive and maternal and newborn health (RMNH),
• Strengthen
evidence-based programming and policy dialogue to improve the implementation of
the Nigeria National Development Health Strategic Plan (NDHSP).
• Assist the UNFPA CO and partners in the coordination of
maternal health and family planning programmes in general, and UNH4+, DFID,
FMOH and other related RH project components in particular.
• Collaborate with
the RHCS Technical Adviser to reinforce and advise staff and national partners
on effective supply chain management, including information management,
forecasting, distribution and information systems,
• Support the Federal
and State Ministries of Health, Departments and Agencies with the
implementation and monitoring of National RH initiatives (Midwife Service
Scheme, Saving One Million Lives, Conditional Cash Transfer, Community-Based
Insurance, etc.)
• Assist and advise
the Federal Ministry of Health to develop and monitor the National obstetric
fistula programme,
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen the national
health information system and monitoring and evaluation
• Represent UNFPA in
reproductive, maternal and newborn health working groups/ technical committees,
meetings and works to position MDG 5 and ICPD on the agenda of international
and national partners in Nigeria.
B. CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS
• Support development and/or review of national strategies
and frameworks for SRH particularly on EmONC, MDR, MDSR, health
commodities/supplies and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health
services.
• Provide technical assistance to national partners to
scale-up quality health services to ensure universal access to reproductive
health, including family planning, skilled attendance at delivery, emergency
obstetric and newborn care, adolescent SRH, HIV, fistula prevention, treatment
and reintegration.
• Provide technical
assistance in the development and implementation of demand generation
interventions in the areas of RH and family planning.
• Advise UNFPA
Nigeria and national partners on integrated approaches to ensuring universal
access to quality Family Planning services and linkages/integration with
maternal health and HIV prevention and treatment services.
• Provide technical
assistance to national partners and other actors to identify, develop and/or
adapt guidelines, training materials and manuals in substantive areas
• Support FGoN efforts towards capacity building, using both
pre- and in-service training modalities, and retention of competent and
motivated human resources for maternal health and FP, including training of
midwives and enhancing midwifery skills among other health service providers.
• Strengthen the
capacity of national health facilities in the proper use of reproductive health
kits in emergency situations
• Guide technically UNFPA CO’s
junior reproductive health programme officers.
C. RESOURCE
MOBILIZATION AND PARTNERSHIP
• Assist and advise the country office in financial resource
mobilization for reproductive and maternal and newborn health (RMNH),
• Initiate the
development of proposals on maternal health and identify potential donors to
mobilize additional resources.
• Engage
collaboration with new types of partners in maternal health • Maintain and
foster partnerships with UN agencies and other partners in the area of RH,
particularly on Maternal Health, Family Planning, Obstetric Fistula, Adolescent
SRH and Reproductive Health Commodity and Security for advancement of
knowledge,
•
C. EVIDENCE,
KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION
• Advocate for and support the incorporation of evaluation
results and lessons learned in the updating of strategies and approaches in order
to improve the effectiveness of national health interventions and UNFPA
operations,
• Provide support in
developing a prioritized national operational research agenda,
• Promote reproductive health and UNFPA’s comparative
substantive role and specific contribution in the changing development agenda
• Carry out any other
duties as may be required by the UNFPA Representative.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
CORE COMPETENCIES:
• Values/Guiding
Principles
• Integrity/Cultural
Sensitivity/Valuing Diversity/Commitment to Mandate
• Developing People/Coaching and Mentoring/Performance
Management
• Working in
teams/Communication/Self-Management/Emotional Intelligence
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking/Results
Orientation/Commitment to Excellence/ Knowledge Sharing/Continuous Learning
FUNCTIONAL
COMPETENCIES:
• Advocacy/advancing
a policy-oriented agenda and opportunities for national capacity development
initiatives
• Results-based programme development and management
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and
partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Innovation and
marketing of new approaches
• Resource mobilization
• Job knowledge/technical expertise/understanding more
advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as fundamental
concepts of related disciplines
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Advanced university degree in any of the following -
public health, medicine, social sciences, or other related fields. The degree
must be directly related to the substantive area identified in the job
description of the post.
• 7 years of relevant
and increasingly responsible experience in managing RH or health programmes, of
which at least 5 years national and/or international experience in advising on
reproductive, maternal and newborn health, family planning, Adolescent SRH.
• General knowledge of the principles and operational
aspects of integrated RH/MH care.
• Interpersonal and
communication skills for the dissemination of information and advocacy
activities.
• Familiarity with UN
development programmes and working procedures, especially UNFPA policies and
programming procedures, an asset.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills. Fluency
in English is required; knowledge of French is an asset.
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values
of gender quality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy
balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender
distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.
We offer an attractive remuneration package commensurate
with the level of the position. The package includes a competitive salary plus
housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.
1/ No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff
Regulation 4.5
How to apply:
UNFPA has established an electronic application management
system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be
updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.
Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit
System of UNFPA at
http://www.unfpa.org/employment/
Please print out the Guide for your reference during the
registration and application process. Notice: There is no application,
processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not
solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not
discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons
applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold
permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality,
are required to renounce such status upon their appointment. Exceptions to this
rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly
appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization,
when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in
the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on
promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a
temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to
provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.
Job ID: #605122
Closing date: 17 Oct
2013
How to Apply