Temporary Appointment: Programme Specialist Sexual Reproductive Health in Emergencies, Goma, DRC, P-3

The duration of the Temporary Appointment is 9 Months.

The Position:

The SRHiE Programme Specialist is located in the UNFPA DRC sub country Office of Goma to act as the focal point, to support quality and timely implementation of UNFPA SRH humanitarian interventions, the roll-out of MISP for reproductive health in emergencies and outreach. They will also support the day-to-day liaison with the donor, implementing partners, stakeholders and government partners, while working in an integrated and collaborative manner with the Country Office’s programme and operations staff. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

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 that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Working within a Sub-Office environment, you will ensure the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of SRHiE, including safe motherhood, family planning, emergency planning and preparedness, adolescent reproductive health, health sector response to gender-based violence, HIV integrated RH services. Employing your programme management experience, you will oversee the work of the SRHIE programme team as well as consultants, advisors, and experts, and will coordinate the SRH Working Group in Nord Kivu. You will establish and maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, multi-lateral and bilateral donor agencies and civil society to address emerging issues, and effectively influence diverse stakeholders to contribute to achieving UNFPA’s mandate.

You would be responsible for:

1.    Programme Development and Planning:

•     Provide technical guidance and oversight on the implementation of SRHiE interventions within the UNFPA sub-office supported programme, ensuring alignment with UNFPA global standards, WHO guidelines, and national health policies.
•     Lead the implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for SRH, ensuring its integration into humanitarian response and health system strengthening activities.
•     Support the scale-up of high-impact maternal and neonatal health interventions, including Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) HIV response and family planning services.
•     Provide technical assistance to the Provincial Health Division (DPS) and health system actors in improving maternal health, reproductive health commodity supply (RHCS), adolescent SRH, and GBV response services.
•     Support the introduction and scale-up of innovative SRHiE interventions, including digital health solutions, self-care interventions or telemedicine-based SRH services.
•     In collaboration with Government counterparts, NGOs and other partners, overseeing the design and implementation of the country programme and its component projects, aligning with Government priorities and UNFPA programme policies and procedures.

•     Review the political, social and economic environment relevant to UNFPA programme activities, and pursuing opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention.

•     Assess implications of new policy developments and strategies on programme execution, and ensuring their integration.

•     Participate in programme planning by undertaking needs assessments, monitoring and evaluation of interventions in the area of reproductive health.

•     Keep abreast of new policy developments by analyzing policy papers, national plans and development frameworks and update the UNFPA Office on Reproductive Health and Family Planning related issues, standards, practices and policies.

•     Participate in coordination and programme planning meetings

•     Draft proposals for funding as required

2.    Programme Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

•     Analyze and report on the Reproductive Health programme component and its projects progress in terms of achieving results.
•     Support research, documentation, and dissemination of best practices, lessons learned, and innovations in SRH programming.
•     Prepares briefs and inputs for policy dialogue, technical assistance coordination and development frameworks.
•     Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess programme progress, disseminate findings and undertake follow-up actions
•     Conduct service quality assessments, and facility audits to ensure compliance with SRH standards and guidelines.

•     Prepare regular quarterly reports and briefs on project progress, M&E reports & mission reports, and contribute to donor reports, project proposals, and advocacy materials, ensuring visibility of UNFPA’s impact on maternal and reproductive health.

•     Assist the sub office to establish an M&E system for the RH component through regular data collection, analysis and dissemination of findings.

•     Keep abreast with UNFPA global and internationally research and agreed on norms, standards, and innovations in advancing development, especially in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

•     Scan the fast-changing environment to guide UNFPA positioning in new thematic areas in Reproductive Health in accordance with UNFPA transformative results.

•     Identify and actively participate in technical discussions from national and international communities of practice;

•     Advocate for the UNFPA development strategies to be mainstreamed in national development documents so that domestic resources contribute to the UNFPA global results;

•     Establish and maintain good working relationships with partner agencies and civil society organizations involved in and supporting the Reproductive Health programme;

•     Mapping and engaging with stakeholders and potential donors in the field of reproductive health;

•     Coordinate with other UNFPA Programmes ensuring the required synergy and linkage of the different project components to achieve UNFPA Country Programme Results;

•     Be accountable for financial resources allocated to the Reproductive Health Programme; carry out budget projections, closely monitor expenditures, conduct regular budget reviews and analyze related financial reports; ensure proper compliance with UNFPA norms and procedures for the utilization of funds;

•     Prepare procurement plans where required, with distribution lists of equipment and supplies, and make the necessary follow-up to facilitate timely and efficient delivery.
•     Oversee achievement of programme results by ensuring appropriate policies are applied and monitoring and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented.
•     Ensure effective implementation by incorporating lessons learned and best practices.
•     Provide training and mentorship to provincial health authorities, implementing partners, and frontline health workers on SRH service delivery, EmONC, family planning, and adolescent health.
•     Support the development and implementation of training curricula for healthcare providers on maternal health, newborn care, and post-abortion care.
•     Strengthen community health worker programmes to enhance demand generation for SRH services and linkages between communities and health facilities.

3.     Coordination

•     Facilitate the coordination of all RH stakeholders; including implementing partners, at the field level as needed through an effective coordination mechanism such Working Group and assist in the reproduction of national guidelines, protocols and IEC material for improving RH service delivery;
•     Participate actively in appropriate Humanitarian coordination mechanisms such as health cluster and provincial coordination of humanitarian actors
•     Work closely with the GBV team to ensure the integration of Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) services and the holistic response to survivors of sexual violence.

•     Assist advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the Country Office by preparing relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles and participating in donor meetings and public information events.

•     Establish partnerships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs.
•     Ensure effective knowledge management strategies are implemented by the programme team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning; addressing training needs of project personnel.

•     Participate in advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the CO, by ensuring preparation of relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor profiles, and participating in related meetings and public events.
•     Liaise with relevant Government institutions and Implementing Partners to assess, identify technical assistance (TA) needs, and facilitate capacity building in close collaboration with UNFPA SRHR;
•     Identify, document, and disseminate lessons learned and best practices related to UNFPA DRC programming in Reproductive Health.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:
Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Medicine, Public Health, Reproductive Health, Global Health, or related fields. A Medical Doctor (MD) with experience in maternal and neonatal health is an advantage

Knowledge and Experience:

●    At least 5 years of professional experience in SRH programme management, health system strengthening, or humanitarian response.
●    Proven experience in MISP implementation, family planning, maternal health, and EmONC.
●    Experience in working with government institutions, NGOs, and donor agencies in SRH programming.
●    Familiarity with health financing, supply chain management, and digital health innovations is an asset.
●    Strong understanding of GBV response, CMR protocols, and humanitarian health coordination mechanisms
●    Field experience is an asset;
●    Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.

Languages:
Fluency in French (spoken and written) is required. Working knowledge of English is highly desirable.
 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

Core Competencies: 

Functional Competencies:

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

Compensation and Benefits:

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