Job Title: Technical Specialist, Maternal/Reproductive Health, ICS-11(P-4), Nigeria
Employer: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Job ID: 2336
Location: Africa
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Rotation: This post is non-rotational.
DURATION: One year (renewable)1/
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 Setting: 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.
Main Tasks & 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 intercourseual 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
D. 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.
Qualifications and Experience:
• 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.
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
UNFPA Work Environment: UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, 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.
Compensation and Benefits: This position offers an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the post. The package includes a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.
Closing Statement:
Notice: 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.
This is a project funded post.
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