National Programme Specialist- Maternal Health/Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (NPS MH/AYSRH)

Post Title: National Programme Specialist- Maternal Health/Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (NPS MH/AYSRH)
Level: ICS 9 (Equivalent NO-B)
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duration: 12 Months (renewable)
Duty station: UNFPA Country Office, Maseru
Organizational Context:
Under overall guidance supervision of the UNFPA Representative and direct supervision international programme specialist, the National Program specialist, Maternal Health /Adolescents and youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (NPS MH/AYSRH) plays a leadership role in co-ordinating and managing comprehensive Youth and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH &Youth) and related thematic interventions of the UNFPA supported programme, including Family Planning, Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care, Reproductive Health Commodity Security, as well as while ensuring linkages between SRH and HIV/AIDS, behaviour-change communication and gender.
The NPS MH/AYSRH analyses the RH situation as well as the social and policy related environment in country. She/he is proactive in preparing reports, updates and information on progress and achievements of the RH components of UNFPA supported programme, in line with results-based management.
He/she ensures coherence with agreed national and international planning framework, including UNFPA Strategic Plan, the Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan and related sectorial strategies, the Joint Assistance Strategy, and the agreed United Nations Development Assistance Framework,
Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
• Creates substantive knowledge of Maternal Health, adolescents and Youth sexual and reproductive health, including HIV issues in the country, assesses technical assistance needs in these areas and advises on the suitability of programmes and related interventions to meet these needs.
Addresses policy issues and provides substantive inputs to facilitate policy dialogue and the central positioning of SRH within policies, national plans and strategies, UN system initiatives and development frameworks (LUNDAF, UN Reform, NDP, MDG reports) in line with new aid environment.
• Provides substantive leadership and inputs into the design and formulation of sexual and reproductive health programmes and interventions translating UNFPA mandate and strategic priorities into local interventions, and responding to Government plans and priorities. Ensures consultation with national and local governments and other stakeholders, including beneficiaries, during programmes and projects formulation. Introduces into the formulation of interventions, the process the results from programme reviews and evaluations, best practices, as well as innovative strategies, approaches and policies.
• Advises and reports on achievement of sexual and reproductive health interventions and results, and proactively measures substantive progress and the effective utilization of financial and human project resources, using timely and appropriate monitoring and measuring mechanisms and tools. Leads programme implementation, guiding and orienting executing agencies, related partners and personnel and introducing effective modalities and practices of implementation.
• Creates and documents knowledge by evaluating sexual and reproductive health programmes, projects and ongoing experience for lessons learned, best practices and replicable strategies and approaches and actively shares and applies this knowledge. Creates mechanisms to collect and share knowledge.
• Advises and reports on inter-linkages between UNFPA supports components (Women and Reproductive health, adolescent and Youth and cross cutting issues such as population and development, gender and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS).
• Coaches and supervises national professional and support staff; responsible for staff performance and advises on development needs; undertakes capacity building among UNFPA staff and first-line counterparts for issues pertaining to programme management and advocacy towards ICPD goals
• Analyzes sexual and reproductive health issues in the country to provide substantive inputs to institutional responses and advocacy strategies taking into account political and social sensitivities. Takes opportunities to advocate and advance UNFPA policy agenda by participating in public information events.
• Ensure gender sensitivity and adherence to result based principle of all the country programme intervention and reports
• Develops and maintains a coherent mechanism monitoring and evaluation trough regular and updated data collection processing and dissemination for quality programme delivery, resource mobilization and evidence based reporting to donors
• Contributes to the resource mobilization efforts by analyzing information on potential donors, preparing substantive briefs and proposals in line with donor priorities, creating feedback mechanisms and providing information on progress of donor funded initiatives. Identifies opportunities for cost sharing, leveraging and collaboration with civil society, government and other partners as well as through joint UN programmes.
• Advises on building strong technical and programme multi-sectorial partnerships for advocacy for ICPD beyond 2014 agenda through national institutions, networks, alliances and coalitions.
Required Competencies:
Functional competencies:
- Advocacy/Advancing a policy oriented agenda
- Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
- Delivering results-based programmes
- Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization
- Results-based programme development and management
- Innovation and marketing of new approaches
- Strategically positioning UNFPA Programme
- Providing a technical support system
- Resource mobilization
Core Competencies:
- Values: Exemplifying integrity, Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change, Knowledge sharing/Continuous learning, Valuing diversity Appropriate and transparent decision making
- Managing Relationships: Working in teams, Communicating information and ideas, Conflict and self-management
- Achieving results, Being accountable, Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, Thinking analytically and strategically, Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, Communicating for impact
- Working with people: Empowerment/Developing people/Performance management
- Personal Leadership and Effectiveness: Results orientation/Commitment to excellence,
Job Requirements:
- Academic Requirements: Master’s degree in health, Public health, Sexual Reproductive health, Midwifery
- 3 to 5 years professional experience preferably in public health, programme management in the public or private sector, including international development assistance.
- Proven experience in Family Planning, Maternal and Neonatal health including Obstetric Care (essential and EmONC and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and right
- Knowledge and understanding on quality of care, specifically client rights
- Field experience is strongly desirable
- Strong track record of technical leadership, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results;
- Understanding of Human Rights dimensions of RH/FP and gender
- Experience in health sector review, especially Sector Wide Approaches, an asset;
- Strong verbal and written communications skills in English and/or in the relevant language in the region
- Demonstrated ability to network within the academic and development community;
- Conversant with management and monitoring tools is desirable; Conversant with Information Communication Technology/ Enterprise
HOW TO APPLY:
Detailed job description and recruitment qualifications will be available onwww.ls.undp.org. Applications that should include copies of curriculum vitae and academic qualifications and contact details of three referees should be submitted to The Representative, UNFPA office in Maseru, UN House, 13 United Nations Road or alternatively posted to UNFPA, P.O. Box 301, Maseru 100, Lesotho by close of business 04th December 2015.