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Job Description

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT (Fast Track)-Programme Specialist, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Hpa’an, Myanmar, P-3

Background Information

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT (FAST TRACK)

Closing Date: 3 January 2021 (5 pm New York time)

Duration: 6 months ( with possibility of extension)

Duty Station: Hpa’an, Myanmar Country Office

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Organizational Setting

The Position:

Under the overall guidance of UNFPA Deputy Representative and with direct supervision of the Humanitarian Response Specialist in Yangon, the SRHR Programme Specialist is located in the sub-office in Hpa’an, Kayin State. The Programme Specialist, SRHR also acts as the head of Hpa’an Sub-Office including oversight of staff, as well as managing and implementing the UNFPA Programme. The Specialist will play a critical role in strengthening integration of SRHR-GBV and MHPSS in the South East, with a particular focus on ensuring preparedness and response to COVID-19 and in particular, to meet and uphold the needs and rights of women and girls, and young people, including migrants returning to Myanmar.

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 new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. 

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:

UNFPA’s Fourth Country Programme Document (2018-2022) for Myanmar was approved by the Executive Board in September 2017. The Programme focuses on three key areas of intervention 1) sexual and reproductive health) 2) gender equality and women’s empowerment and 3) population dynamics. The proposed Country Programme is aligned with new UNFPA’s Strategic Plan (2018-2021) and the first United Nations Development Assistance Framework (2018-2021). Youth and adolescents as well as gender equality and related human rights, are mainstreamed throughout the programme. UNFPA has partnerships with the government departments, UN agencies, INGOs and local NGOs, foundations and research institutions.  UNFPA has a presence in a number of priority states/regions, integrating development, peace building and humanitarian spectrums.

UNFPA has launched the second phase of the “Women and Girls First” Programme (2019-2022), which is a large multi-year, multi-donor initiative, that provides knowledge and technical leadership in partnership with civil society organizations and a wide range of national stakeholders to advance:  gender equality, improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, responding to and preventing gender based violence (GBV) and integrating of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). 

Emergency preparedness and humanitarian assistance are integrated in UNFPA’s work in Myanmar and are an important aspect in its proposed fourth country programme (2018-2022). UNFPA, in line with its global strategy, contributes to strengthening national capacity to provide sexual and reproductive health services, gender based violence prevention and response and the use of population and rights-based data in humanitarian settings. 

The Programme Specialist will lead implementation of UNFPA’s programme in the Southeast focusing on Kayin and Mon States which bridges the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding making strategic linkages between UNFPA’s GBV, MHPSS, and youth activities. The programme specialist is directly responsible for the implementation and coordination of UNFPA programe with state government, NGOs and civil society partners; and representation of UNFPA in relevant health and protection coordination mechanisms. It is anticipated that the Programme Specialist will actively seek and identify opportunities for UNFPA to expand the scope of its programming in Kayin and Mon States.  The programme specialist is also expected to lead COVID-19 response and recovery interventions for UNFPA in the Southeast under the overall framework of UN Framework for the Immediate Socio-economic Response to COVID-19 in Myanmar. 

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Main Tasks & Responsibilities

You would be responsible for: 

A. Partnerships and Coordination

• Coordinate with relevant health partners to ensure implementation of UN Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19 in Myanmar, especially for Pillar 1: Health First, as well as provide required technical support to both government and NGOs partners for their COVID-19 response and recovery activities.

• Actively participate in health meetings, consultations and workshops, provide feedback on SRHR at sub-national and local level to State Health Departments, Ethnic authorities and other key stakeholders. 

• Liaise with health and protection staff in other agencies and organizations (including governments, national and international NGOs and women’s groups) for coherent programme intervention and integration of SRHR, GBV and MHPSS. 

• Ensure the coordination and integration between all components of the Women and Girls First Programme and other programmes, in Kayin and Mon States, in particular the integration between SRHR, GBV, Gender, MHPSS, Youth Programming, Peace Building and Development.

• Establish linkages with existing SRHR, Gender, MHPSS and HIV programmes to ensure synergies between programmes and maximize programme impact, working closely with offices in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and other locations. 

B. Technical Support and Programming:

• Provide analysis of the political, social and economic environment relevant to population and development, sexual and reproductive health and gender, and identify opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. 

• Keep abreast of international best practices, guidelines and legal frameworks as well as new national policy developments and strategies, plans and development frameworks and prepare briefs and provide inputs for policy dialogue, technical assistance coordination, and development frameworks. 

• Use and systematically apply standard guidelines and protocols such as the MISP, Interagency Field Manual for SRH in Crises, the Essential Service Packages for Women and Girls subject to Violence, Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence in Emergencies and related instruments during assessment, planning and implementation of all programming.

• Support the implementation of quality SRHR and GBV integrated programmes in Kayin and Mon States, including COVID-19 response and recovery interventions, to empower women and young people and improve their access to SRHR and GBV services, including technical guidance, reporting, and financial management and monitoring of activities. Ensure continuity of life-saving SRHR interventions during humanitarian settings, including COVID-19, and the continuity of services both at humanitarian and development settings.

• Support the development/revision of SRHR specific and related assessment tools as well as support the integration of SRHR concerns into multi sectoral assessments. 

• Provide technical support and guidance to the IPs in order to ensure high quality implementation of programme activities as well as to ensure service continuity in humanitarian settings, including COVID-19.

• Support development and adaptation of SRHR IEC material as well as structured training curriculums.

• Provide technical support in the development/strengthening of humanitarian/recovery coordination mechanisms in place at state level. 

• Coordinate, develop and facilitate relevant SRHR training sessions for partners to support a human integrated rights-based approaches including implementation of standard operating procedures.

• Provide technical support to the development of relevant advocacy and policy documents to address SRHR and GBV needs and broader gender issues at the district/township level.

• Support proposal development and engage in resource mobilization efforts to support joint programming and strengthen coherence in programme delivery.  

C. Capacity Building

• Lead development of training material suitable to meet the needs of partners and organizations across the Southeast. 

• Support development of IEC material in line with international best practices, including field testing. 

• Coordinate and facilitate training sessions on SRHR for government and nongovernment actors, such as health care providers, non-governmental organizations, the IDP population, women groups, youth groups and peace groups, etc.

• Support development of capacity building strategies to ensure both linkages between SRHR, GBV, MHPSS and Youth but also across humanitarian, peace building and development spectrums of intervention. 

D. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Ensure timely and high quality implementation of UNFPA’s programmes in the Southeast while addressing constraints posed by ongoing conflict and COVID-19 restrictions.

• Develop monthly reports that capture relevant information and that support the analysis and evaluation of program progress and outcomes.

• Collect and compile programme activity information and provide support for the development of annual donor reports, monitoring and evaluating progress toward achievement of programme outcomes.

• Regularly and closely follow up with partners in the field and liaise with their Yangon counterparts in all aspects of planning, programming, implementation and review.  

• Undertake field monitoring visits across the Southeast to verify quality of project activities as well as arrange periodic project assessment and review with counterparts and other partners. 

• Consolidate existing assessments on SRHR and GBV situation in that setting and/or engage the displaced, migrant, returnee and host populations in conducting relevant participatory analyses, rapid needs assessments, etc.   

E. Management responsibilities:

• Supervise staff and consultants based in the Hpa’an Sub-Office.

• Support supervisees to develop Performance Appraisal and Development plans and provide regular feedback and support to facilitate professional development of staff; and ensure their safety and wellbeing.

• Oversee the development of action plans and help to bring innovations to programming in collaboration with various sectors/clusters and the network of UNFPA partners.

• Write monthly work plans, monthly reports, and other reports as needed or requested.

• Perform any other duties as assigned by UNFPA.

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Qualifications and Experience

Education:  

Advanced university degree in medicine, public health, international development, social sciences or other related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of 5 years of increasingly responsible relevant professional experience in SRHR programme implementation and service provision including experience in gender/GBV mainstreaming in health. 

• Substantive knowledge and practical experience in sexual reproductive health and rights programming in humanitarian and post-conflict recovery settings;

• Knowledge of gender issues in development, particularly regarding SRHR and GBV including relevant international human rights standards; and operational and advocacy experience implementing UNSC resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (1325, 1820, 1888, 1889 and 1960, 2347) and Youth, Peace and Security (2050) as an asset;

• Experience and capacity in development and delivery of SRHR training components to government, NGO, and community level participants. 

• Demonstrated leadership, facilitation, and team working skills and ability to establish harmonious working relations in an international and multicultural environment.

• Demonstrated representational, leadership and management skills. 

• Excellent computer literacy (windows environment, MS office applications including Word, Excel and Power-point and Internet skills).  

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required; working knowledge of another officil UN language is an asset. 

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Required Competencies

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
• Embracing diversity in all its forms
• 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
• Communicating for Impact

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen

• Implementing management systems

• Innovation and marketing of new approaches

• Client orientation

• Organizational awareness

Managerial Competencies 

• Providing strategic focus,

• Engaging staff and partners,

• Leading, developing and empowering people/creating a culture of performance,

• Making decisions and exercise judgment

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UNFPA Work Environment

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities.
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Disclaimer

WARNING TO APPLICANTS: UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web. Should you feel that you have received a fraudulent notice, letter or offer that makes use of the name or logo of UNFPA, you may submit a report through the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

Notice to applicants: 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.
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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. 

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