Technical Specialist, Reproductive Health Commodity Security
Rotation | |
| This post is non-rotational. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note the closing date of this vacancy is 15 February 2011 (5:00 p.m. New York time) | |
| Background Information | |
| Mali is one of the African countries where maternal morbidity and mortality is a major health issue. According to results of the 2006 DHS and 2009 Census, the country is facing an important maternal mortality rate estimated to 464 deaths for 100,000 birth, in a context where the demographic grows has increased to an estimated 3.6%. In line with this situation, the health system is registering a weak contraceptive prevalence rate (6%) and skilled attendant at birth (49%) with a fecundity rate remaining high (6.6 children per woman). In partnership with the Government and the civil society, UNFPA Mali is working to address the tremendous challenge aiming to assure that every pregnancy is wanted and every birth is safe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| Organizational Setting | |
| The Technical Specialist post is located in the UNFPA Mali Country office. S/he reports to the Representative, who provides overall direction and supervision, and works in close collaboration with the Dakar sub-regional office, the Commodity Security Branch (CSB), based on an approved annual work plan. As the Technical Specialist for the RHCS and health systems, s/he will work within an integrated, coordinated, and systems strengthening approach that is fundamental for UNFPA overall strategy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| Main Tasks & Responsibilties | |
| The Technical Specialist will provide leadership and technical support to the development and implementation of the national RH program to ensure the mainstreaming of RHCS into policies and programmes. S/he will have the responsibility, in response to country requests, and within the broadly sexual and reproductive health, health system strengthening and financing for the promotion, design, monitoring and evaluation of all phases of equitable RH commodity and family planning availability throughout all sectors (public, private, non-profit, subsidized and commercial), as well as supply management system, guidelines and standards. S/he will provide technical backstopping and support/conduct relevant research, analysis and training activities aimed at providing information and knowledge-base and readily useable methodologies to RH/FP planners, policy makers, programme managers and service providers. The incumbent will contribute to enhancing national capacity to mobilize and obtain social and political support for national policies and programmes in the field of Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS). Such support will also contribute to overall health management and coordination, health system strengthening and HIV prevention efforts. S/he will monitor Global Program to enhance RHCS progress against the monitoring framework and the agreed indicators Technical support and advocacy • Support national implementing partners in advocacy for inclusion of RH/RHCS in all national development frameworks such as: SWAPs, PRSPs and health sector reforms, including in situations where basket funding is available). • Collaborate with the country office staff members to promote integrated approaches to improving reproductive health, particularly in areas such as: (i) Condom programming under HIV/AIDS programme; (ii) Improving access to contraceptives by unmarried young people; (iii) Repositioning family planning. • Collaborate with other UN Agencies to promote and provide integrated technical support for RH/RHCS within countries (particularly with WHO and UNICEF) and to carry out and implement findings of joint assessment of critical maternal health drugs. • Develop a strategy for easy and immediate access to supplies and continued availability of supplies in a situation of humanitarian response. • Provide technical support and advice to strengthen the national health system for an increased accessibility, demand creation and use of RH commodities to all individuals. This will entail a demonstrated ability to provide technical advice and information on how to increase contraceptive prevalence rate, condom usages, and effectiveness of national logistics systems. • Lead the national advocacy efforts with partners and facilitate adoption of an integrated approach to SRH in general and specifically to RHCS that takes as its foundation the reliable and consistent availability of planned RH commodities. This integrated approach is complemented by a focus on issues of quality of care, improvements to the national environment as well as questions of access and demand. • Provide technical assistance to the implementation of the country action plans in ensuring that contraceptives and other RH commodities are available to women and men, when needed. Cooperate with and support implementing partners in analyzing RH commodity systems. • Manage the provision of technical assistance in improving forecasting, warehousing, distribution, transportation and logistics information systems. • Provide advice in accordance with WHO guidelines on specific contraceptive methods as well as cost-effective contraceptive method mixes, with special attention to assuring condom supplies appropriate to the stage of HIV/AIDS epidemic. • Provide technical support at key stages of the UNFPA country programme cycle, as well as United Nations system wide processes such as UNDAF. • Advocate for adequate lead times in ordering commodities, for adequate budgeting for donor coordination relating to commodity supplies and for procurement of cost effective and serviceable equipment. • Provide technical assistance for strengthening Logistic Management Information Systems. Capacity development and partnerships Contribute to enhancing national capacity to develop and maintain reproductive health services and commodity systems. These tasks will involve design and facilitation of formal training and conducting informal, on-the-job training; Provide technical advice on monitoring and evaluation of RHCS and health systems strengthening; including ongoing capacity development efforts to ensure quality; Develop and manage substantive partnerships and collaborations with other UN agencies, including in the context of the UNDAF; Identify, develop and/or adapt training materials and manuals in the substantive area and ensure their availability for capacity development, and support their implementation; Coach and monitor expert consultants, and facilitate working groups and task teams; Draft and adapt training materials and manuals in the substantive area and support their implementation for capacity development. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination Contribute to the identification, analysis and synthesis of technical knowledge and evidence-based information in RHCS; Make significant contributions to analytic works aiming to collect and review lessons learned from implementation and to refine methodologies for effective RHCS within a decentralized planning and budgeting context; Contribute to the successful execution of impact evaluations and provide support in developing a prioritized operational research agenda for UNFPA; Remain knowledgeable and up-to-date on all technical and implementation issues that relate to RHCS as well as other components of Health systems development; Promote UNFPA’s comparative substantive role and specific contribution in the changing development agenda. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| Qualifications and Experience | |
| Advanced university degree in any of the following - public health, medicine, social sciences, pharmacy, or other related fields. Courses in logistics, essential drugs, health system strengthening and financing and MIS are a plus. 7 years of increasing responsibilities in managing RH or health programmes with direct experience relating to supply management systems, of which five years national and/or international experience in advising on RH commodities, health systems and supply management. Extensive knowledge of supply management: forecasting, warehousing, distribution, transportation and logistics information systems. General knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of integrated RH care. Familiarity with UN development programmes and working procedures, especially UNFPA policies and programming procedures, an asset. Fluency in French. Good command of oral and written English is required ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| Required Competencies | |
| Core Competencies: Values/Guiding principles; Developing people Personal leadership and effectiveness Building and managing relationships Functional Competencies: Conceptual innovation in the provision of technical expertise Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/Building strategic alliances and partnerships Job knowledge/Technical expertise ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
| 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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