NATIONAL PROGRAMME OFFICER – SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
Closing date: 14 Apr 2010
Location: United Republic of Tanzania (the) - Zanzibar
NATIONAL PROGRAMME OFFICER – SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Vacancy No.: VA/FPA/URT/04/2009
Closing Date: 14 April 2010
Duty Station: Zanzibar
Salary Scale: ICS 09
Position No.: 00023225
Duration of Appointment: One year fixed term initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance
Organizational Unit: UNFPA Country Office
UNFPA promotes the prioritization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in health sector policies, plans and programmes through support towards capacity strengthening to deliver on set targets as defined in the Zanzibar health sector strategic plan and the National Roadmap on acceleration of reduction of maternal and newborn deaths.
A Tanzanian National Programme Officer (NPO) is required to work in Zanzibar with expertise in health systems strengthening and sexual and reproductive health including HIV prevention. She/he will work in close collaboration with health sector partners and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) in order to jointly build the sector’s capacity to achieve national results. The NPO will support the implementation and monitoring of UNFPA’s support to Zanzibar including ensuring that a multisectoral HIV/AIDS response is fully integrated with efforts to promote sexual and reproductive health and gender equality, through identifying strategic partnerships, building systems to improve performance, establishing evidence–base advocacy and policy dialogue. As part of the One UN, the NPO will also work with partners within and outside the UN to deliver on the One UN Programme.
Under the overall guidance of the UNFPA Representative, and the direct supervision of the Assistant Representative (Team Leader for Reproductive Health), the NPO will specifically carry out the following duties and responsibilities:
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Policy and Capacity Development
• Support Zanzibar in the implementation of the health related MDGs and International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD-PoA) as it relates to sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and as defined in Vision 2020, MKUZA and Zanzibar Health Policy and Sector plan.
• Analyze and share with government, civil society and development partners (DPs), existing knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention including highlighting information and research gaps, and proposing cost effective, gender sensitive and culturally appropriate development approaches.
• Create and strengthen strategic partnerships between government, civil society, faith-based organizations, parliamentarians, media, youth groups, UN and other DPs to promote culturally-sensitive, rights-based, and gender sensitive advocacy efforts in sexual and reproductive health including HIV prevention.
• Advise government, through policy dialogue and technical assistance, on how to incorporate strategies that ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health services including HIV prevention and youth friendly services, into national developmental frameworks including the next generation MKUZA.
• Provide inputs to government-led and DP working groups and key policy documents and other programming frameworks, to ensure full reflection of linkages between women’s empowerment and gender equality, access to sexual and reproductive health and an enabling legal and policy environment.
• Advocate for and support government to build sustainable disaggregated data systems, based on surveys and routine data and that allows for effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of health interventions.
• Support government in the integration of reproductive health and HIV/AIDS interventions into a strengthened health system, including building reproductive health commodity security.
• Through policy dialogue participate in policy forums for planning, budgeting and monitoring progress of poverty reduction in the health sector to ensure that population dimensions related to sexual and reproductive health and rights and youth related issues are being adequately addressed.
• Build partnerships in supporting national capacity development in reproductive health service delivery by drawing on and feeding into national and sectoral capacity assessments processes to ensure a process of capacity building in strategic planning and results based management.
• Share information and knowledge on cross-cutting dimensions related to population and development with key partners including civil society, Government and donors to ensure full integration of population variables into development processes and health sector reforms.
• Provide input into the development of global UNFPA’s policies and strategies using in-country experience in sector reforms, aid effectiveness and UN reforms.
• Represent UNFPA at UN inter-agency meetings for health, government-led technical committees and DP Groups in health to promote change and enhance effectiveness and impact of UN.
Programme and Technical Support
• Provide day- to-day technical support for the planning, implementation and monitoring of UN/Government Joint Programmes (JP5 and JP3) in Zanzibar.
• Ensure that UNFPA responds adequately to national requests for technical support, including on HIV Prevention, comprehensive condom programming, young people out-of-school, HIV and sex work and SRH.
• Secure appropriate and timely technical assistance to address information and knowledge gaps and provide expertise for effective programming and monitoring of HIV/AIDS and other reproductive health initiatives.
• Strengthen networking and capacity within faith-based organizations, including women and men religious leaders, around reproductive health, gender equality and HIV prevention.
• Provide input to the UN Development Assistance Plan, MKUZA and MDG working groups to ensure full reflection of reproductive health, gender, HIV prevention and data for health.
• Work closely with other UN agencies, and other DPs to develop and implement the One UN Programme of support to Zanzibar (JP5). Participate in inter-agency discussions on HIV /AIDS through the HIV/AIDS working groups and DPG group to enhance the effectiveness and impact of UN system efforts.
• Perform any other function as may be assigned by the UNFPA Representative and/or the supervisor.
Qualifications and Experience:
• Advanced degree in public health, and/or other related social sciences including social/ health policy and planning, health systems, sociology, anthropology.
• At least 5 years of professional experience, preferably in programme management in sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention in the public or private sector.
• Experience in working in a multi-cultural environment and at district and/or community level.
• Strong results orientation, with proven experience in using results-based management tools.
• Fluency in oral English and excellent writing skills in English are required.
• Candidate must be proficient in current office software applications.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking and sound judgment; initiative, culturally sensitive and, resourceful.
• Dedication to the United Nations principles and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously in diverse teams.
How to apply
HOW TO APPLY
Candidates should complete a United Nations Personnel History Form (P11), obtainable from the office of the UNFPA Representative, 11 Ocean Road, Sea View, P.O. Box 9182, Dar es Salaam, email: tanzania.info@unfpa.org The P-11 form, is also available on the UNFPA website at www.unfpa.org
Closing date for the applications is 14th April 2010. Please submit your application indicating post and vacancy number, attaching your P.11 and an updated CV, in an envelope marked “Confidential”.
We will only be able to respond to those applicants in whom UNFPA has a further interest. Women and Tanzanians in the Diaspora are encouraged to apply.
UNFPA offers an attractive compensation package commensurate with experience.
