The Position:
UNFPA works to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights remain at the very centre of development. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) draws a clear connection between reproductive health, human rights and sustainable development. When sexual and reproductive health needs are not met, individuals are deprived of the right to make crucial choices about their own bodies and futures, with a cascading impact on their families’ welfare and future generations. And because women bear children, and also often bear the responsibility for nurturing them, sexual and reproductive health and rights issues cannot be separated from gender equality. Cumulatively, the denial of these rights exacerbates poverty and gender inequality.
The Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Specialist (SRHR) provides technical leadership and plays a vital role in ensuring state of the art technical support and promoting partnership, synergy and strategic alliances with counterparts in government, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies and civil society in Nepal. S/he leads advocacy and policy dialogue in support of accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ICPD Programme of Action, promoting human rights-based approaches and integrating SRHR in the Universal Health Coverage Package. S/he ensures linkages with other UNFPA programmes in the areas of adolescent and youth, gender equality and population dynamics, and provides technical support to the implementation of the federal, provincial and local programmes and action plans to ensure that SRH services are available to women and men when needed.
S/he will be located at the UNFPA Country Office (CO) in Kathmandu, Nepal. Under the overall guidance of the Representative, the incumbent will report directly to the Deputy Representative and will work in close collaboration with the UNFPA sub-national teams and other teams in Kathmandu.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, taking the lead in delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s current strategic plan focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender- based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.
UNFPA recruits principled and ethical staff with a firm belief in and commitment to upholding human rights and gender equality, who embody UN international norms and standards, and who will defend these diplomatically and courageously.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results and who are true team workers; we recruit staff who are transparent, exceptional in how resources entrusted to us are managed, and are committed to delivering excellence in programme results.
Job Purpose:
The SRHR Specialist will facilitate innovative approaches that will support strengthening the health system. At the technical level, the SRHR Specialist will play a key role in leading and providing technical guidance to the SRHR team of the CO, so as to ensure that there is integration of services at the service delivery points, focusing on developing and scaling-up an integrated care pathway for primary and secondary health care facilities and on improving the quality of contraception, pregnancy, delivery services. More specifically, the SRHR Specialist is expected to provide a technical lead in the areas of midwifery – including in strengthening the quality of midwifery education and ensuring that there are career pathways for existing cadres providing maternity and SRH care. Advocacy and leadership will also be required on the recruitment, deployment and retention of midwives and the necessary cadre to provide safe and respectful SRH care to women and girls. The SRHR specialist will also lead UNFPAs support to the national effort on scaling up the provision of quality Emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) services at all service delivery points including creation of centers of excellence in the provision of EmONC services. The technical expert will lead the team to ensure the network of care is clearly defined and distributed and that efforts are made to ensure the availability of the seven and nine signal functions in basic and comprehensive EmONC facilities respectively, including improved referral services. Furthermore, the SRHR Specialist will provide lead in ensuring that maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) systems are responsive, and that response plans are being implemented by districts in a timely manner. Additionally, the SRHR Specialist will also provide strategic technical, policy and programmatic leadership for the country office in the area of scaling-up meaningful adolescent SRHR interventions and HIV prevention.
The SRHR Specialist is also entrusted with the responsibility of engaging in advocacy and policy dialogue for concerted actions by the national counterparts, UN system and other development partners, and civil society organizations and networks on issues related to SRHR.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Advanced Degree in Public Health, Health Economics, Medicine/Health Sciences ( Nursing/Midwifery) , or related disciplines.
Knowledge and Experience:
● A minimum of seven years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience in SRHR, including experience at the international level is required;
● Demonstrated expertise in the area of SRHR and substantive experience in HSS are required;
● Strong understanding of reproductive rights and gender dimensions in policy and programme formulation, implementation and monitoring;
● Technical knowledge on the principles and operational aspects of integrated sexual and reproductive health care, including EmONC, HIV prevention, GBV response is desirable.
● Proven ability to engage in high-level policy dialogue and advocacy;
● Proven experience in coordinating/managing a multi-disciplinary team of staff, experts and consultants;
● Familiarity in communicating in a clear and articulated manner, technical and/or complex issues to different types of audiences;
● Demonstrated ability to network at high-levels within the health sector;
● Demonstrated experience in coordination and liaison with government counterparts, non government organizations, UN agencies, private sector, development partners and CBOs.
● Possess excellent interpersonal, emotional intelligence, negotiating, intercultural communication skills and political acumen;
● Ability to work independently and in culturally diverse teams.
● Experience in humanitarian response is an asset.
Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of Nepali is an asset.
Required Competencies:
Values:
● Exemplifying integrity,
● Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
● Embracing cultural diversity,
● 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:
● Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
● Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
● Delivering results-based programme
● Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
Managerial Competencies:
● Providing strategic focus,
● Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
● Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
● Making decisions and exercising judgment
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
Disclaimer:
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm
In accordance with the Staff Regulations and 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, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
