Consultancy to Support the Initiation of the DFID-Funded Project to Advance Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Women and Adolescent Girls in East and Southern Africa.
Background
UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives, where every child is wanted, every child birth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Significant progress has been made in the Eastern and Southern Africa region to reduce maternal mortality ratios in the last decade; eliminating vertical transmission of HIV, and there has been a marked scale up of SRH and FP services and information in the region. Yet the region still has some of the highest MMR rates in the world. The total population growth rate is at 2.58 per cent with 33 per cent of these populations being young people aged 10-24 years. Countries ability to take advantage of the opportunity of the demographic dividend may be compromised by challenges in managing the youth bulge (skills development, work force entry) and may put increasing pressure on basic services such as health, education and social services.
The expected impact of the programme is to contribute to the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health, realize reproductive rights, and reduce maternal mortality in East and Southern Africa.
Purpose
The overall purpose of the project proposal, in line with UNFPA Regional Programme and Action Plan 2014-2017, is to contribute towards:
Generating and increasing availability of up to date robust evidence and innovation in the ESA region to inform design, planning, scale up and delivery of quality SRH, MNH and FP services or women and youth
Improved awareness of, access to and uptake of family planning and SRH commodities, information and services across the Eastern and Southern Africa region, with a focus on women and adolescents girls, and through interactive youth engagement, addressing gender based violence and developing the capacity of policy makers and technical people to adopt more evidence based approaches.
Outputs
There are four main outputs:
Increased uptake of modern voluntary family planning (FP) services
Improved MNH including GBV prevention and response
Enhanced knowledge on and participation of young people in SRHR services and comprehensive (CSE)
Enhanced evidence base and knowledge management relating to SRH
The programme is designed for two years (2016-2017) for a total cost of USD 32 million, of which approximately USD 28 million (GBP 18.4 million) have been approved by DFID. It is regional in its approach, focusing on the regional added value in supporting countries through political leverage, capacity development, piloting, testing and promoting new approaches; creating opportunities for region-wide learning and technical support; as well as the introduction of the proven total market approach for improving access to SRH commodities.
Two main outputs funded by DFID:
Increased uptake of modern voluntary family planning (FP) services
Enhanced evidence base and knowledge management relating to SRH
Duties
In order to facilitate timely implementation of programme activities, UNFPA ESARO seeks to hire a short term consultant while the programme manager post is being recruited.
The consultant will work with UNFPA regional and country office technical teams involved in the DFID project to perform the following key tasks:
Strategic Results Support:
Produce an inception report (narrative and financial) as per DFID’s format with a robust results framework - a log frame, results chain, baselines, and targets;
Develop a two-year workplan as well as a project performance monitoring and evaluation plan with applicable monitoring tools and systems for quarterly, half-yearly and annual reports;
Design quality assurance mechanism for data collection.
Coordinate the implementation of the project activities during the first five months of the project as per the approved inception report
Results based Reporting:
Weekly reporting to UNFPA management on the programmatic and financial progress and potential bottlenecks to ensure smooth implementation of the programme;
Coordinate regular meetings with DFID to update the donor on the progress of implementation and sharing key documents for their feedback;
Monthly update provided to country offices and regional office staff on programme implementation status;
Produce first narrative and financial progress report for the period, submitted in the format stipulated by DFID.
Perform any other duties as required
Duration and timelines
The consultancy will commence on 16th November, 2015 and end on 31st March 2016, for a period not exceeding 100 working days.
Electronic and hard copy reports, with delivery dates:
1. Project Inception Report (narrative and financial) with a results framework - a log frame, results chain, baselines, and targets (first draft of the logframe by 30th November 2015 and rest of the documents by 15th January 2016)
2. Two year implementation work-plan (by 15th January 2016)
3. Reporting template and set meeting agenda, in consultation and agreement with UNFPA management and DFID, for the progress report and feedback meetings respectively (by 30th November 2015)
4. Narrative and financial progress report for the period, submitted in the format stipulated by DFID (by 15 March 2016)
Reporting requirements
1. Consultancy Workplan– 21st November, 2015.
2. Weekly meetings with Supervisor and fortnightly with UNFPA management team
3. Monthly written progress updates to donor, management and country offices
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of ESARO Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Adviser, with technical support from all relevant ESARO thematic advisors including Operations, Monitoring and Evaluation
Qualifications
Education:
Post-graduate University Degree or equivalent in public health/sexual and reproductive health, medicine/social sciences, logistics management, programme management, political sciences, business or other related field.
Knowledge and Experience:
10 years or more of increasing responsibilities at international or regional level in large scale donor-funded project management.
Sound knowledge of results based management and reporting.
Experience in projects related to family planning, or SRH/HIV, or gender and development, or innovation is an advantage.
Proven capacity to translate strategy and strategic plans into implementation plans with monitoring and reporting frameworks.
Ability to present concepts visually and communicate appropriately at various levels – strategic, programme management and implementation level.
Familiarity with UN development programmes and working procedures especially UNFPA policies and programming procedures, an asset.
How to apply
All applications should be addressed to, The International Operations Manager and sent to the following e-mail address, jobs.esaro@unfpa.org on or before the closing date of Sunday 6 November 2015.
All applications are to be accompanied by CV, proof of qualifications and cover letter with a clear reference of the position being applied for.
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
