The Position:
Under the supervision and general guidance of the National Representative of the Venezuela Country Office, the program specialist in sexual and reproductive health and rights and under the programmatic guidance of the SRH program officer. He/she will coordinate, implement, monitor, and report on the SRH activities of the Project to improve results in maternal, neonatal, and reproductive health in vulnerable populations in Zulia State through care with quality and respect, and the Project protecting and guaranteeing the sexual and reproductive rights of the most vulnerable women and adolescents in Venezuela.
The sexual and reproductive health and rights program specialist will be responsible for the cost-effective and timely delivery of project results both technically and financially, leading implementation and developing new interventions and projects as required and in alignment with the UNFPA Country Program
The program specialist in sexual and reproductive health and rights will work in close coordination with the Public Health System, UNFPA implementing partners, and other organisations of the United Nations System to ensure effective management in the implementation of the projects that result in improvements in access to SRH for the most vulnerable groups.
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 strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realise our goals.
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:
With the guidance of the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025, and the goal of achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all and accelerating the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development, UNFPA Venezuela is beginning its fourth country program in 2022, with the vision of ending preventable maternal deaths, the unmet need for family planning, and gender-based violence and harmful practices.
To accelerate progress towards the three zeros, UNFPA Venezuela will focus on improving the provision of quality sexual and reproductive health, culturally appropriate, with a gender approach and with respect for the environment in vulnerable populations in Zulia State and specific health centres. The achievement of this objective will be done through the strengthening of the capacities of the health teams for the provision of quality health services, improving the collaboration between the health centres and the organised community. It will also focus on strengthening community leaders to support the maternal, newborn and sexual health needs of women, girls and their families in specific communities.
At the National level, UNFPA Venezuela will maintain efforts to improve and maintain access to essential services that save lives in accordance with the Minimum Initial Package of SRH Services (MISP). These services include strengthening and maintaining access to clinical management of sexual violence, quality and rights-based access to family planning, access to quality maternal and neonatal care and in accordance with national and international standards.
You would be responsible for:
-Effective technical and financial management and leadership in the SRH programmatic implementation of the projects, formulate recommendations on critical implementation issues and provide advice regarding progress in SRH and the SDGs in the selected localities.
-Ensure the application of effective planning, monitoring and evaluation of SRH interventions; provide feedback to achieve excellence in implementation, including the monitoring of expenses and disbursements of projects according to the budgets and goals of the programmatic indicators.
-Conduct strategic dialogues with government counterparts, civil society, United Nations System and UNFPA staff.
-Coordinate needs assessments and collection and systematisation of data on population, access to SRH, family planning, maternal health, with emphasis on the most vulnerable populations, including indigenous and disabled with a triple nexus approach.
-Promote strengthening and diffusion of technical knowledge, innovative strategies, good practices inside and outside UNFPA and their replication with emphasis on improving access to SRH.
-Supervise (in collaboration with logistics personnel) the procurement, distribution, and monitoring of SRH supplies, including SRH emergency kits and medical equipment, and the conditioning of spaces for SRH care in selected health centres.
-Coordinate training for health personnel, protection and justice, and communities on key topics in SRH, including emergencies.
-Assist in the development/adaptation of assistance and referral protocols in SRH care.
-Develop exit strategies, including evidence-based transition to regular SRH programs.
-Prepare regular progress reports and documents including lessons learnt and challenges and share them with the UNFPA country and regional office, donors and counterparts.
-Perform any other task required by the representative or supervisor according to emerging needs
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
Master degree, preferably in public health and/or obstetrics and gynaecology
Knowledge and Experience:
-At least 7 years of relevant experience in the development and management of Sexual and Reproductive Health programs
-At least 7 years of managerial work experience in the Public Health System
-Leadership and management in multicultural environments
-Skills for supervision, mentoring and monitoring
-Skills for effective communication aimed at people from different fields of work and backgrounds
-Skills for the design and progress reporting of SRH programs.
-Knowledge of work programs and procedures in the United Nations System desirable
Languages:
Fluency in oral and written Spanish; knowledge of other official UN languages, is desirable.
Other Desirable Skills:
Experience in the design, implementation and monitoring of Sexual and Reproductive Health programs with an emphasis on reducing maternal death and adolescent pregnancies, including intercultural approaches with indigenous populations. Extensive knowledge of the Venezuelan Public Health System. Experience in the design and implementation of capacity building programs for health personnel in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Required Competencies:
-Effective communication
-Teamwork
-Responsibility
-Creativity
-Commitment to learning
-Management skills: strategic approach, relationship with counterparts and partners, leadership, culture of empowerment of staff and delivery of results, decisions based on evidence and experience.
Values:
Integrity: ability to work honestly, openly, impartially and in accordance with the values of the United Nations
Professionalism: ability to work in a calm, competent and committed manner, aware of meeting commitments efficiently according to established times and with high-quality results.
Respect for diversity: ability to work effectively, respectfully and inclusively with people of different origins, backgrounds and perspectives.
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
