The Position:

This position acts as the UNFPA regional Principal Lead Adviser for integrated technical and programmatic support on issues pertaining to maternal and newborn health, SRHR and health systems strengthening in West and Central Africa. The Regional Adviser works in an integrated manner with the technical and programme staff in the Regional Office and Country Offices covered by the WCA region and reports directly to the Deputy Regional Director under the overall guidance and leadership of the Regional Director.

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 realize 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:

In the West and Central Africa Region, the Regional Maternal Health and Health Systems Strengthening Adviser will provide strategic technical and programmatic leadership to ensure that the UNFPA Regional Office (RO) in Dakar and Country Offices (COs) are well-equipped to provide evidence-based policy and programme advice for improving maternal and newborn health, comprehensive and health systems for accelerating progress towards UNFPA’s three transformative results, the Sustainable Development Goals and the ICPD Programme of Action.

S/He will be primarily responsible for coordinating and managing the provision of high quality technical assistance and programme support to the countries of the region in the area of maternal and newborn health and by strengthening health and health related delivery systems.

S/he will lead on undertaking analyses of continental, regional, and country level trends pertaining to maternal and newborn health and the effectiveness of the health and health related delivery systems especially at the primary and secondary health care levels and in the context of universal health coverage.

S/he will identify strategic actions, high impact practices, and will broker and leverage effective partnerships for accelerating progress towards UNFPA’s Transformative Results of improving health systems, maternal and women’s health, and by firmly placing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) within national development frameworks and programmes.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced degree in health, Medicine, Obstetric and Gynaecology and/or Public Health, or other fields directly related to maternal and newborn health, SRHR and health system strengthening.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in maternal and newborn health, SRHR and health system strengthening, of which seven years is at the international level;
• Proven experience in a lead maternal health role, or SRHR including health sector reform, health systems strengthening;
• Understanding of areas relevant to UNFPA’s mandate such as family planning, contraceptive technology, sexual and reproductive health services, reproductive and/or gender-based violence, population dynamics, gender equality, social protection systems;
• Demonstrated expertise in policy engagement within developing countries and Middle-Income Countries;
• Established global and regional professional networks related to maternal and newborn health, SRHR and health systems strengthening;
• Strong track record of producing demonstrable results;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with national counterparts, academia, civil society organizations, private sector, and development partners including with UN agencies from the H4+/H6 as well as donors;
• Country and Regional experience is required, ideally within the West and Central Africa region;

Languages:

Fluency in English is required and French is desirable to enable effective communication with English speaking and French speaking country coordination groups and local organizations (West and Central Africa region).

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.