Background

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the leading UN organization in Reproductive Health and Population and Development, is recruiting personnel for the following position in the South Sudan Country Office.

Every day, almost 800 women die from pregnancy complications. For every woman who dies, 20 or more are injured or disabled. One of the most serious injuries of childbearing is obstetric fistula, a hole in the birth canal, caused by prolonged, obstructed labour due to lack of timely and adequate medical care. As a result of prolonged, obstructed labour, in most cases, the baby is stillborn or dies within the first week of birth, and the woman suffers a devastating injury – a fistula – that leaves her incontinent. The consequences of this injury more often leave her ashamed, ostracized and marginalized. Many women and girls who suffer from fistula are excluded from daily community life and abandoned by their husbands and families, isolating them socially and emotionally, making it also difficult to maintain a source of income or support, thus deepening their poverty and magnifying their suffering.

For several years now, UNFPA CO has run fistula campaigns in collaboration with MOH and partners to support efforts to eradicate the scourge from South Sudan. So far 539 women with fistulas have been treated in eight (2006-2014) campaigns with support from external consultants. While this support for annual campaigns will continue in the foreseeable future, it imperative is fistula prevention strategies and health systems strengthening is prioritized to lay the platform for routine case management and to strengthen facility based prevention services, and eventually to serve as a training centre for that matter in the long run.

Under the overall supervision of the RHCS Specialist the Fistula Analyst will assists in the coordination, planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of obstetric fistula programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Supports establishment and functioning of a National Obstetric Fistula Task Force, with multi-sectoral membership (e.g. government, donors, civil society, private sector, UN agencies) and clear terms of reference;
  • Works with the National Obstetric Fistula Task Force to develop and implement a National Obstetric Fistula Strategy that will aim to reduce the incidence of obstetric fistula; reduce the prevalence of obstetric fistula; and facilitate reintegration and empowerment of cases into society;
  • Ensure obstetric fistula prevention and management are included in new and updates of reproductive health policies, standards, protocols and services for all levels of the health system;
  • Forges partnerships and secure documented commitment of key stakeholders (line government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs and health professionals) to prevent and eradicate obstetric fistula in South Sudan;
  • Mobilizes resources from the government, donors/ partners and other sources such as the national health insurance schemes, fundraising drives and public-private partnerships;
  • Supports development of centres of excellence for fistula, and ensure adequate supplies and equipment are available for fistula treatment in designated treatment centers;
  • Develops and implements training plan for health workers on obstetric fistula prevention, including promotion of Partograph and catheterization, treatment and psychosocial counseling and support;
  • Develops and monitors implementation of a communication plan to guide advocacy and behavior change communication (BCC) activities for obstetric fistula in the country;
  • Coordinates CO mobilization efforts for fistula campaigns, including media engagements, community sensitization, fistula ambassadors and strengthening the registration system for identification and referral for treatment;
  • Works with government and development partners to develop standards and packages for social reintegration services and implement key interventions to improve post-surgery care and economic empowerment for fistula survivors;
  • Reviews various obstetric fistula management tools and develop harmonized tools for data collection and reporting at various levels of the health system, working with MOH and partners to institutionalize fistula data collection and reporting through the routine MOH HMIS;
  • Facilitates collection of information and data on obstetric fistula and other relevant activities, analyzes for monitoring and evaluation purposes;
  • Assists in developing projects’ financial and narrative reports, and ensure timely and organized processing and filing of all fistula related documentation, including official correspondence, requests for payments, financial records, project inventory, training database, technical reports, etc;
  • Maintains regular contacts with institutions which conduct programmes on fistula and coordinates UNFPA fistula related activities with them;
  • Documents CO achievements, best practices and lessons learnt for purposes of increasing awareness/ visibility of CO fistula work and share local experiences globally;
  • Identify and advocate for recruitment foran implementing partner for fistula prevention and management including social and economical re-integration;
  • Undertakes other tasks that may be assigned by UNFPA in connection with the fulfillment of the above responsibilities.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

Values:

  • Integrity/commitment to mandate, knowledge sharing/continuous learning, valuing diversity.

Managing relationships:

  • Working in teams, communicating information and ideas, conflict and self-management.

Working with people:

  • Empowerment/developing people/performance management.

Personal leadership and effectiveness:

  • Strategic and analytical thinking;
  • Results orientation/Commitment to excellence;
  • Appropriate and transparent decision making.

Functional Competencies:

  • Advocacy/Advancing a policy oriented Agenda;
  • Result-based program development and management;
  • Innovation and marketing of new approaches;
  • Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/Building strategic alliances;
  • Resource mobilization;
  • Fostering integration and team work;
  • Creating an empowering and motivating environment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Medical doctor with Bachelor of Surgery and Medicine (MBChB);
  • Masters degree in obstetrics and gynecology or public health with a bias in Health system strengthening/management will be an added advantage;

Experience:

  • At least 2 years professional experience preferably in health system management or health services management in the public or private sector;
  • Computer skills: proficiency in current office software applications.

Languages:                                    

  • Fluency in oral and written English;
  • Arabic knowledge is an added advantage.

Additional Information:

  • Only those applicants in whom the Country Office has further interest will be responded to;
  • UNFPA offers an attractive compensation package commensurate with experience;
  • UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status;
  • UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply;

How to Apply:

  • Applicants are kindly requested to apply through the following link :  https:\\jobs.undp.org by 04 October 2015;
  • Applications received after this date will not be taken into consideration;
  • Applicants will be short-listed on the basis of their qualifications and work experience. Only the short-listed candidates will be invited for interviews.

Important:

  • There is no application processing or other fee at any stage of UNFPA application processes.