UNFPA
Job Description
Background Information
UNFPA Malawi Country Office needs substantive technical expertise and programme leadership at international level in Adolescent/Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health/Rights. The technical expertise is required to provide quality technical support to the Government of Malawi in this domain and to secure managerial excellence in UNFPA’s adolescent/youth programming. The Adolescent/Youth SRHR Specialist leads and motivates the adolescent and youth team in the development of innovative, evidence based and relevant approaches towards contributing to the implementation of the 9th Malawi Country Programme (CP) and ultimately the three transformative results of UNFPA.
As teenage pregnancy and child marriage remain a major challenge in Malawi, the 9th CPD is girl-centred and the UNFPA Malawi Country Office requires a strengthened voice in the technical discussions around Adolescent SRHR, including community-based prevention efforts, and programmatic expertise in promoting access to quality youth-friendly SRH services and information through innovative, evidence-based, and transformational approaches. An added international staff is necessary to streamline the office’s approach towards adolescents and youth in the context of SRHR, strengthen data/evidence-based approaches, ensure quality and effective interventions, leverage more strategic advocacy, and mobilize resources towards ensuring adolescent and youth programmes are funded.
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 new strategic plan (2022-2025), focuses on three transformative results:
End preventable maternal deaths
End unmet need for family planning
End gender-based violence and harmful practices.
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.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
Job Purpose:
The Adolescent/Youth SRHR Specialist will lead and coordinate UNFPA Malawi Country Office’s overall engagement in Adolescent/Youth SRHR and provide technical assurance in the management of adolescent/youth programmes including, but not limited, the ‘Action for Teen Mothers and Adolescent Girls’ Programme.
The Adolescent/Youth SRHR Specialist is part of a multidisciplinary team, which provides technical, policy, programme support and guidance to UNFPA Malawi Country Office and its counterparts in an integrated and coordinated manner.
This position will report to the Deputy Representative, and s/he will work closely with the national staff in the youth/adolescent team as well as with the SRH and GBV teams of Malawi Country Office.
Detailed Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership, Technical Advice, Policy Analysis and Advocacy:
- Under the supervision of Resident Representative and Deputy Representative, provide strategic leadership in terms of programme management, quality assurance, technical advice, advocacy, knowledge management, partnerships, and inter-agency coordination in the areas of Adolescent/Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH).
- Provide technical advice and guidance to the Programme team in order to facilitate smooth and effective implementation of the Adolescent SRH programmes, especially, but not limited, the ‘Action for Teen Mothers and Adolescent Girls’ Programme.
- Advise Resident Representative and Deputy Representative on Adolescent SRH (ASRH) and Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) related issues, approaches, innovations and strategic communications.
- Represent UNFPA on substantive issues related to ASRH and AGYW and advocate for UNFPA’s mandate and positions effectively.
Education
Qualifications and Experience
- Master’s degree in any of the following disciplines: public health, medical science, social science, sociology, gender, international relations, international development, economics, communications, management, or another related field.
Knowledge And Experience
- 7 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in international development including programme design, management and coordination; of which at least 5 years in the field of adolescent/youth sexual and reproductive health and rights, or adolescent girls and young women-cantered programming in international organizations is required;
- Demonstrated experience in international development, particularly in the areas related to the mandate of UNFPA is required;
- Demonstrated experience and expertise in providing technical assistance and leadership in the programming areas of adolescent and youth’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, including GBV and harmful practices, is required;
- Demonstrated technical leadership in gender transformative approaches and behavioral change communication approaches towards adolescent and youth is desirable;
- Previous experience in management of multi-sector, holistic and UN inter-agency girls-centered programming is an asset;
- Previous experience in knowledge management, partnership building, and resource mobilization is an asset;
- Proven ability to lead teams to achieve demonstrable and high-quality results is required;
- Field experience in developing context is essential; experience from a humanitarian context is an asset