Programme Specialist, MNH Partnerships and Advocacy; Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights Branch, Nairobi, P-3 at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Job Purpose:

• Under the overall supervision of the Maternal Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) Coordinator, the MNH Partnerships and Advocacy Specialist will help to strengthen strategic partnerships and coordination mechanisms for a range of organizations and actors working on midwifery and human resources for health, EmONC and MNH service delivery, PHC and UHC including NGOs, government partners, UN agencies and other national and international organizations.
• This specialist will also contribute to the development of communications and advocacy materials and document best practices and lessons learned in MNH, particularly related to midwifery, the EmONC network approach, service delivery redesign in the context of PHC and UHC.
• The MNH Partnership and Advocacy Specialist duties include:  building and sustaining partnerships, advocacy and communications, event and information management.

Building and Sustaining Partnerships 

• Support the establishment and coordination of a new inter-agency, multi-sectoral midwifery coordination platform linked to EPMM-EPMM 
• Support the coordination of the MHTF flagship initiative Global Midwifery Acceleration Roadmap 
• Support the organization and coordination of work plan activities for other coordination platforms to strengthen midwifery education (i.e: AIME: Alliance to Improve Midwifery Education), EmONC, and MPDSR.
• Facilitate collaboration with stakeholders and partners to strengthen midwifery services.

Communications and Advocacy

• Develop relevant MNH (Midwifery/EmONC/MPDSR) communications and advocacy materials including social media and website content, media materials and global advocacy brochures
• Support the development of briefing notes, talking points, speeches on MNH/SRHR 
• Support the coordination and planning of high-level interagency meetings, webinars, workshops and conference events on MNH.
• Support with the development of all relevant donor reports.

Technical support for EmONC and midwifery integration to ensure gender transformative human rights-based Maternal and Newborn Health  

• Support development and review of relevant technical midwifery and MNH materials for stakeholder capacity building workshops and events. 
• Provide inputs, as requested, on national and regional maternal and newborn health strategies to ensure an integrated SRHR perspective.
• Support countries with the strengthening of midwifery education globally. 
• Support development of work processes and internal coordination to ensure integration of gender transformative human rights-based MNH/SRHR and FP approaches.

Project and Information Management

• Stay abreast of the latest research and innovations in midwifery and reproductive health.
• Develop results-based donor reports that capture progress on implementation of the midwifery and EmONC programme outcomes
• Contribute to literature reviews, peer-reviewed articles and funding proposals on MNH (midwifery/EmONC/MPDSR).
• Support alignment between the MHTF and other non-core resource funded initiatives under the maternal and newborn health program
• Act as the MHTF country focal point for a discrete set of countries as assigned by the MHTF coordinator

Administrative and Miscellaneous Duties

• Perform any other duties as required by direct supervisors and the MHTF Coordinator

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• Advanced University degree in midwifery or public health.   

Knowledge and Experience: 

• 5 years of experience working in the development sector, preferably on maternal and newborn health, of which 2 are at the international level in low resource settings.
• Experience working in the multilateral system. 
• Experience leading inter-UN agency coordination mechanisms with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrable knowledge of MNH in low resource settings and roles/responsibilities of key actors in this field.
• Robust communication and advocacy skills
• Experience in report writing, literature reviews and funding proposals
• Experience in designing and developing MNH advocacy and communications products
• Experience in high level meeting/event planning and coordination

Languages: 

• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in French is an asset.

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Implementing management systems
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Client orientation
• Organizational awareness