Programme Specialist, SRH&R and Youth Adviser at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

The Position:

• As the SRH&R and Youth Adviser in Kenya Country Office (CO) you will lead in the achievement of two UNFPA transformative results in Kenya: ending of preventable maternal death and ending of unmet need for family planning. You will report directly to the Deputy Representative.

Job Purpose

• The SRH&R and Youth Adviser is taking a leadership role in the achievement of two UNFPA transformative results in Kenya: ending of preventable maternal death and ending of unmet need for family planning. S/he acting as a SRH Team Leader and leading Country Office’s “big thinking and focus” approach in SRH&R and Youth areas and advising the innovative approaches on the integration of SRH/ with other programme areas by applying evidenced based and innovative strategic approaches.

The primary roles of the SRH&R and youth Adviser are:

• Policy Dialogue and Advocacy in both national and sub-national level particular addressing inequalities.
• Evidence and knowledge management and innovations.
• Strengthening of Country Office’s strategic partnerships
• Develop areas for Resource mobilization and engage with potential donors and financing stakeholders and provide leadership in the Country Office in engaging with innovative financing mechanisms.
• Quality assurance of technical support and capacity development.
• Managing his/her team effectively

You Would Be Responsible For

• Policy Dialogue and Advocacy in both national and sub-national level particular addressing inequalities.
• Identify and provide evidence- based advice, in the substantive area, on UNFPA’s role and priorities in SRH&R and youth and specific contribution in translating the global priorities of UNFPA in the country context considering the changing development agenda, and participate in policy dialogue;
• Identify and analyze country trends, threats and risks in the area of SRH&R that may affect the ICPD agenda and UNFPA’s work within the country;
• Take lead on the development of policy advocacy plan on SRH&R and youth in order to ensure that trends, threats and risks are appropriately addressed at the country and/or county levels; Scan, analyze and apply political environment changing to the programming; Consequently, to use this knowledge and evidence for the establishment of enabling policy/governance and legislative environment for domestic financing to Sexual and Reproductive Health programme in line with Government’s commitments;
• Provide advice on the rationalization of procurement channels for FP commodities; Lead the development of policy briefs and infographics for the policy advocacy and policy dialogue as well as “communication for the resources”;
• Support in the strengthening of the capacity of existed accountability platforms to link policy adoption with the policy implementation in order to address the existed inequalities; Enhance the leadership of the visibility in strategic forums determining Universal Health Coverage benefits package.

Evidence and knowledge management and innovations.

• In consultation with implementing partners, strategic partners, H6 partners and other development partners identify the demand for and contribute to the development of frameworks, guidance, standards, instruments, and tools on SRH&R by applying innovative approaches:
• Ensure the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging, SRH&R and youth issues, by the programme team through the analysis of programme strategies, approaches and on-going experience for lessons learned, good practices, and uses this knowledge for information sharing and planning future strategies.
• Collect, analyze, and synthesize information/data and experience on good practices and programme priorities to be used in national and county levels’ advocacy.
• Coordinate and lead on establishing and maintaining the knowledge platform in SRH&R as a mechanism to share technical skills and knowledge among national counterparts; Prepare white papers, briefing and materials for evidence-based policy dialogues national and county levels.
• Disseminate and promote the use of state-of-the-art technical knowledge, evidence, lessons learned, and success stories and ensure their use to improve the effectiveness of UNFPA operations.
• Participate in the UNFPA technical network in the substantive area, maintaining communication and feedback loops on all substantive work.
• Contribute to effective implementation of the Country Programme by leading SRH&R and youth components as well as by providing substantive inputs to programme M&E and reporting
• Work in consultation with Country Office colleagues as well as national and international strategic partners to develop innovative approaches and take a leadership in the rolling out approaches that enhances youth involvement and participation.

Strengthening of Country Office’s strategic partnerships

• Participate and contribute technical/programme inputs in UN and other inter-agency as well as national forums around SHR&R and youth to maintain collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, civil society, private sector, bilateral as well as multi-lateral development partners, etc. Serve as UNFPA focal person in the relevant forums.
• Initiate, develop, strengthen, and monitor substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in the SRH&R, including for South-South technical cooperation with other countries for the implementation of the country programme; For this Liaise with respective counterparts in RO, TD and PD to identify opportunities for South-South cooperation in the region and with other regions.
• Actively participate in technical working groups in the UNSDCF Strategic Result Area and national mechanism such as the Maternal and Newborn TWG to advance UNFPA’s mandate. Lead the development of donor profiles and participate in related donor/ development partners’ meetings and public information events.
• Under the auspices of the RCO participate and/or lead lead development of Joint UN Programmes.
• Advocate for ICPD agenda with national institutions and other UN agencies represented at the national level.
• Promote South-South cooperation for the achievement of ICPD goals.
• Pursue innovative ways to maintain and create new partnerships.
• Maintain a continuous flow of information with government and donors.
• Under guidance of the Office Management, coordinate with CO Thematic leads to draft concepts and proposals for resource mobilization for the 10th Country programme.
• Advocate for organizational goals in sexual and reproductive health with national counterparts and within the United Nations system as part of coordinated development activities demonstrating empathy with national perspectives and the capacity to align organizational goals with national priorities.
• Participate in the UN Common Country Assessment and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) exercises in the country as part of broader UN Reform initiatives.

Quality assurance of technical support and capacity development

• Coordinate and provide technical assistance on SRH&R and Youth to national counterparts according to verified requests for technical support.
• Identify sources of technical knowledge in SRH&R and Youth among institutions and consultants in country as well as regionally and globally.
• Support the development of national institutional capacities for delivering high-quality technical support in SRH&R and Youth programmes.
• Provide technical and related programme leadership, advice and strategic support and guidance to the country, in the area of SRH&R and Youth, including for emergency preparedness, humanitarian assistance and resilience building in collaboration with programme staff in the Country Office and the Regional Office;
• Contribute to implementation of an integrated strategy for the delivery of technical assistance and programme support in the country.
• Advise and support the operationalization and implementation of UNFPA policies, strategies, guidelines and tools on SRH&R and Youth in the country, ensuring consistency and coherence in addressing priorities for UNFPA;
• Analyze technical and programmatic and substantive reports and recommend required follow up actions including technical support.
• Organize or contribute to the training activities in SRH&R and Youth for capacity development of national counterparts, particularly at county level;
• Facilitate the development / adaptation / of training materials, manuals and tools for the country needs in the substantive area and ensure their availability and promote their use for capacity development; In this to use the innovative and cost-efficient approaches such adaptation of already existed e-learning courses to Kenya context;
• Monitor the quality of the technical support received at the country level, in the area of expertise, for effective policy dialogue and programming;
• Organize round table meeting devoted in the rolling out of innovations on health system strengthening where SRH&R and Youth issues are integrated with the following implementation of agreed action points.

People Management & Leadership

• Supervises professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams.
• Proactively ensures that SRH and related programmes and projects remain aligned with the broader aims of the CO and Country Programme.
• Exchanges relevant information and maintains an open line of communication with colleagues and his/her supervisor to ensure that synergies across programming activities
• are obtained. Coaches and supervises national professional and support staff; responsible for staff performance and advises on development needs.
• Manage his/her team effectively and carry out any other duties assigned by the Representative and Deputy Representative

Education
Qualifications and Experience:

• Post-graduate master’s degree in public health, development, sociology, medical science and/or other relevant social science field.

Knowledge And Experience

• Minimum of ten years with increasing professional experience and responsibilities, at national level in the field of sexual and reproductive and maternal health and/or related Youth Programming
• Conversant with national frameworks and policies on SRH, Youth, HIV and other related issues and their linkages with the changing global environment and how this affects the context of Kenya.
• Strong track record of technical leadership, including in planning and evaluation, and proven ability to demonstrate results.
• Proven experience in application and mobilization of innovative programme financing approaches
• Experience working with health systems in government institutions, NGOs and/or donor institutions.
• Good knowledge of the programme development mechanism of the United Nations country programmes and familiarity with UNFPA programmes and policies.
• Demonstration of programme management skills.
• Proven results in resource mobilization efforts,
• Field experience is a strong asset.

Language

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Kiswahili is desirable.

Values
Required Competencies:

• 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

• Providing strategic focus
• Engaging internal/external partners
• Leading, developing, and empowering people/ creating a culture of performance.
• Making decisions and exercising judgment

Functional Skill Set

• Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agenda.
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Delivering results-based programme
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization
• Strategically positioning UNFPA programmes
• Providing conceptual innovation to support programme effectiveness.
• Providing a technical support system
• Strengthening the capacity of country offices
• Facilitating quality programme results
• Resource mobilization coordination