Job description
Programme Specialist, Health Systems
Job Description
National Professional Officers (NPOs) must be citizens of the country where the office is located.
The Position:
The Programme Specialist, Health Systems is located in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Office (CO) and reports to the Representative, Bosnia and Herzegovina and receives functional technical guidance from EECARO Regional Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Advisor. The Programme Specialist, Health Systems provides technical expertise, manages project components, and supports policy implementation in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and health system strengthening (HSS) ensuring linkages with other UNFPA programmes in the areas of gender, youth and population dynamics. S/he is a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Office management team and works as part of a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring coherence and efficiency in programming at the country level. S/he also provides ad-hoc technical assistance to other country offices in the Western Balkans in line with the cluster approach.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results
Job Purpose:
The Programme Specialist, Health Systems provides high quality technical assistance and ensures the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, reproductive cancer prevention, health sector response to gender based violence, adolescent and youth health, and universal health coverage and health equity. S/he facilitates evidence generation, project formulation, monitoring, and evaluation, and joint programming initiatives, contributes to the development of health-related advocacy and behavior change communication initiatives and provides technical assistance to partners across Bosnia andHerzegovina.
You would be responsible for:
- Contribute to effective design and implementation of the country programme by
coordinating health-related components and related annual workplans and budgets,
as well as by providing substantive inputs to programme M&E and reporting
- Review the political, social and economic environment relevant to health system
strengthening and sexual and reproductive health and rights and pursue opportunities
for UNFPA assistance and intervention. Assess implications of new policy
developments and strategies on programme execution and ensure appropriate
implementation.
- Manages project implementation, establishing collaborative partnerships with
executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies to
facilitate timely and efficient delivery of project inputs, and address training needs of
project personnel.
- Ensure the creation and documentation of knowledge about current and emerging
health-related issues synthesizing information/data and preparing white papers,
briefing notes and materials to support evidence-based policy dialogue, programme
design, and advocacy
- Contribute to resource mobilization and partnership development efforts of the
Country Office by ensuring preparation of relevant analysis and documentation,, and
participating in related donor meetings and public information events.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
- Advanced degree in Public Health and/or Medicine, or other field directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Five years of increasing responsible professional experience in the substantive area, with experience in programme/ project management
- Proven experience in health systems and health sector review and reform, and SRHR, essential
- Proven track record of resource mobilization for health-related programmes essential
- Basic understanding of health economics/health financing highly desirable
- Track record of providing technical assistance, and proven ability to produce demonstrable results
- Demonstrated ability to build effective partnership government counterparts and within the academic and development community
- Experience in the Western Balkans region is desirable.
Languages:
- Fluency in English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian is required.
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,
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.