Harm Reduction & Prison Health Analyst

UNOPS Myanmar

Myanmar is one of UNOPS leading offices in Asia, acting as fund manager for three of the largest development programmes in the country, namely the Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG), the Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) and the Joint Peace Fund (JPF). Also, UNOPS Myanmar is Principal Recipient for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Myanmar and Cambodia, and for the Global Fund¹s Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative targeting drug-resistant malaria in the Greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure and project management services to a wide range of organisations in the country, including the Government of Myanmar, international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs and INGOs. UNOPS Myanmar plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Job Specific

The 3MDG Fund was launched in 2012 and is set to continue until the end of 2018. By pooling over $283 million through the contributions of seven bilateral donors – Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – 3MDG promotes the efficient use of development funds.  3MDG accelerates progress towards the health Millennium Development Goals and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in Myanmar. In close partnership with the Government of Myanmar and others, it strengthens the national health system at all levels, helping poor and vulnerable people access quality health services.

A new structure for the 3MDG Fund

In 2016 the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS), in consultation with Health Partners, developed the 2017-2022 Myanmar National Health Plan (NHP) – a roadmap for the country’s response to health challenges in the next five years. 

The 3MDG Fund, now extended until the end of 2018, aims at supporting the NHP and fully aligning with its approach. This entails:

-        Focusing efforts on the delivery of an Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) to all populations in Myanmar;

-        Focusing on equity and on access to Health for the most underserved populations (remote and conflict areas, marginalized populations)

-        Ensuring that all interventions – including through support to service-delivery – contribute to capacity building and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS).

As part of this transformation, the Fund Management Office (FMO) is being reorganized, moving away from a vertical structure by components[1] and towards an organigram in which a Strategy Department provides cross-cutting support (Health, HSS, Civil Society, Conflict Sensitivity) while a Programmes Department manages grants and interventions in selected geographies.

In 2018, 3MDG will continue to contribute to key National Strategic Plan targets for HIV Prevention; of which 3MDG has contributed more than 50 % of the national Harm Reduction target to reach people who inject drugs and almost 50 % of the distributed quantity of safe injecting equipment. A conservative estimate of 48% of all people held in closed settings – in prisons and labour camps – are there as a result of mandatory long sentences for drug-related offences. The link between Harm Reduction and Prison Health was identified as a public health priority out of the Fund’s ongoing work to provide care for vulnerable and marginalized populations suffering from Tuberculosis, HIV and other communicable diseases. Prison health has been expanded to include improved health facilities and broader and comprehensive health services in recognition of the need to improve the health system for both prisoners and prison staff in closed settings, and to upgrade the range and quality of health services offered to prisoners and prison staff.

The Strategy Department is organized by technical and program areas of expertise. Under the supervision of the Strategy Director, the Harm Reduction & Prisons Health Specialist is responsible for oversight of 3MDG-financed interventions in Prison Health and Harm Reduction in Myanmar, the latter of which refers to the policies, programs and practices aiming to reduce the harms associated with illicit drug use.  

To support the abovementioned objectives, the Harm Reduction and Prison Health Specialist will fulfil the following:

• Technical and program guidance on Harm Reduction, including prevention of HIV and TB, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C co-infection

-        Provide technical guidance to assist implementing partners and national authorities including the Ministry of Health and Sports and the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop appropriate policies, strategies and effective organization and operation of a comprehensive package of services using evidence-based international good practice including the Harm Reduction framework of policies, programs and practices to address the prevention, treatment and care - in an integrated approach - to HIV and drug dependence in both community and closed settings.

-        Support the development and adaptation of norms and standards suitable to the local context in the areas of illicit drug-related HIV and other STIs, Hepatitis C and TB, drug dependence and support the development of operational linkages between each of these disciplines and their respective national scale-up.

-        Support the dissemination of evidence-based strategies and models for illicit drug-related HIV and other STIs, Hepatitis C and TB, and drug dependence health service delivery and the integration of approaches wherever feasible of such services to minimize transaction costs as part of health sector strengthening.

-        Provide technical support to advocate for working with People Who Use and Inject Drugs as a most vulnerable and at-risk population and their inclusion in health service planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and mobilize related partnerships and resources.

-        Prvide technical guidance to assist in developing local capacity to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs and provide technical support to build sustainable institutional capacity to scale-up the services that form an integral part of the National Strategic and Operational Plans for HIV and AIDS, including the achievement of national HIV and Harm Reduction targets.

-        Support the sharing of lessons learnt nationally.

• Technical and program guidance on health facilities and services for people detained and working in closed settings – including prisons and labour camps

-       Assist implementing partners and national authorities including the Ministry of Health and Sports and the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen health facilities and prevention, health promotion, treatment and care services for people detained and working in closed settings – prisons and labour camps; and treatment continuity between the community and such closed settings.

-       Provide support to mechanisms including joint planning meetings and the Infrastructure Project Board supporting effective communication and coordination by the Ministries of Health and Sports, and Home Affairs on health in closed settings – prisons and labour camps.

-       Support effective and timely coordination between UNOPS Infrastructure Unit and the Ministries of Health and Sports, and Home Affairs on prison health infrastructure improvement and construction.

-       Provide technical information to support the development and application of Standard Operating Procedures for effective delivery of health services in closed settings including prisons and labour camps and between the community and closed settings.

-       Provide technical support to advocate for an increase in the number of health professions such as doctors, nurses and health assistants delivering health services in closed settings.

• Portfolio improvement

-        Work closely with the programme team to promote an efficient, integrated portfolio which delivers prison health and harm reduction services in the most cost-effective way to vulnerable and marginalized populations.

-        Work closely with Health Systems Strengthening, Community Engagement and Conflict Sensitivity initiatives to ensure grants contribute to the strengthening of Myanmar’s health system and meaningful community engagement.

-        Propose any initiative that may be necessary to adjust grants and portfolios and ensure they are in compliance with the Fund’s policy and strategies.

• Knowledge Management

-        Report any issue impacting the 3MDG’s interventions in Myanmar relevant to the 3MDG

-        Assist in promoting information sharing on all aspects related to Harm Reduction and prison health in Myanmar

-        Stay abreast of policy interventions that aim to address the substantial legal barriers that limit the effective conduct of HIV prevention activities

-        Work closely with Communications for external and internal communication of health related information on the 3MDG Fund

• Perform any other duties as may be requested by the Fund Director and Strategy Director

1. Education

• Master’s degree in a relevant field (management, health, or other) is required; or
• Additional 2 years of similar experience with Bachelor’s Degree is considered as equivalent.

1. Work Experience

• Two years of relevant experience in the management of health or development programmes is required
• Ability to work with minimal supervision in a complex environment is required
• Strong communication skills, and ability to establish good working relations with colleagues and stakeholders in a sensitive environment
• Good writing and analytical skills

1. Languages

• Fluency in both written and spoken English and Myanmar is required.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

This is a Local Internal Position and Only Myanmar Nationals Working Currently in UNOPS are Eligible to Apply.
UNOPS may consider allowing current holders of FTA contracts who are successful to keep their FTA contracts.

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