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Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) Senior Specialist, Multiple positions

Remote | Home Based - May require travel

  • Organization: UNOPS - United Nations Office for Project Services
  • Location: Remote | Home Based - May require travel
  • Grade: Mid level - IICA-3, International Individual Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
    • Environment
    • Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background information- ECR

Based in Geneva, the Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECR) supports UNOPS offices throughout the region through: management, financial and programmatic oversight of global and country-specific portfolios, clusters and operations centres, including hosting services; fund and management advisory services; project implementation; procuring goods and services; and managing human resources.

ECR ensures that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between business units and projects across the entire region.

 

Background Information - Job-specific

RBM Partnership to End Malaria

The past twenty years have seen tremendous gains in reducing the burden of disease and progressing towards malaria elimination. Since 2000, global malaria deaths have been cut by more than half, saving over 10  million lives, primarily among children less than five years of age. Expansions in financing, strong political commitments, novel diagnostic and preventative measures, and multi-sectoral coordination have facilitated this progress. Since 1998, RBM Partnership to End Malaria has been central to the global fight against malaria. It has been essential to mobilizing resources and scaling up innovative interventions, putting the world onto a path towards eliminating malaria. The Partnership comprises more than 500 partners committed to end malaria, including malaria endemic countries, their bilateral and multilateral development partners, the private sector, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions.

The RBM Partnership's Vision is of a world free from the burden of malaria. The work of the RBM Partnership is guided by the 2021-2025 RBM Partnership Strategic Plan.

The RBM Partnership is based in Geneva and hosted by UNOPS.

The Country/Regional Support Partner Committee (CRSPC) provides a platform to engage the RBM Partnership community in coordinating support to countries and regions as they execute their malaria control and elimination implementation programmes and the health systems that support them. Support is tailored to suit the requirements and existing capacity in each country and region.

The Senior Specialist shall work for the RBM Country/Regional Support Partner Committee (CRSPC) to provide technical support on health systems-related issues to national malaria control programmes and/or relevant programmes to optimize the quality and effectiveness of country and regional programming of malaria and primary health care more broadly including developing plans, conducting reviews, providing ongoing support in programme implementation, addressing bottlenecks, resource mobilization and advocacy.

As malaria is often the main reason for seeking care in many countries, it is imperative that the primary health care system is strong, affordable and can provide quality preventive and curative care for all acute febrile diseases as well as broader services required for maternal and child health. In addition, vertical aspects of malaria programming – such as ITN, IRS and SMC campaigns – rely on the underpinning administrative, regulatory and logistic systems. Integrated programs at facility and community level, when appropriate, can also improve cost-effectiveness but, more importantly, provide a more holistic, people-centered package. As such, malaria programmes are increasingly requesting support to address key systems issues impacting their interventions and strategy.

Functional Responsibilities

The RSSH Senior Specialist shall work for the RBM CRSPC to facilitate and support countries with issues related to implementation of their national malaria programmes. The countries to be supported present highly complex technical, epidemiological and political contexts for implementation of malaria control and elimination embedded in an equally complex health system.  These scenarios significantly enhance the complexity of malaria program implementation and require senior and experienced consultants, able to command the respect of senior government officials and partners. In addition, the consultants will need to work across programmes and departments and foster collaboration to address shared goals. The implementation support from the RSSH senior specialist will address core issues causing bottlenecks for implementation and/or issues where additional capacity and expertise is needed and cannot be found among in-country partners.

The Senior Specialist is expected to have a clear understanding of WHO policies and guidelines on the specific intervention area as well as an in-depth knowledge of the technical aspects of malaria prevention and control in endemic countries and the relevant health systems components that are required for success. The assignment also requires highly developed negotiation skills and a proven track record in achieving consensus across multiple stakeholders. The Senior Specialist will be expected to visit the country as necessary during the support period. 

The Senior Specialist is required to have expertise in at least one of the intervention areas listed below in order to provide the targeted support a country requires. In addition, experience in contextualizing these health system pillars within or complementing a malaria program is required.

  • Health product management, supply chain and systems strengthening

  • Health management information systems and monitoring and evaluation – including digitization

  • Human resources for health, including community health workers (performance management, quality improvement, capacity building, integrated supervision, effective referral system)

  • Integrated service delivery and quality of care (ex. RMNCAH: malaria prevention in pregnancy – IPTp and ITNs, diagnosis and treatment) 

  • Financial management systems and health financing (ex. user fees)

  • Health sector governance and planning

  • Community systems strengthening to support community responses

  • Laboratory systems

  • Private sector engagement

  • Emergency/Pandemic preparedness and response (prevention, detection and response)

Assignments should include (but are not limited to) the following and will be for a particular intervention area or across interventions:

  • Develop the RSSH components of a Global Fund funding request within the context of malaria (whether RSSH funding is within a malaria funding request, a standalone or is part of another Global Fund disease grant)

  • Carry out a comprehensive review of country programme documentation (Strategic Plan; operational plan, work plans; gap analysis, etc.) for a particular intervention area, as well as a sub-intervention area (for example, costing for integrating a community health workforce);

  • Coordinate the analysis of underlying causes of implementation underperformance, and identify strategies and interventions to address these bottlenecks; 

  • Develop detailed strategies, operational and financing plans, as well as risk assessment and mitigation plans for the specific intervention or sub-intervention areas;  

  • Develop training, supervision, monitoring, evaluation and activity protocols for assessing key bottlenecks and questions, including timelines and indicators for finalization and monitoring of implementation; 

  • Review existing support and conduct partnership mapping of current activities, resources and anticipated changes; 

  • Review cost and efficiencies of programs

  • Lead the fieldwork and analysis to develop an investment case 

  • Lead and/or support on review and validation of the comprehensive programmatic and/or financial gap analysis for a particular intervention area;

  • Lead high-level discussions with senior management, partner representatives and other key stakeholders to broker consensus on any of the above intervention areas; 

  • Undertake a technical review of chosen strategies and interventions to ensure that they are technically sound and in line with WHO normative guidance, feasible to implement and will achieve sufficient impact based on the health system and malaria epidemiology of the country / area

Key Deliverables:

  • To be determined based on the specific assignment, possible examples:

  • RSSH components of a Global Fund funding request within the context of malaria

  • Updated operational plan (ex. RMNCH strategy including malaria in pregnancy, integrated support supervision planning and tools, digitization plan for community based interventions, resource mobilization strategy)

  • Draft protocol (ex. assessment of barriers to accessing primary care (including malaria) services, systems readiness to deploy pre-referral treatment for malaria) 

  • Final report to CRSPC Manager analyzing support provided including recommendations for improving future support to countries. 

  • Write and submit a report to the RBM CRSPC outlining in detail the support provided including suggesting lessons for future support

Competencies

Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organization. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organization.(for levels IICA-2, IICA-3, LICA Specialist- 10, LICA Specialist-11, NOC, NOD, P3, P4 and above)
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education 
  • Advanced university (master’s) degree preferably in public health or social science or related field. 
  • A Bachelor’s degree with two additional years of relevant experience may be acceptable in lieu of the advanced degree.

b. Work Experience 

Essential:  

  • At least 7 years of relevant,  experience in health sector preferably in malaria in developing countries, in development or implementation or management or related, within at least one of the following intervention areas:
    • Health product management, supply chain and systems strengthening

    • Health management information systems and monitoring and evaluation – including digitization

    • Human resources for health, including community health workers

    • Integrated service delivery and quality of care

    • Financial management systems

    • Health sector governance and planning

    • Community systems strengthening to support community responses

    • Laboratory systems

    • Private sector engagement

    • Pandemic preparedness and response

  • A demonstrated understanding of Global Fund funding application processes and modalities
Desirable:

Documented experience at national and international levels and working with multiple stakeholders.

c. Language

  • Fluency in English or French is required.
  • Portuguese or Arabic fluency highly advantageous
  • Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA), Retainer

Contract level: International ICA 3 / ICS-11

Contract duration: Initially 12 months, renewable, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.



For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx 

Additional Considerations

  • 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.
  • UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
  • Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
  • For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
  • For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
  • 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.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.


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