Project Manager

Details

Mission and objectives

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.

Context

This UNV assignment is part of the USAID Partnering for Resilience Program to be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with four UN sub-partner agencies: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). This project aims to foster the peacebuilding and peaceful solutions with an ultimate goal to promote an enabling environment for sustainable peace. It will contribute to achieving the intended goals of strategic and conceptual documents of the UN system and sustainable development agenda, which among others include improving access to quality healthcare and education services; and sustaining professional networks and partnerships across dividing lines. After 25 years, the conflict remains unresolved, slowing down the region's development and jeopardizing access to essential social services. The combined effects of physical destruction, hostilities, and isolation have particularly affected the quality of services, including essential healthcare services. The existing fragmented public health services in Abkhazia, Georgia are insufficient to meet the population’s most basic needs. Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) is of particular concern! A limited capacity of health professionals, inadequate medical supplies and equipment, and ineffective medical referral systems contribute to maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. Care of high-risk pregnancies and sick babies, including preterm babies, remains an underdeveloped sector, with most cases requiring care at tertiary hospitals in Tbilisi administered Territories (TaT) or neighboring Russia. Since 2008, through its strategic Implantation Partner (IT) Tbilisi-based CSO Union Tanadgoma (UT), UNFPA/Georgia has been supporting provision of basic SRH (including the cervical cancer screening & Antenatal Care) services in Abkhazia, Georgia; that would otherwise remain uncovered for the local conflict-affected population neither by local healthcare system, nor by international aid. Building on the success and lessons learned from previous and current interventions, within the overall project framework, UNFPA, together with UN sub-partners and local partners will facilitate improved conditions for cross-boundary cooperation, and will contribute to improving access to quality SRH services by engaging with SRH professionals (doctors and nurses) and women of reproductive age. The activities will focus on awareness raising of beneficiaries, knowledge building of professionals, and facilitating service delivery. The health referral system will be strengthened and promoted by providing equipment and training and introducing protocols inspired by international standards. In seeking to improve interaction across the conflict divide, priority will be given to facilitation of professional/knowledge exchanges, and training, both in-person and virtual; as well as scaling-up professional relationships among SRH professionals, centered on discussing and solving concrete SRH-related problems. This should enable the replicating successful practices from one context to another and, in the process, help build trust across the dividing line.

Task description

By this assignment, UNFPA plans to establish its project presence in Sukhumi, Abkhazia, Georgia by deploying one UN Volunteer overseeing/managing the implementation of the UNFPA component of the project. In addition, there will be an IP arrangement with UT. UNFPA CO in Tbilisi will provide technical guidance from SRH Programme Analyst & Social Policy Officer, and administrative support from Admin/Fin & Programme Associates. Under the supervision of UNFPA Georgia Head of Office or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer will assume the project management functions, with particular focus on day-to-day coordination of the program activities and maintaining a channel for information exchange between the UNFPA and other sub-partners at the project staff level in Abkhazia, Georgia. Specific duties for this assignment: • Day-to-day management of the implementation of project activities, in synergy and complementarily with UNDP and other sub-partners, and in line with the approved joint AWP. • Provide specific technical expertise, support and advice as regards the implementation of the project activities implemented by UNFPA; as well as, analysis of the situation and partnership building. • Identify challenges, constraints and changes encountered during the project’s implementation and define variances/mitigation measures, in close conjunction with UNFPA SRH Programme Analyst and Union Tanadgoma leadership. • Cultivate, strengthen, and manage relationships with key stakeholders in Abkhazia, Georgia, and be the key point of contact for UNDP and other sub-partners in Sukhumi together and in tight coordination with the Union Tanadgoma representative(s). • Contribute to monitoring implementation of activities under the UNFPA execution, including travels. • Be responsible for ensuring the UNFPA executed activities not only delivers its objectives but that it meets the highest standards of quality assurance and compliance including risk. • Draft situation/progress papers/reports for submission to the UNDP (project lead). • Perform other duties and responsibilities as required. Expert level UNV with relevant qualifications for managerial function is foreseen for this position. He/She will be contracted and supervised by the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, and will fulfill duties and responsibilities under direct supervision of the UNFPA Georgia Head of Office; and overall technical guidance from the SRH Programme Analyst. The contract with the UNV will be for 12 months with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance.