Consultancy for Sexual and Reproductive Health/Reproductive Health Commodities Security in Castries, St Lucia - UNFPA SROC

THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND

Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean invites applications from suitably qualified applicants.

Purpose of Consultancy

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund Sub-regional Office for the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean, supports 22 countries and territories and has offices in six countries: Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. The Barbados Office covers the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States [OECS] countries which include Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and St. Lucia.

UNFPA, the Partnering UN Organisation, [PUNO], in partnership with UN Women [lead Agency], is funded by Global Affairs Canada to jointly implement the multi-year Build Back Equal Project [BBE] in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and St. Lucia to further promote improved economic and social equality for women and girls, with an emphasis on economic empowerment of women and the most marginalized or vulnerable women, including survivors of all
forms of violence and elderly women, to uphold the principle of “Leaving no one behind”.

The BBE project, through a comprehensive approach, will contribute to women’s economic resilience in the Eastern Caribbean, by addressing the barriers women face to economic empowerment. Thus ensuring that women have greater access to quality subsidised childcare, reliable sexual and reproductive health services, climate and shock-responsive social protection such as gender-based violence services, access to innovative financing, digitisation and climate-smart and environmentally-friendly practices to grow
their businesses. UNFPA’s focus will be centered on enhanced quality and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health and rights [SRHR] frameworks and services for women and girls, especially for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Under the BBE project, a Technical Specialist will be engaged as an International Consultant to support the implementation of the project activities in the four identified OECS countries. S/he will be required to provide technical and strategic programmatic leadership in Sexual & Reproductive Health/Reproductive Health Commodity Security
[SRH/RHCS] to ensure that capacity building, advocacy and policy dialogue work reflects UNFPA’s mandate and programme policies as well as current thinking and academic advance in substantive areas affecting the ICPD Programme of Action. The Consultant will maintain primary responsibility for coordination of the provision of technical assistance and programmatic support to primarily Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines with a specific focus on family planning and RHCS, but also on adolescent health, comprehensive sexuality education, integrated SRH/GBV services and humanitarian preparedness and response.

Scope of work – inter alia

The SRH/RHCS Consultant will be responsible for leading RH/RHCS interventions in the four Eastern Caribbean countries as well as for providing RHCS technical support to the other countries covered by the SROC.
The Consultant will:

• Provide technical and related programme leadership, management advice and strategic support and guidance at sub-regional and national levels, in RH/RHCS, including for emergency preparedness and humanitarian assistance, in collaboration with technical and programme staff in SROC.
• Provision of technical assistance to Ministries of Health to effectively forecast, procure, distribute and track the delivery of sexual and reproductive health commodities, including:
  • Rapid assessment of infrastructure, capabilities and human resources to inform the design of a robust SCM system.
  • Development of RHCS strategies, action plan and monitoring plan in all four countries (including consultations and validation processes) and development of advocacy materials.
  • Technical assistance to support the design of an automized Logistic Management Information System in Grenada to be implemented at all levels.
  • Supply Chain Costing capacity building to protect SCM financing and guide budgeting for SCM in Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
  • Training on quantification and procurement practices- includes coaching.
  • Design robust SCM system, inventory control, and LMIS including capacity building.
  • Development & dissemination of advocacy materials on SCM in health crisis.
  • Design the health commodity supply logistic in line with the health priorities, and the national RHCS plans.
• Provide, coordinate and manage trainings on rights-based voluntary family planning with a focus on adolescents and marginalized populations with focus on LARCS (Implants and IUDs) to health care providers, including:
  • Technical support to the introduction of implants and reposition of IUDs and capacity building on rights-based voluntary family planning.
  • Procurement of implants and anatomical models for the capacity building of health providers in implants and IUD insertions and removals.
• Provide technical assistance to the Ministries of Health and CSOs on establishing rights-based, gender-focused and SRH services responsive to the needs of adolescents and youth
  • Development and implementation of the standards for quality health care services for adolescents.
  • Support ministries of health to develop mechanism for monitoring the provision of quality adolescent friendly services as per national standards.
  • Provision of integrated SRH information, services and the roll out of CSE toolkit for out-of-school youth, with particular focus on the most vulnerable persons (including adolescent girls, LGBTQ+, sex workers, hard to reach population etc.) through CSOs.
• Provide technical assistance on legislative and policy reform where the law bars or hinders access to sexual and reproductive health and rights to relevant government entities.
• Provide technical assistance to Ministries of Health on the operationalization of SRHR coordination mechanisms.
• Contribute to the regional advocacy efforts with partners for the reliable and consistent improvement of RH commodities policy environment and systems strengthening.
• Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of the national and regional strategies on RHCS.
• Maintain and foster substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in RHCS for advancing state-of-the-art knowledge.
• Represent UNFPA on programme issues upon request and elaborate UNFPA’s substantive sub-regional and global perspectives in SRH.
• Support preparation of technical briefs, reports, or situation analysis in the area of SRHR and RHCS.
• Provide technical oversight for the development of relevant advocacy, resource mobilization and policy documents to address programmatic issues for SRHR.
• Carry out any other duties as may be requested by the office of the SROC Director.

Requirements:

The ideal consultant will possess the following:
 

Education:

• Advanced university degree in medicine, pharmacy, logistics, supply chain management, health systems/economics, or other fields directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post or a first level; or
• A relevant Bachelor’s Degree [or equivalent] with two additional years qualifying experience [bachelor +7 years]

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years of work experience in increasing responsibilities at the national level in SRH ideally, in logistics systems, public sector pharmaceutical supplies management of which at least 3 years of direct international experience relating to health and logistics systems and management of family planning programmes;
• Extensive knowledge of supply management: forecasting, warehousing, distribution, transportation, logistics information systems and eLMIS;
• Significant public procurement and supply management experience related to the Health Sector (pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical medical supplies), and other funding mechanisms emphasizing donor coordination/harmonization and in challenging situation;
• Health sector-specific experience, including: experience with Public Health systems in developing countries, health commodity supply market, logistics and inventory management related to pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, based on sound supply chain management principles;
• Good understanding of health system strengthening based on the six health system building blocks.
• Demonstrable knowledge of RHCS issues in humanitarian settings, and of humanitarian emergency operations and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors;
• Experience in program management;
• Basic understanding of health economics/health financing highly desirable;
• Knowledge and understanding on quality of care, specifically client rights issues;
• Understanding of Human Rights dimensions of SRHR and gender;
• Field experience is essential
• Experience in the region is an asset

Language:
Strong verbal and written communication skills in English. Dutch language skills would be considered an asset

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
• Communicating for impact

Managerial Competencies:

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

UN Leadership Characteristics:

• Norm-based - grounded in UN norms and standards
• Principled - defends norms and standards without discrimination, fear or favour.
• Inclusive of all personnel and stakeholders
• Accountable
• Multi-dimensional
• Transformational
• Collaborative
• Self-applied - modelled in our own behavior

Submission Details

Interested Individual Consultants should submit their Application packages by Sunday, June 25, 2023 23:59 Hrs (EST) by email to vacancy.sroc@unfpa.org ONLY and register in UNFPA Consultants Roster via this link: http://consultantroster.unfpa.org.  

To apply, kindly submit application letter and CV to:

Vacancy #: 2023/SHRSP-001

United Nation Population Fund

14-20 Port Royal Street, Kingston, Jamaica

Email:  vacancy.sroc@unfpa.org

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Note:

·         There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. 

·         UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

·         UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life.