Adolescent Reproductive Health Expert

Vacancy Number: VA/FPA/015/2002

Closing Date: 30 June 2002

I. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Within the context of UNFPA’s efforts aimed at alleviating poverty and improving people’s lives, and under the overall policy and operational direction of the CST Director, the incumbent will contribute to enhancing national capacity to mobilize and obtain social and political support for national policies in the field of adolescent reproductive health, as well as to building regional capacity to supply technical support in this area. She/he will specifically:

1. Identifies needs and develops national capacity to design and manage adolescent reproductive health programmes as well as to building regional capacity to supply technical consultancy services in ARH. These tasks will involve design and facilitation of formal training and conducting informal on-the-job training in programme management and communication skill/peer education. Similarly they will require identification and mobilization of potential national/regional individual and institutional partners in extending and improving adolescent reproductive health programmes.

2. Identifies, compiles and ensure increased availability and use at the country level of technical information to improve the effectiveness and quality of national adolescent reproductive health programmes with particular emphasis on the education/communication and service aspects (peer counseling). Promotes the collection, analysis and use of basic ARH information and knowledge sharing through a network of intercountry exchange of such information and expertise within the sub-region.

3. Imparts/trains national counterparts on peer education skill and peer counseling. Supports development of a regional network of trainers. Special focus will be put on addressing sexual health, STI and HIV-AIDS transmission as well as gender issues in a holistic lifeskill approach.

4. Identifies, compiles and disseminates demonstrative experiences and lessons learned on ARH from collaboration with the countries. Identifies best practices from other regions/initiatives and in turn adapts and disseminates them to the countries of the region.

5. Conducts situation analyses of ARH problems and responses to them at the request of CO. Provides technical assistance to countries in design, implementation and evaluation of ARH programmes with an emphasis on results based management (RBM). Identifies and advises on the development of ARH indicators, and systems, including those relating to ICPD and ICPD+5 and MDG.

6. Leads the integration of ARH analysis and strategy formulation into regional strategy development at the request of the Geographical Division and in concert with TSD and other units and at key stages of the UNFPA country programme cycle as well as in such United Nations system-wide processes as the CCA and UNDAF at the request of the Country Office. Assists Country Office in ensuring the integration of ARH into SWAPs, health sector reforms, PRSPs and similar exercises.

7. Designs, and advises on conduct and analysis of country/regional behavioural and KAP studies to determine the needs and attitudes of youth and/or to assess the quality of ARH services.

8. Leads the incorporation of ARH into the work of other CST members to promote integrated approaches and draw from the work of policy development, gender and the socio-cultural research specialist to support ARH programming.

II. QUALIFICATIONS

Expected to have broad expertise of all aspects of organization and management of ARH services including situation analysis, planning, monitoring and evaluation, STDs including HIV/AIDs among adolescents. Possesses analytical capabilities and training skills in Peer Education.

Level and field of study of university or equivalent education and training

- Degree in communication/education

- Advanced studies equivalent to an MPH.

- Advanced courses in adolescent psychology, education, and/or reproductive health as related to adolescents.

Length and type of practical experience required to perform assigned work.

At national level: At least ten years of increasing responsibility in RH programmes including ARH

At international level: At least five years experience, preferably in the region or Africa, in advising other countries on design and implementation of ARH programmes

Language requirements:

Excellent knowledge of Arabic and English. Working knowledge of French is desirable.

Substantive subject areas or fields of work involved in the performance of the duties and the type of specialized knowledge:

- Long and proven experience in working in the field of preventive education or population and RH-related projects and programmes. Work experience in developing countries in the field of UNFPA competence would be an advantage.

- Broad understanding of population and development issues and behavior change communication.

- Long experience in curriculum development and conducting RH/IEC training and capacity building.

- Programme and project conceptualization, proposal and report writing skills.

- Knowledge of basic software applications used for word processing and presentations as well as Internet applications. Extensive knowledge of all aspects of organization and management of ARH services including situation analysis, planning, monitoring and evaluation, STDs including HIV/AIDS among adolescents, logistics. Strong analytic capabilities. Training skills in Peer Education.

- Knowledge of gender programming, socio cultural research as they relate to ARH

- Familiarity with UN social development programmes and working methods, and particularly with UNFPA policies and programming procedures, desirable

- General knowledge and understanding of population issues.

- Courtesy, tact, and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with CST and UNFPA colleagues, senior government and NGO officials, UN staff, and others of different nationalities and cultures.

- Ability to function effectively in a team and dedication to multidisciplinary collaboration

- Articulate speaker with good writing skills.

- Willingness to travel outside duty station up to five months per year.

Other requirements

- Courtesy, tact, and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with CST and UNFPA colleagues, senior government and NGO officials, UN staff, and others of different nationalities and cultures

- Ability to function effectively in a team and dedication to multidisciplinary collaboration

- Articulate speaker with good writing skills