Programme Specialist, Health Financing; Quality Programming Branch, Programme Division, Nairobi, P-4 (215457)

Note: All recommended candidates who are not selected for this position, will be rostered for future similar vacancies.

The Position:

The Programme Specialist, Health Financing, works under the overall direction and leadership of the Programme Adviser, Financing for Development, in the Quality Programming Branch of the Programme Division. The Programme Specialist, Health Financing, provides support to the Adviser for the advancement of the knowledge agenda in the areas of in-country, health sector financing, health system strengthening, and country programming support.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025) reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA. It focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths, end unmet need for family planning, and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments to accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations, and individuals to “build forward better” while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains, and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results. We need staff who are transparent and exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The key activities of the post include:

• Technical Guidance and Support for delivering the UNFPA’s Financing for Development Strategy.
• To collaborate in UNFPA’s strategic planning and result framework design and implementation to track advances towards the F4ICPD strategy and Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
• Identify priority areas in Health Financing, work with the Programme Adviser in developing the UNFPA strategic position, and recommend related policies, strategic frameworks, and operational strategies for strengthening the overall health system.
• To collaborate with the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Branch (SRHRB), The Strategic Investment Facility (SIF), the Innovation Unit, The Financing and Multilateral Partnership team at RMB/DCS, as well as other members of UNFPA, to foster Innovative Financing for Development.
• Support policy dialogue and reform around PFM systems and processes to improve investments in neglected areas across SRHR.
• Coordinate sustainable financing efforts across UNFPA thematic Trust Funds, including the UNFPA Supplies Partnership and the Maternal Health Trust Fund. This includes the coordination and implementation of the co-financing model and the Sustainable Financing Toolkit.
• Develop, present, discuss, and validate substantive technical policies, standards, guidance and tools, concept notes, and proposals to enhance financing sustainability at the country level.
• Provide guidance on how fiscal policies and budgets can effectively improve equity in social services delivery across SRHR.

Knowledge management, networking, and collaboration between and across countries

• Under the supervision of the Financing for Development Advisor, work closely with regional advisors and health economists to scan the health policy environment and maintain feedback loops on technical issues with Global, Regional and National technical staff to identify substantive gaps and needs for promoting the shift from funding to funding and financing. 
• Produce documents, reports, and presentations as evidence supporting the UNFPA's transformative results.
• Provide specialized technical expertise and capacity development to regional and country teams and other partners in the reform of Public Financial Management (PFM) systems related to the UNFPA three transformative results.
• Facilitate learning and networking between and across countries on health sector financing. 
• To adapt, develop, test and disseminate tools for tracking public expenditures linked to the UNFPA’s transformative results.

Research and evidence generation

• To develop, adapt, pilot and implement tools on public financial management in collaboration with regional and country offices, key global partners and national stakeholders. 
• Initiate and support research on relevant topics, including fiscal space analysis, sector financing and spending reviews, and bottleneck analysis.
• Leverage relevant tools for collecting and analyzing UNFPA procurement and other related data sets to estimate the potential impact and value for money narratives for the UNFPA programmes.

Advocacy and partnerships

• Represent UNFPA in technical-level partnerships and collaborations with other UN agencies in the substantive areas of Health Financing.
• Develop, adapt, and support the implementation of capacity-building materials and tools on SMART Advocacy, including advocacy and communications tools and guidance notes.
• Support regional and country offices and other partners in implementing SMART advocacy approaches and designing SMART advocacy strategies linked to the three UNFPA's Transformative Results.
• As the global technical expert for social sector financing, develop and collaborate with the UNFPA’s business units and focal points to support sector financing agendas on key areas, such as youth and adolescents, Family Planning, Maternal Health, and Gender and human rights. 
• Support strategic engagements with partners involved in sector financing, such as WHO, the World Bank, Gavi, GFF, UNITAID, the Global Fund, RHSC, and FP2030. Develop and strengthen strategic alliances with various international partners, including UN agencies and philanthropic organizations.
• Facilitate the enhanced integration of social sector stakeholders and partners into relevant financing consultative processes and networks. Represent the organization in global forums, engaging with partners and stakeholders to foster meaningful collaborations and external partnerships.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education: 

An advanced university degree (PhD or Master’s) in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Political Science,  Public Financial Management, Health Economics, Demographic Economics, and/or other related social science disciplines applied to Public Health and financial management.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 7 years of relevant experience, preferably in Public Policy and Public Financial Management at the country and or regional level.
• Technical and programmatic experience in global health initiatives and financing for development. 
• Demonstrated experience in implementing SMART advocacy for domestic resources mobilization
• Experience in establishing and implementing social accountability mechanisms for increased investments in public health sector interventions.
• Experience in leveraging financing resources with the private sector and IFIs                      
• Background on policy and academic writing in health financing and SRHR released in peer-reviewed journals or as grey literature would be an asset.
• Experience working with UNFPA or other UN agencies would be an asset.

Languages: 

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of French is 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

Functional Competencies:

• Skills for making presentations and infographics.
• Expertise for Training professionals in Public Policy and Public Financing.
• Working Knowledge in the implementation of the SMART approach for advocacy development would be an asset.
• Working knowledge in developing investment cases using tools like Spectrum (Fam Plan, LiST, Dem Proj and RAPID), Impact2, FP Market Analyzer, MILENA, MEMI, Miplan and other costing tools.
  
  
   

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.