Programme Analyst, MH/Humanitarian

The Position:

The Programme Analyst analyses and assesses relevant political, social and economic trends, guiding and facilitating the delivery of UNFPA initiatives in the areas of maternal health, including project formulation and evaluation, joint programming initiatives and national development frameworks.

You will report to the UNFPA Programme Specialist, Sexual Reproductive Health / Humanitarian.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA strives to find solutions to the problems that humanity faces today. Working along critical pathways, the action will accelerate the fulfillment of unmet needs for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices.  UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2022-2025), leads to 2030 and the achievement of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Emerging trends inform the plan, new and expanded priorities add to longstanding commitments, and “how we work” is changing. Yet every step continues to be guided by the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

In Ghana, UNFPA has started implementing its new five-year 8th Country Programme 2023-2027.  The 8th CP aligns well with national, regional and global priorities including aligning with the UNFPA strategic plan, 2022 – 2025, that seeks to accelerate the reduction of preventable maternal death, unmet need for family planning, and gender-based violence and harmful practices. It fits within two of the three pillars of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), 2022 – 2025, namely: equitable access to social services and promoting a peaceful Ghana. In addition, the country programme aligns to the ICPD Programme of Action, the national voluntary commitment made by the Government at the Nairobi Summit on the 25th anniversary of ICPD (ICPD+25), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Overall, the country programme contributes to national priorities, including creating a wealthy, inclusive, sustainable, equitable, resilient, healthy and disciplined society, encapsulated in the President’s vision of “Ghana Beyond Aid”.

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 that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Working within a large and complex Ghana Country Office environment, you will support the effective management of UNFPA activities in the areas of maternal health in line with the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2023 – 2027 focusing on strengthening national capacity for the provision of high-quality maternal health services, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women, young people and internally displaced people.  

Employing your programme management experience, you will support the work of the programme team as well as consultants, advisors, and experts. You will provide quality, timely and integrated technical and programmatic support in terms of UNFPA policy and strategy related to address maternal health issues.  You will work towards increasing the national capacity for delivery of maternal health services, including provision of information, especially for women and young people.   Through substantive analysis and assessment of political, social and economic trends, you will contribute to project formulation and evaluation, joint programming initiatives and national development frameworks.

You will provide technical advice and management support to UNFPA’s programme on maternal health.  As a stand-alone as well as cross-cutting area of work, you will manage the policy and advocacy work of UNFPA on maternal health with the concerned staff and management team and facilitate linkages with other relevant programmes and projects on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and population dynamics.

You will monitor results achieved during implementation, guiding the appropriate application of systems and procedures, and developing enhancements as required.

You would be responsible for: 

A.     Policy Dialogue and Technical Support

• Engages in policy dialogue with the Government, UN system, and other development partners and ensures positioning of maternal health in relevant policies, strategies and plans, and within maternal health UN system wide initiatives and frameworks.
• Keeps abreast of any policy and/or technical developments and international good practices and learnings in the field of maternal health and drives new thinking and areas of innovation in m programming among relevant counterparts and partners and UNFPA personnel at all levels.
• Represents UNFPA in relevant health sector technical fora of government, civil society, academic institutions and other partners and participates in various technical advisory/working groups and in interagency task teams to position maternal health.
• Provides technical support to relevant Government and other partners as well as UNFPA personnel at national and regional level in developing, updating and implementing national policies, strategies, technical guidelines, operational plans, manuals, clinical protocols, guidelines and training packages in maternal health including health sector response in humanitarian settings.
• Contributes to the design of the country programme and projects related to maternal health, ensuring that selected interventions position UNFPA as thought leader in the area of maternal and incorporate approaches grounded in gender equality and social inclusion. 
• Anticipates, plans and supports life-saving maternal health humanitarian response interventions, ensuring adequate attention given to the needs of women and girls during emergencies in collaboration with the UNFPA humanitarian team and other partners.
• Ensures state-of-the-art research findings and learnings are properly integrated within UNFPA-supported policies and programmes and promotes an integrated approach linked to other relevant thematic areas of work in UNFPA.

 B.      Advocacy and Resource Mobilization

• Contributes to examining the political, social and economic environment and implications for UNFPA’s work in SRH and advocates for increases in Government budgetary allocations and expenditures for maternal health and assists in identifying entry points to leverage national resources.
• Advocates for the integration of UNFPA-support evidenced-based good practices within national systems and processes and engage in strategic partnerships with other External Development Partners to accelerate the sustainability of maternal health interventions.
• Provides technical support to generate information and evidence for policy advocacy and to influence government, non-governmental counterparts, and other partners to accelerate the achievement of maternal health goals at national, and regional level.
• Participates in inter-agency thematic group meetings to ensure UNFPA interests and identifying specific areas for support, building on UNFPA comparative advantages and UNFPA programmatic objectives in the country.
• Contributes to the advocacy and resource mobilization strategy of UNFPA Ghana by exploring funding opportunities, including from the public and private sectors; maintains partnerships at technical level with donors and key stakeholders; and supports the preparation of relevant documentation, i.e. project proposals that are innovative and demonstrate potential for high impact, best practices and lessons learnt, and communication materials.
• Provides technical inputs for the production of high quality communication materials for maternal health advocacy and for promoting visibility of UNFPA’s work and achievements, including preparing technical briefs, reports, and talking points/statements, as needed.

 C.      Programme Management and Coordination

• Manages the maternal health/humanitarian programme including the development of work plans with implementing partners; maintains oversight on programme delivery; and provides quality assurance.
• Undertakes regular monitoring visits; assesses the effectiveness of maternal health interventions; identifies areas for further improvements; and makes an effort to address the barriers and bottlenecks with the partners, while building national capacities for sustainability.
• Undertakes results-based monitoring and reporting under the maternal health programme including timely submission of progress and other reports, as required.
• Contributes to the documentation of lessons learned and best practices related to UNFPA’s work in maternal health; participates in communities of practices in the area of maternal health; and shares new approaches with UNFPA and the implementing partners for optimal results.
• Strengthens partnerships and collaboration with the Government, civil society actors and External Development Partners through supporting effective coordination mechanisms.

Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor from time to time in consultation with the management.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Master degree in Public health, Medicine or other related social science field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Two years’ professional experience in the field of Reproductive Health.
• Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector projects, designing and appraising proposals and actively liaising with relevant and potential project partners.
• Practical experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
• Field experience is an asset. 
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset.
• Experience using Microsoft Office software packages, Cloud applications, like Google Suite, and web-based ERP management systems, such as, the Oracle, Quantum, QuantumPlus, Quantum PowerBI, etc.

Languages: 

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:Exemplifying integrity, Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change | Functional Competencies:Advocacy/ Advancing a policy-oriented agendaLeveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnershipsDelivering results-based programmesInternal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
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 performanceMaking decisions and exercising judgment

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.