UNFPA

 UNFPA

Job Title National Post:        Programme Specialist, Midwifery, Rajasthan, India, SB5

Job ID                                    34616

Location                                 Asia and Pacific

Full/Part Time                       Full-Time

Regular/Temporary              Regular

Rotation                                 This post is non-rotational.

Duty Station:                         Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Closing Date:                         22 January 2021

Duration:                               One Year (renewable)

Post Type:                              Service Contract

Please note that this vacancy is open to nationals of India.

 

Organizational Setting

The Position:

The Midwifery Programme Specialist provides technical assistance to Government efforts to establish Midwifery as a professional cadre in India, a critical strategy to accelerate improvements in maternal and newborn health, and family planning programmes and universal access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, achievement of the ICPD plan of action and of SDGs 3 and 5.

You will report directly to the Delhi-based SRHR Specialist, under the day-to-day oversight and guidance by the Rajasthan State Programme Coordinator.

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 focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical personnel, 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 personnel who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA has been a partner of the Government of India and People since 1974 and is now on its 9th five-year Country Programme. The Country Programme leverages large-scale government programmes to strengthen the maternal and reproductive health in districts. UNFPA is providing support to improving the access and quality of maternal and newborn care services, expansion of contraceptive choices, and strengthening the quality and reproductive rights within SRH services. Additionally, UNFPA is providing technical support for RMNCAH services in Health and Wellness Centers in selected districts in its focus states.

The Government of India has decided to introduce a cadre of International Confederation of Midwifery (lCM) stand­ard professional midwives in 2018. UNFPA is supporting this initiative to strengthen midwifery education focusing in the State of Rajastan, while working closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the national Nursing Council at the policy levels.

You will work in close collaboration with UNFPA SRHR specialists, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Medical, Health & Family Welfare - Government of Rajasthan, Indian Nursing Council, other UN Agencies, implementing and operations partners and other relevant professional societies in establishing midwifery profession in India with special focus on developing the capacity of midwifery educators through coaching, mentoring and formal on—the-job training.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities

You will be responsible for:

Under the direct technical guidance of the Sexual and Reproductive health and Rights Technical Specialist in the Country Office, and day-to-day guidance of the Rajasthan State Programme Coordinator,

A. Programme Management and Coordination:

Contribute to the design of the country programme, focusing on its reproductive health component, and establishing linkages with the gender and adolescent and youth programmes, in support of Government priorities and in line with UNFPA programme policies and procedures.

Lead and actively participate in the formulation of midwifery component work plans using relevant state-of-art knowledge, research and statistical data.

Contribute to the effective coordination of midwifery, including identifying gaps and proposing practical solutions in human resource planning and management of midwifery workforce; midwifery education and training; midwifery professional association development and midwifery standards and regulation).

B. Policy Dialogue and Technical Support:

Keeps abreast of new policy developments and strategies, analyses and/or develops policy papers, strategy documents, national plans and development frameworks as they relate to Midwifery and SRH interventions; prepares briefs and contributes inputs for policy dialogue, technical assistance coordination and development frameworks.

Generate strategic information and evidence to inform national policies and strategies for midwifery improvement.

Support and work directly with national and state officials in setting up of a National Midwifery Training Institute (NMTI) and State Midwifery Training Institutes.

Support efforts to strengthen roll out of midwifery in states, including planning for operationalization of the new cadre of Nurse Practitioner in Midwifery (NPMs) in district and sub-district levels.

Develop, propose and implement a quality assurance and Monitoring and Evaluation framework to track and assess progress and performance of midwifery institution and midwifery cadre in Rajasthan, in close collaboration with Government authorities.

Facilitate/support the midwives to expand services to attain a comprehensive reproductive health care package. Assess potential bottlenecks in the environment, logistics and commodities, and capacity, and strategize with involved stakeholders to address the issues.

Support other initiatives for maternal health such as SUMAN (Safe Motherhood Assurance), and

provide inputs for strengthening the process of State maternal death reviews.

Develop capacity of State midwifery educators through coaching, mentoring and formal on—the-job training

Provide technical guidance in the development/adaptation, dissemination, use and evaluation of technical tools, policies, guidelines, and standards, quality assurance of midwifery interventions.

C. Advocacy and Resource Mobilization:

 

Analyzes and interprets the political, social and economic environment relevant to reproductive health and identifies opportunities and challenges to UNFPA assistance in midwifery.

Develop and manage strategic alliances and partnerships with other UN agencies, local and international NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders working in the field of midwifery.

Contribute to advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of the Country Office by preparing relevant materials such as but not limited to project summaries, briefs, white papers, statements, donor and high-level officials’ briefs, and participating in donor meetings and public information events.

 establish and nurture professional and technical networks, build coalitions to advance quality midwifery programmes in the context of improved reproductive health services, particularly maternal and new-born health.

Establish and nurture cloase collaboration and working relationships with Ministry and department of Health and family welfare, Training Institutions, Civil society organizations, including NGOs other allied health professional associations.

Working with relevant Government and private technical institutions, and professional associations and networks, identify midwifery knowledge gaps and plan/propose appropriate local, regional and international training programmes.

Promote information and knowledge-sharing of good practices.

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in Midwifery and /or Nursing Studies, a combination of Medical and Public Health or related field.

Knowledge and Experience:

Five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in nursing/midwifery practice or education. 

Demonstrable technical expertise in maternal and newborn health, and sexual and reproductive health in general.

Good understanding of the health sector;

Prior association with the Nursing and midwifery educational institutes an advantage.

Demonstrated ability to network within the health sector.

Excellent communication, facilitation and negotiation skills, and good emotional intelligence.

Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary and culturally diverse teams.

Languages:                                                       

Fluency in English is mandatory. Working knowledge of one of the Indian official languages is highly desirable, and knowledge of other UN language(s) is an asset.

 

 Compensation and Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus annual leave, health insurance, pension and other benefits.

For more information and online application click here