Health Sector Coordinator, Nairobi with travel to Somalia (UNOPS)

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UNOPS helps its partners in the United Nations system and beyond meet the world’s needs for building peace, recovering from disaster, and creating sustainable development.  UNOPS is known for its ability to implement complex projects in all types of environments around the globe.  In an effort to promote organizational excellence, UNOPS seeks highly qualified individuals for the following position:
 
 
Vacancy Details
 
Vacancy Code  
VA/2010/UNOPS/AFO/KEOC/PRJ/CS/01
Post Title  
Health Sector Coordinator
 
Post Level  IICA 2 – (International Individual Contractor Agreement)  
Org Unit Coordination Support  
 
Duty Station Nairobi, Kenya, with travel to Somalia
 
Duration  
One Year
 
Closing Date  
23 December 2010
  
Background
 
This post is a work package within the UNOPS Coordination Support Project (CSP).  The CSP is geared at providing resources to support coordination work. This particular post supports the Coordination of International Support to Support to Somalis (CISS) Health Sector Committee (HSC).
 
The HSC is part of the overall aid coordination system for health activities in Somalia.
 
Duties and Responsibilities
 
Support to HSC in programme development, coordination and management
 
• Assist HSC members in implementing coordinated healthcare strategies and the consensual adoption of technically appropriate healthcare standards.
• Organize processes to define, analyze and move to address emerging key sectoral issues of strategic importance.
• Facilitate Nairobi level coordination linkages to existing in-country health coordination structures. Work to build effective communication between the different platforms so as to encourage joint action.
• Provide technical inputs to the HSC for the formulation of joint funding proposals to be submitted through the CISS in support of relevant priority strategic areas in health.
• Support the HSC in its oversight role in respect of common funding programmes (including GAVI, GFATM, polio and measles eradication). Provide institutional support for the preparation and documentation of the related processes, procedures and instruments in compliance with the relevant legal requirements; promote and follow up the use of the standards adopted and ensure synergies
between these and other sector programmes; document and ensure full transparency in these processes and adherence to the official procedures established by the HSC.
• On behalf of the HSC, to participate in Somali related coordination structures and programme platforms to represent the health sector, share developments and build opportunities for synergies and multi-sectoral activities.
 
  Relations with other bodies and counterparts
 
• Facilitate interaction between civil society, local organizations, local administrations, international implementing agencies, UN agencies and the World Bank, the Red Cross and engaged donors.
• Facilitate information sharing and transfer of knowledge and promote the development of joint strategies at regional and national level.
• Maintain a detailed archive of documentation and provide access to institutional memory and technical information on the health sector in Somalia to consultants, researchers, medical coordinators and regional advisors from international agencies and the donor community.
• Represent the HSC at relevant workshops and consultations, promoting the application of jointly developed standards and exchanging knowledge, ideas and approaches based on lessons learnt in Somalia and other countries.
 
 Information management and reporting
• Prepare and submit quarterly progress reports to the HSC on the basis of an agreed to work plan.
• Prepare and submit an annual report detailing activities and progress made in the HSC.  
• Provide continuous updates, advice and technical support to the Chair (and Vice-Chairs) of the HSC on priority matters affecting the health sector and the coordination process.
• Draft and circulate concise reports on HSC missions and meetings; and contribute to general reports when requested by the HSC.
• Organize, chair and document a monthly general health sector coordination meeting, facilitate the organization of specific technical working groups and promote synergies and complementarities between the various technical task forces.
• Make regular contributions to the HSC website (at www.coordinate4somalis.info) on health sector related issues.
• On completion of the assignment, provide a detailed final report to the HSC containing a review of the activities carried out under these ToR and the related annual work plan.
 
Required Selection Criteria
 
Competencies, Knowledge and Qualities
 
 
• A good and up-to-date public health background;
• Experience in emergency settings;
• Ability to build consensus;
• Ability to self-manage and develop and move on an agenda;
• Experience with coordinating and/or communicating and working with various groups including local NGOs and authorities and international implementing agencies, UN  agencies and donors;
• Experience in strategic information management.
 
 
Qualifications/Experience
 
 
• Recognized post-graduate degree (Masters or higher) in public health, health planning or a  related field;  
• A strong health systems and health financing perspective would be an added advantage;
• At least 7 years professional experience with at least 5 years of management experience in the health sector in developing countries;
• Proven experience in humanitarian or crisis state contexts;
• Familiarity with the work of coordination mechanisms;
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, ability to work well in a team and communicate clearly and effectively;
• Experience in collaborating with multiple (including local) counterparts, in a relief to rehabilitation situation, particularly in the field of health;
• Cross-cultural work experience;
• Demonstrated capacity to ensure delivery against agreed work plan objectives within tight time frames;
• Fluency in both written and oral English;
• Somali language skills would be an advantage;
• Ability to write clear and concise reports and present them in public;
• Good IT skills for information management purposes.
 
   Conditions
 
1. The Coordinator works in close cooperation with, and reports to, the Chair of the CISS HSC, and also works in close cooperation with the HSC Vice-Chairs. The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the HSC constitute a Performance Management Committee for the Coordinator and jointly agree an annual work plan with the Coordinator. The UNOPS Somali Support Secretariat Project Manager acts a technical resource to this Committee, in particular with regards the performance management system, but is not directly involved in the actual performance management for the Coordinator.
 
2. The Coordinator will be based in the WHO Somalia Offices in Nairobi (co-located with the Health Cluster Coordinator).
 
 
Submission of Applications
 
Qualified candidates may submit their application, including a letter of interest, complete Curriculum Vitae and an updated United Nations Personal History Form (P.11), via e-mail to vacancieskeoc@unops.org. Kindly indicate the vacancy number and the post title in the subject line when applying by email.
 
 
Additional Considerations
 
-  Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
-  Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.  
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  
- UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post.
 
For more information on UNOPS, including its core values and competencies and the International Individual Contractor Agreement contract modality, please visit the UNOPS website at www.unops.org.