Job Title: Programme Coordinator
Organisation: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Duty Station: Gulu and Adjumani, Uganda
About US:
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number and rate of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.
Job Summary: The Programme Coordinator, is the head of the field-offices, ensuring the programmatic and administrative delivery and representation of UNFPA in this part of the country. S/he is responsible for translating and overseeing the delivery of the Country Office programme by all staff in the region. The post holder will substantively contribute to the implementation, coordination and monitoring of programme activities across the field offices for Gulu and Adjumani field offices and the sub region in all areas of UNFPA Uganda’s work including Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV/AIDS, GBV/FGM, gender, youth development and population issues in both humanitarian and development settings.
The Programme Coordinator will provide overall coordination and technical support to the district local governments, local development partners and implementing partners to ensure optimal programme implementation, effective use of resources, quality tracking of results, adequate coordination, advocacy for policy change and clear communication of UNFPA mandate, work and results in the region across humanitarian and development settings.
S/he will be based in Gulu, oversee the Gulu and Adjumani field Offices and work closely with other UNFPA officers in the field and country office staff based in Kampala. S/he will work under the overall guidance of the Representative and will be directly supervised by the Programme Specialist for Programme Delivery and Coordination in Kampala.
Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist for Programme Delivery and Coordination at the UNFPA Country Office, the Programme Coordinator in Gulu leads the teams and substantively contributes to the effective delivery of all aspects of UNFPA Uganda’s work in the assigned sub region of Uganda. The Programme Coordinator will be overall responsible for UNFPA programme development, implementation, results monitoring, knowledge management, coordination and policy advocacy in the sub region, ensuring that all work aligns to the AWP and the country programme.
The Programme Coordinator is in charge of ensuring UNFPA presence and visibility in the sub-region in Uganda. He/she leads the regional staff team and ensures that UNFPA resources (human and financial) are well managed, in respect of UNFPA rules and procedures. He/She maintains UNFPA visibility within UN family, and ensures UNFPA programme/projects implementation, assuring quality control and operations excellence.
S/he will work to keep the focal areas of UNFPA’s work high on the agenda of Local Government/s and of the Local Development Partners, optimize the allocation of resources, create synergies, influence policies and improve consistency and effectiveness of UNFPA’s work in the sub-region.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Programme Management and Technical Support
- In collaboration with Government counterparts, CSOs and other partners, overseeing the design and implementation of UNFPA programmes in the sub region, aligning with Government priorities and UNFPA programmes, policies and procedures.
- Effective coordination of UNFPA’s work in the sub-region by being actively involved in key coordination meetings at district and regional levels.
- Provide high level technical support to partners when needed, including supporting capacity building of district local governments and local partners to generate, analyze and utilize quality data for evidence-based decision making, policy and program formulation, monitoring and evaluation in support of integrated district-level response.
- Assess implications of new policy developments and strategies on programme execution, and ensure their integration. Provide technical support to the development of relevant advocacy and policy documents to address programmatic issues at the regional level.
- Conduct regular regional environmental scanning and advise staff in the country office about the regional situation and its strategic and/or operational implications.
- Support district local governments and UNFPA staff in the country office to advocacy and policy documents that are responsive to the regional landscape in both humanitarian and development contexts.
- Build the capacity of local governments and implementing partners present in the region to effectively diagnose gaps in UNFPA’s areas of work including family planning and population programming; maternal health; SRHR; HIV/AIDS; youth development; GBV and gender equality among others in both development and humanitarian contexts.
- Propose effective strategies to address existing bottlenecks, and support coordination of the multi-sectoral response across humanitarian and development settings
Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management for Policy Advocacy
- Overseeing achievement of programme results by ensuring that monitoring and oversight mechanisms are established and implemented
- Ensuring effective knowledge management strategies are implemented by the programme team, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future planning; addressing training needs of partners and staff.
- Actively participate in the evaluation and documentation of program results in the region, best practices and lessons learned and effectively share these with relevant partners to inform programming, policy and advocacy.
- Conduct regular field visits to follow up and monitor the technical quality and financial effectiveness and accountability of UNFPA-supported programmes in the region to ensure value for money. Support district local governments to conduct quarterly and annual review meetings to address coordination, implementation and planning across development and humanitarian settings.
- Support capacity building of district local governments and local partners to generate, analyze and utilize quality data for evidence-based decision making, policy and program formulation, monitoring and evaluation in support of integrated district-level development and humanitarian response
Partnerships and Communications
- Establishing and maintaining mutually respectful relationships with strategic partners, development partners, UN agencies and implementing partners and other duty bearers in the Region to facilitate timely and efficient delivery of programmes
- Reviewing the political, social and economic environment relevant to UNFPA programme activities in the Region, and pursuing opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. This includes promoting UNFPA’s mandate areas in district development planning and budgeting processes in the sub-region, and policies at regional and national level.
- Actively promoting and supporting UN Reform/delivering as one initiatives and the UN Area Coordination in the sub-region to strengthen coordination, coherence and efficiency of the programmes
- Work closely with local media to publicize UNFPA’s development and humanitarian work and achievements, and support staff in the country office to disseminate UNFPA’s field-level results in the media.
- Facilitate the identification of resource gaps in the districts and provide technical input to the development of resource mobilization documents.
- Support accountability and Programme visibility for UNFPA programmes in the region, in alignment with donor signed agreements. Provide leadership in demonstrating UNFPA’s work to the district local governments and local development partners to enhance goodwill and partnership.
- Maintain solid, cooperative and multi-sectoral working relationships with the Government, UN partner agencies and other stakeholders across humanitarian and development settings. Liaise with exiting District Disaster Management Committees and other relevant local committees to ensure that ICPD agenda is taken into consideration
Administration, Management and Representation
- Providing administrative oversight including ensuring awareness and adherence to all organizational policies (audit guidelines and recommendation, travel, vehicle, procurement, human resources, security, etc) of Gulu and Adjumani sub-regional office and represent UNFPA in compound and area security coordination. Ensure organizational equipment and assets are maintained and used in accordance with UNFPA policies and business practice.
- Directly supervise staff
- Liaising with the Operations Manager and the Programme Delivery and Coordination Specialist to strengthen Country Office support to field offices and staff
- Facilitating professional development of staff and promote their safety and well-being
- Represent UNFPA at key events where required, with regard to UNFPA’s mandate, including field visits by government and donors, international days and policy formulation fora.
- Provide leadership, supervise and regularly appraise staff
General Support
- Stand-in for other Programme team members on selected functions as may be required.
- Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal applicant must hold a Master’s/ Advanced degree in health, population, demography, development, law and/or other related social science field.
- At least five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the field of development and population activities;
- Significant work experience in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights is preferred.
- Specialized knowledge and experience within Health Systems Strengthening and integrated SRHR/GBV/HIV/YD approaches will be desired;
- Experience in programme/ project management including experience in large multi-sector programmes;
- Experience in implementing legislation;
- Field experience is an asset;
- Prior experience in the UN system is an asset
- Excellent communication skills and experience with management of staff in multi-locations.
- Substantive work experience in the field of SRHR, GBV, Youth Development and/or Gender in humanitarian and post conflict recovery setting is preferred.
- Specialized knowledge and experience within Health Systems Strengthening and integrated SRHR/GBV/HIV/YD approaches is desirable.
- A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Uganda will be an added advantage
- Demonstrated ability to work in and lead a team
- Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.
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, our relationships, and others
- Communicating for impact
Functional Skill Set:
- Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
- Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
- Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilisation
- Delivering results-based programmes
- Resource mobilization and donor relations
- Technical Understanding of the areas of work
- Project Management
- People Management and Leadership
- Managing financial processes
- Proficiency in current office software applications
Managerial Competencies:
- Providing strategic focus,
- Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
- Leading, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
- Making decisions and exercising judgment
Compensation and Benefits: This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
How to Apply:
All interested applicants who wish to join the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to click on the link below and follow the application instructions after reviewing the job details.
Deadline: 26th October 2022