Re-Advertisement: Head of Programmes, Sierra Leone, P-4

NOTE: This post is being re-advertised to widen the pool of cadidate. All cadidates who have already applied need not re-apply. Thank you.

This post is non-rotational.

Closing date: 5 April 2017 (5:00 p.m. NY time)

Organizational Setting

Sierra Leone has the highest maternal mortality in the world. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) for Sierra Leone is high irrespective of the estimated value adopted. The maternal mortality ratio was estimated at 1,165 per 100,000 live births in 2013 (SLDHS 2013). However, the recent UN Estimates of the Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015 has estimated MMR in the country at 1,360 per 100,000 Live Births. This situation has been compounded by inadequate access to emergency obstetric and newborn care, low skilled birth attendance and limited access to family planning services. The recent Ebola Outbreak has further complicated this situation over the past two years.

The Government of Sierra Leone has developed a Presidential Recovery Plan (PRP) that outlines priorities for the post Ebola 10 – 24 month recovery period. Addressing the high maternal and child mortality rates have been identified as top priorities in the PRP and the President has declared maternal and child mortality as a Public Health Emergency. The PRP has a target of ‘Saving the lives of 600 women and 5,000 children by 2018’. This ambitious target requires the alignment of different sectors, resources and partners to fulfill the government commitment. UNFPA is playing a key role in addressing the targets of the PRP.

UNFPA together with UNICEF and WHO have developed a joint DFID programme; The Saving Lives Programme (SLP) to address the health priorities in the PRP. The SLP aims to contribute to the Government of Sierra Leone’s plan for the accelerated reduction of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent mortality and morbidity. The SLP will not only contribute to meeting the short term goals of the PRP, but also strengthen the overall health sector in the long term. The main expected outcomes are:

Increased use of quality RMNCH services, especially for poor women

Increased use of contraception especially among adolescents

Fewer teen pregnancies, and

Reduced prevalence and improved management of childhood illness

Qualifications and Experience

Post-graduate university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Sociology, Demography, Gender, Population, International Relations, International Development, Economics, Public Administration, Management or other related field
Strong technical knowledge in the area of sexual and reproductive health, population and development
7 years of increasingly responsible professional experience with strong technical knowledge in the field of sexual and reproductive health, development and population activities, including programme design, management and monitoring;
Demonstrated ability to refine programme design to ensure alignment of organizational programme objectives to national priorities/capacities;
Proven ability to lead and manage teams to achieve demonstrable results;
Excellent communication skills; speaking and writing to foster engaged partnerships at a high level of representation and to maintain political partnerships in the country;
Previous experience in working with the UN managing large programmes with a strong understanding of UNFPA systems is a strong asset
Fluency in English, verbal and written