United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - Senior Regional HIV and Reproductive Health Officer (P4) Job Vacancy

Description of responsibilities:

The incumbent is responsible for all technical support, coordination, policy development, monitoring and evaluation, and advocacy for the HIV and Reproductive Health (RH) programmes in the East and Horn of Africa.

Closing date: 07 Sep 2010
Location: Kenya - Nairobi

The Senior Regional HIV and Reproductive Health Officer (Snr RHIVRHO) for East and Horn of Africa, will be a member of the senior management team in his/her duty station and region, will coordinate and provide technical support to a regional network of country-level HIV and RH focal points, Health, Nutrition, Gender and Community Service Coordinators/Advisors as well as Protection and Programme Officers.

The Snr RHIVRH Officer should ensure that UNHCR RH and HIV policies and programmes meet minimum UNHCR and international standards, to prevent infection and minimise mortality and morbidity among populations of concern.

The Snr RHIVRH plays a major role among the senior management team in the region, supporting all issues related to RH, HIV, including Protection issues (e.g. HIV discrimination, stigma, mandatory testing, HIV testing for resettlement, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)), Programme issues (e.g. HIV and RH programme funds come from country as well as headquarter budgets), Technical Support Sectors (e.g. RH and HIV are cross-cutting issue that deals with protection, nutrition, food security, community services, gender and age, public health, water and sanitation, shelter, and the environment).

UNHCR became a UNAIDS cosponsor in June 2004. Together with this major opportunity for including refugees in global, regional and country policies and programmes, come obligations and responsibilities.

The Snr RHIVRHO is the HIV focal point for the 10 UNAIDS cosponsors with respect to HIV and displaced populations in the region.

The Snr RHIVRHO is responsible for coordinating and advocating for HIV and refugee issues with Regional/Sub regional bodies (e.g. National AIDS Control Programmes, UN Country HIV Theme Groups, and major HIV donors such as the World Bank and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)).

The Snr RHIVRHO is ultimately responsible for providing technical support, coordination, policy and planning, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation on HIV for displaced persons in the region.

Coordinate and Strategise:
  1. Work in a multi-sectoral and co-ordinated approach in co-operation with governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other humanitarian partners.
  2. Support Health and Nutrition Coordinators to take a lead role in co-ordinating RH and HIV activities and ensure that decisions are implemented as agreed upon.
  3. Work closely with UNHCR programme, field and protection staff to identify priority health issues and key data requirements for programme planning and monitoring to ensure that minimum UNHCR and international standards are being met.
  4. Emphasise cross-border and sub-regional approach working within existing mechanisms.
  5. Update and disseminate information materials on RH and HIV based on standard practices and policies among partners.
  6. Represent UNHCR in relevant (technical meetings which lead to operational guidance) regional and international fora concerning, HIV, reproductive health and nutrition.
  7. Strengthen linkages and information sharing between host countries and those to which repatriation is occurring or may occur by identifying gaps and taking necessary measures concerning UNHCR operations.
  8. Address gaps in existing programmes and develop new programmes for special groups, such as young and female refugees and returnees, through establishing contacts with and integrating refugees and returnees in local and international HIV and other RH-related prevention, education and youth development programmes (e.g. youth centres, peer education).
  9. Use community-based approach based on people oriented planning.
Technical Assistance:
  1. Provide technical assistance to UNHCR country offices and implementing partners in development, integration and mainstreaming of appropriate and cost-effective HIV and RH prevention, treatment and care, and monitoring and evaluation programmes to refugees, those who have repatriated (returnees), and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
  2. Concentrate on technical assistance for HIV and RH programmes in following four areas: A) Protection; B) Prevention; C) Care and treatment; and D) Surveillance, monitoring and evaluation.
  3. Emphasise diseases related such as prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and tuberculosis and HIV.
  4. Prioritise Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV prevention and education activities, including provision of voluntary testing and counselling and prevention of mother-to-child transmission, as well as behavioural surveillance surveys and HIV sentinel surveillance.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
  1. Participate in design, monitoring and evaluation of HIV and RH prevention and care programmes and policies for refugees, returnees, and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
  2. Active involvement in all aspects of programme monitoring and evaluation with a main emphasis on checking levels of implementation and impact vis-à-vis resource inputs to measure cost-effectiveness and re-orient the programme as appropriate.
  3. Apply various mechanisms and tools to ensure proper monitoring including:
  • Regular meetings, in accordance with UNHCR programming cycle.
  • Site visits.
  • Regular flow of information (reporting).
  • Conventional/non-conventional surveys and evaluation studies.
  • Meeting with HIV and health implementing partners.
  • Providing technical support and guidance to implementing/operational partners where required.
  • Data analysis and interpretation.
Capacity Building:

Ensure the capacity of UNHCR and its implementing partners to address HIV and RH programming in a co-ordinated, multi-sectoral way by:
  • Supporting country-level HIV focal points to develop a training plan organise and act as resource person in workshops and training both in-service (formal) and on the job (coaching).
  • Sharing with local and international partners on the ground relevant guidelines and information materials on refugee HIV, reproductive health, general health and nutrition.
  • Supporting country-level health focal points to promote the establishment of Refugee HIV Committees to enable their active participation in the process of health planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Advocacy:
  1. Work with others in UNHCR to advocate for access to refugees, returnees and other persons of concern to local RH and HIV programmes and lobby for inclusion of refugees, returnees and other persons of concern as a specific group in government policies related to HIV and RH-related programmes.
  2. Promote information sharing on all aspects related to refugees and HIV.
  3. Ensure regular update and share information within UNHCR as well as with relevant government, UN and NGO counterparts and donor communities in the host country on the HIV status and needs of the refugees.
Required qualifications:
  • Medical Background (e.g. nursing, medical doctor) with Masters degree in Social Science/Public Health Studies.
  • Minimum 10 years of professional job experience, including internships and residencies, with at least, 5 years in an international capacity with 3 years of working with refugees; or other conflict-affected and displaced persons and HIV and Reproductive Health experience
  • Computer skills including word processing, PowerPoint and excel
  • English is essential
How to apply

Applications: A full curriculum vitae, including nationality and references, should be sent to: UNHCR, Vacancy Management Unit (quoting ref. 10003084), case postale 2500, 1211 Geneva 2 Dépôt, Switzerland, or by fax (+41 22) 739 7322, or preferably, by e-mail: hqpe14@unhcr.org

UNHCR aims for workforce diversity. Women are encouraged to apply for posts. Acknowledgements will only be sent to short-listed candidates under serious consideration.

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