We are pleased to advertise the following vacancy:
VACANCY NO: Job ID 2519
CLOSING DATE: 29 April 2014 (5:00p.m New York time)
POST TITLE: Technical Adviser (Health Economist)
CATEGORY: ICS-12 (equivalent to P-5)
DUTY STATION: Bangkok, Thailand
POST TYPE: Non-Rotational
POST NUMBER: 60993
DURATION: One year (renewable)*
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT: Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (APRO)
ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING:
The Technical Adviser post is located in the Bangkok Regional Office of UNFPA, and is under the overall supervision of the Regional Director and reports directly to the Deputy Regional Director. S/he is the principal adviser at the regional level for integrated technical and programme advice on heath economics. The Technical Adviser works in an integrated manner with the technical and programme staff in the RO and SRO, under the coordination of the Team Coordinator.
JOB PURPOSE
The Technical Adviser post provides strategic technical and programmatic leadership for the region in Health Economics to ensure that the RO, SROs and COs remain abreast of the Fund’s policy and programme policies as well as current thinking and academic advance in a given substantive areas affecting the ICPD Programme of Action. S/He maintains primary responsibility for coordination of provision of technical assistance and programme support to the countries of the region in Health Economics. S/he analyses continental as well as specific regional/cluster trends and contributes to strategic action in response of these, contributing to the monitoring of UNFPA substantive areas being firmly placed within national development frameworks and programmes, including the achievement of the MDGs.
Responsibilities of the Technical Adviser include: to support the elaboration of the UNFPA Strategic Plan in the region; to identify new and emerging needs and new delivery modalities for technical guidance and support; to develop and maintain technical partnerships in the region; and, to ensure that technical knowledge is generated and disseminated for effective technical, capacity building and policy dialogue.
In all activities, s/he works within an inter-disciplinary team providing integrated programme and technical support to the region. S/he also liaises with other units of UNFPA (regional and hqs) and the UNFPA Technical Network, ensuring the timeliness, relevance and quality of technical support to UNFPA operations.
The primary roles of the Technical Adviser are:
A. Strategic technical development, monitoring and oversight,
B. Quality control of the technical support and capacity development
C. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination
D. Technical representation
Major Activities/Expected Results:
A. Strategic technical development, monitoring and oversight
· Provide technical leadership and advice on health financing and systems within the Asia Pacific region to improve national policy frameworks and equitable and efficient service delivery in areas relevant to UNFPA’s mandate with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health;
· Support UNFPA’s engagement in policy dialogue with respective Governments and Development Partners in the Asia Pacific region in areas of UNFPA’s comparative advantage;
· Contribute to environmental scanning to identify political, socio-cultural and programmatic opportunities and risks in the region;
· In the area of health economics, contribute to the development and implementation of UNFPA’s Strategic Plan and Asia Pacific Regional Programme and other corporate policies, as required;
· Engage with UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO) staff to provide strategic and evidence based advice to UNFPA Country Offices and to ensure that UNFPA supported Country Programmes contribute to strengthening health systems in the region, particularly in Middle Income Countries;
· Coach and manage junior professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams, as required;
B. Quality control of technical support and capacity development
· Ensure that best practice evidence and research is integrated within the work of UNFPA’s national and regional office and support the development and implementation of capacity development strategies and activities;
· Support the development of (sub) regional institutional capacities for delivering high-quality technical support in select areas of UNFPA’s mandate;
· Advise APRO and COs on the implementation and proper application of UNFPA policies, strategies, guidelines and tools on substantive matters in the region, ensuring consistency and coherence in addressing priorities for UNFPA;
· Initiate, develop, strengthen and monitor substantive and intellectual regional partnerships in Health Economics, including for South-South technical support to countries and for the implementation of the Asia Pacific Regional Programme;
· Liaise with respective counterparts in Headquarters and other Regional Offices to identify opportunities for South-South cooperation between regions.
C. Evidence, knowledge development and dissemination and networks
· Establish and maintain extensive, professional technical networks globally, regionally and nationally in the area of health economics;
· Play a key role in building up, coordinating and monitoring a regional knowledge platform in health economics such as health financing, public financial management and health systems strengthening in areas which contribute to achieving the ICPD Programme of Action;
· Facilitate and help maintain and make accessible data bases on best practices, partnerships and consultant rosters and help ensure their accessibility;
· Collect, analyze and synthesize information/data and experience to be used in regional and global advocacy and for resource mobilisation efforts to advance the ICPD agenda;
· Lead the analysis and synthesis of substantive trends, emerging needs and research findings in the region in order to produce and disseminate cutting edge technical knowledge;
D. Technical representation
· Represent UNFPA on substantive issues in the region and elaborate UNFPA’s substantive regional and global perspectives in health economics;
· Participate in policy dialogue, and advocate for substantive issues in international, inter-governmental, U.N., and other policy and technical meetings and fora;
· Collaborate on substantive issues with UN agencies, academia, research and training institutions, think tanks, centers of excellence, professional societies in the region; and
· Act as focal point for inter-agency working groups in health economics.
· Carry out any other duties as may be requested by the Office of the Regional Director.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:
i) Values:
Exemplifying integrity, Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, Embracing cultural diversity, Embracing change
ii) Core Competencies:
Achieving results, Being accountable, Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, Thinking analytically and strategically, Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships, Communicating for impact
iii) Required Skillset:
· Providing technical leadership, support and advocacy for ICPD goals
· Strategically positioning UNFPA interventions across the region
· Providing conceptual innovation to advance policy-oriented agenda and support programme effectiveness and results
· Generating, managing and promoting the use of knowledge and information
· Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
· Advanced university degree in public health, health economics, or other field directly related to the substantive area identified in the title of the post.
· 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the substantive area, of which seven years at the international level;
· Proven experience in a lead health economist role, including health sector reform, public financial management, health systems strengthening;
· Understanding of areas relevant to UNFPA’s mandate such as family planning, sexual and reproductive health, gender based violence, population dynamics;
· Demonstrated expertise in policy engagement within developing countries, including Middle Income Countries;
· Established global and regional professional networks related to health economics;
· Strong track record of producing demonstrable results;
· Strong verbal and written communications skills in English and/or in the relevant language in the region
· Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with national counterparts, academia and development partners;
· Field experience is required, ideally within the Asia Pacific region
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender quality, teamwork, respect for diversity, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.
We offer an attractive remuneration package commensurate with the level of the position. The package includes a competitive salary plus housing allowance, home leave, health insurance and other benefits.
How to apply:
UNFPA has established an electronic application management system. This allows applicants to create a candidate profile, which can be updated regularly and submitted for more than one vacancy.
Download the Step by Step Guide to Applying in the E-Recruit System of UNFPA athttp://www.unfpa.org/employment
Please print out the Guide for your reference during the registration and application process.
Notice: There is no application, processing or other fee at any stage of the application process. UNFPA does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.
This is a programme-funded post.
Notice to applicants: In accordance with the rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, are required to renounce such status upon their appointment. Exceptions to this rule are very limited and can be made only for: (a) stateless persons; (b) newly appointed staff members who have applied for citizenship by naturalization, when such citizenship will be granted imminently; (c) acting staff members in the General Service and related categories with permanent residency status, on promotion to the Professional category; (d) staff members appointed under a temporary appointment. Please understand that UNFPA is not in a position to provide advice on or assistance in applying for any citizenship.
* No expectancy of renewal in accordance with UN Staff Regulations 4.5