The Position:

The post is located at UNFPA’s Country Office, under the overall guidance of the Representative.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s new strategic plan 2022 - 2025, focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire, and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The Health Financing Specialist post is located at the UNFPA Rwanda Country Office to provide strategic, technical, and programmatic support to the 4-year Strategic Investment Facility funded project (2022-2026) on “Innovative Health Sector Investment Model for Health Posts to Achieve Universal Health Coverage in Rwanda”.

S/he will act as the project’s focal point, ensuring quality and timely implementation of the project activities, outreach, and day-to-day liaison with implementing partners, stakeholders, and government partners, while working in an integrated and collaborative manner with the Country Office’s Programme and operations staff.

S/he will work under the overall supervision of the Deputy Representative.

Responsibilities:

UNFPA Rwanda has been selected to pilot the project “Innovative Health Sector Investment Model for Health Posts to Achieve Universal Health Coverage in Rwanda” funded by the newly launched global UNFPA Strategic Investment Facility that aims to promote the innovative financing to accelerate the achievement of the transformative results and SDGs. The SIF project aims to support the Government of Rwanda to increase access to Primary Health Care through a network of financially sustainable and environmentally friendly health posts. The overall goal is to establish a well-functioning Health Posts managed through a Public Private Partnership model by social entrepreneurs.

The Health Financing Specialist will play a pivotal role in the implementation of project activities and in ensuring the achievement of expected project outcomes through an optimal project implementation, effective use of resources, quality monitoring and communication of results, and adequate coordination including with the Private Sector.

More specifically she/he will be responsible for the following substantive duties and responsibilities:

A.  Project Planning, Management and Coordination

• Oversee the implementation of project including development of the Annual Work Plans (AWPs) to ensure timely implementation of the project.
• Participate in the planning and organization of stakeholder meetings and consultations.
• Manage and monitor agreements signed with Implementing Partners to ensure they deliver quality reports on time.
• Closely follow up on budget expenditure and tracking of overall project delivery within the set timeline and prepare budget revisions, as needed.
• Coordinate and monitor achievement of the AWP activities related to the project by contributing substantially to the review, data analysis and write up of the narrative and financial reports and provide detailed feedback and edits.
• Provide substantive analysis and summaries to the team leader and senior management on the progress, challenges, and lessons learned regarding major aspects of the project.
• Guide and facilitate planning activities and report production, review and clearances and participate in the evaluation and documentation of program results.
• Take appropriate actions to optimize use of project funds, financial effectiveness, and accountability of project activities.
• Oversee preparation of relevant briefing and communication materials, position papers, and talking points related to the project as may be required.
• Coordinate partners involved in SIF project to ensure successful and timely introduction of innovative financing instruments into the project.

B. Project Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) function

• Undertakes periodic field visits to monitor and assess programme implementation and decides on required corrective action.
• Initiate costed mid-term and end of term evaluations plans for the project in liaison with IPs and relevant CO units and ensure quality of evaluations products.

C. Policy Analysis, Knowledge Generation, and Innovation

• Support the office in analyzing and interpreting the political, social, and economic environment relevant to innovative financing and in the identification of opportunities for UNFPA partnerships.
• Promote knowledge-sharing by documenting project best practices and lessons learned and effectively share these with relevant partners to inform programming, policy and advocacy including with the Strategic Investment Facility Unit at UNFPA HQ.
• Ensure that data obtained, and analysis are shared and used to engage local and national governments, as well as regional stakeholders.
• Catalyze and scope for innovative initiatives that enhance programme quality.

D. Health Financing Partnerships Development and Resource Mobilization

• Manage partnerships with implementing partners to enhance implementation, use and ownership of the information resulting from the project.
• Support CO efforts for resource mobilization to finance the SDGs, partnership expansion including with the private sector using innovative financing mechanisms.
• Collaborate with partners, to ensure collaborative, mutually reinforcing, and consistent approaches to supporting the government and one UN efforts for promoting Innovative Financing instruments in financing the health sector.
• Coordination of the preparation and execution of the 1000 Health Post in a Land of 1000 Hills Joint Program related activities.
• Establish strategic partnerships and initiate other innovative financing proposals in support of the UNFPA Country Programme in Rwanda.
• Engage other partners   in the private on the overall sustainable financing of the project initiative beyond current funding.

F. Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, Economic Studies, Public Health, Social Sciences, Demography, or other related fields. A professional certification related to Health Financing is an added advantage.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 7 Years of increasingly responsible professional experience in project management and development relevant to sexual and reproductive health, gender, population, and development.
• Experience working in projects involving the private sector and promoting access to financing by Small and Medium Enterprises.
• Experience in Result Based Financing projects through a Public Private Partnership required or added advantage.
• Experience working with government, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector, and youth-led organizations, on public health issues including Primary Health Care.
• Proven ability to effectively collaborate with team members to achieve demonstrable results.
• Highly motivated, proactive, able to work independently with proven ability to exercise sound judgement and initiative, working in harmony with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
• Familiarity with UNFPA’s mandate, policies and procedures, and experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System and other international development organizations will be an added value advantage.
• Proficiency in current office software applications (Word, Excel, Power Point).

Languages:

Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French, is desirable.

Required Competencies

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Implementing management systems
• Innovation and marketing of new approaches
• Client orientation
• Organizational awareness

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

Compensation and Benefits

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

The deadline is 29 July @23:59.

View the internal job posting

View the external job posting

Disclaimer

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline at oaisintake@unfpa.org 

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and 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, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.