The Position:

The consultant will work at the national and provincial levels to ensure that the agreed strategic interventions are implemented in the context of the 2030 SDG Agenda, ICPD Programme of Action and UNFPA Strategic Plan at the global level, the UN Pacific Strategy, UNFPA sub-regional programme at the regional level, and the National Sustainable Development Plan, Health Sector Strategy and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Policy and Implementation Strategy of Vanuatu.

The consultant will jointly report to the Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health and the Programme Specialist in the UNFPA Vanuatu country office, or any other supervisor as designated in their absence to coordinate planning, implementation, and reporting. The consultant will also have a reporting line to the Family Health Manager of the RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH Unit.

• The IC will be based in an office space provided by Ministry of Health RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH Unit. The IC will be required to use a laptop provided by the Ministry.
• The IC will be engaged for a period of 11 months from the date of onboarding, on a full-time basis.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

The consultant will support the implementation of interventions funded through UNFPA’s Advancing SRMNH Project and the Transformative Agenda II programme through technical capacity and project management support to the Ministry of Health’s RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team.

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

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose

The consultant will have an advocacy role to raise awareness and prioritisation of RMNCAH development across the Ministry of Health and in other sectors.

You would be responsible for:

Programme Development and Implementation

• Provide technical oversight and project management capacity development for RMNCAH activities across the Ministry of Health, based in the RMNCAH unit in the Department of Public Health.
• Enhance MOH RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH unit collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports, and Social Development, the Ministry of Education and Training, Vanuatu Family Health Association, the Vanuatu Society of Persons with Disabilities, the National Youth Council, the Vanuatu College of Nursing Education and the Department of Women’s Affairs for the efficient implementation of RMNCAH program activities.
• Support the Director of Public Health and RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team to lead pro-active, task focused national and provincial RMNCAH committee coordination meetings and other Committees such as MPDSR, with results ownership approaches
• Support the MOH RMNCAH/Family Health team collaborating with the health promotion, HIS, supplies and planning departments in the development, implementation and reporting of UNFPA supported MOH programme delivery and provide support in its operational requirements
• Support the MOH RMNCAH/Family Health, the Office of the Principal Nursing Officer, Vanuatu College for Nursing Education and the Vanuatu Midwifery Society, in the development and Implementation of a Midwifery Strategy for Vanuatu
• Support the coordination between national and regional partners across health, youth and education to coordinate and support implementation of RMNCAH activities on SRH, including family life education/comprehensive sexuality education targeting both in and out of school young people
• Coordinate provincial analysis and action planning of the results and recommendations of service and facility assessments, including the Health Facility Readiness and Service Availability assessment
• Provide technical support to the roll out of youth friendly and disability inclusive reproductive health service standards implementation across all 6 provinces of Vanuatu
• Draft background briefing documents, statements, talking points and reports on the programme and country operations for the senior MOH team and UNFPA when requested, and develop the capacity of the RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team in their preparation
• Assist in the preparation of national and provincial events including trainings, workshops, conferences and develop the capacity of the RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team in their preparation
• Liaise with designated counterparts within government departments, key implementing partners and UN sister agencies to coordinate and follow-up on programme implementation with feedback provided to MOH leads and/or the UNFPA in country lead for decision-making as appropriate
• Contribute to capacity strengthening of key RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH and wider MOH teams through relevant training and capacity building activities at national, provincial and health facility levels
• In close coordination with the MOH RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team and UNFPA in country lead, provide implementation support including program reporting and project monitoring if needed
• Liaise with Central Medical Stores to improve the supply chain systems to ensure reduced stockouts of SRH supplies at health facilities
• Assist to ensure MPDSR committee is active with provincial and national reporting through RMNCAH standing committees, with a minimum of two national MPDSR meetings each year.
• Provide inputs to the emergency response to disasters, including through the National Health Emergency Operations Committee. Monitoring and Evaluation
• Support the gathering and compilation of information necessary for MOH and UNFPA monitoring and reporting including programme and financial reports, together with the development of M&E tools where appropriate
• Support the RMNCAH/FAMILY HEALTH team to draft quarterly reports on milestones and results for the MOH implementation of the UNFPA work plan activities, documenting achievements, successes, progress, challenges, lessons learned, and operational risks as identified.

Fund management and operations

• Ensure MOH team adherence to UNFPA operational guidelines to assure implementation quality and compliance with UNFPA funding procedures and requirements
• Assist the collation of project expenditures and disbursements to ensure delivery is in line with approved budgets, targeted delivery levels are realized, identify operational and financial problems and bottlenecks, and propose solutions. Have included in each monthly implementation delivery report.

Communication

• Support visibility of activities by drafting and compiling available content for use in communication by MOH and/or UNFPA
• Document and disseminate programme delivery and advocacy activities including support to audio visual documentation, for the purpose of multi-media coverage and overall visibility.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Education:

A healthcare qualification such as nursing, midwifery, or medicine (with a strong preference for midwifery qualification)

• Minimum of a (Bachelor’s) degree in health sciences (nursing, midwifery, medicine, or other health sciences), public health, health promotion. Minimum of seven [7] years professional experience preferably in programme/project management in the public or private sector especially in development.

OR

• Master’s degree in public health, reproductive health, gender, epidemiology, social development, social sciences such as management, health economics, international development, public administration or other relevant fields is required. Minimum of five [5] years professional experience preferably in programme/project management in the public or private sector especially in development.
• A healthcare qualification such as nursing, midwifery or medicine (with a strong preference for midwifery qualification).

Knowledge and Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years professional experience preferably in programme/project management in the public or private sector especially in development.
• Knowledge and practical experience in sexual and reproductive health in a leadership capacity is essential.
• Knowledge and practical experience in health education and comprehensive sexuality education / family life education is strongly preferred.
• Experience in knowledge management in the duty station and in international cooperation is strongly desired.
• Sound knowledge of the social and cultural realities of Vanuatu.
• Experience working or partnering with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health in a management role is an asset.
• Familiarity with UN procedures and working methods, particularly with UNFPA’s agenda, policies, and procedures, is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in MS Office Packages, database management and the Internet.
• Proven track record of teamwork and ability to foster stakeholder engagement and coordination.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Bislama is required.
• Strong French would be preferred.

Required 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 and our relationships,

Functional Competencies:

• Promoting accountability and results-based management,
• Innovation and marketing development and management,
• Impact and influence, Organizational awareness,
• Promoting organizational learning and knowledge sharing,
• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda,
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/building strategic alliances and partnerships,
• Delivering results-based programmes;
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization

Compensation and Benefits:

Consultancy payment will be on a monthly schedule after submission and acceptance of monthly reports.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.