Job opening with UNAIDS: National Programme Officer

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National Programme Officer.United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

(UNAIDS)

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO. UNDP/FT/2007/014

Date of Issue: 31 August 2007, Closing Date: 14 September 2007

Post Title : National Programme Officer

Organization : United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

Post Level : ICS-10 (NO-C)

Duty Station : New Delhi

Duration : One Year (renewable)

Type of Contract : Fixed Term

This vacancy is open to applicants of either sex. Preference will be

given to equally qualified women candidates.

Background:

UNAIDS has a vision to assist the Government of India decrease the

rate of HIV transmission in India and improve the lives of people

living with HIV/AIDS .The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS in India is

currently operating in a rapidly changing environment, with the

revised estimates of HIV/AIDS prevalence ranking India number three

globally. In several states, the epidemic appears to have moved from

the high risk groups to the general population urban to rural and

towards younger and female population of the country, whereas in

others prevalence declines have been registered. The epidemic is

marked by heterogeneity. Pockets of high density of injecting drug

use have emerged recently, not only in the North East of the country.

Other epidemics, driven by sexual transmission (including through MSM

and TG populations), occur in most states.

The country's strategy for effectively implementing and coordinating

a mass national response hinges on the National AIDS Control

Programme, which is in its third phase; NACP III administered by

National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). The mission of UNAIDS

India is to work closely with the national programme, UN cosponsors,

bilateral and multilateral development partners, civil society

organizations, PLWHA, media, elected representatives, private sector

and other stakeholders to support and strengthen the national

response to HIV/AIDS in combating further spread of the virus,

providing support to those infected and affected and coordinating

stakeholders towards universal access to prevention, treatment and

care.

While targeted interventions to address high risk populations remain

a key area of intervention, such prevention strategies require a

strong implementation capacity at the level of states and districts.

Providing technical assistance, capacity building of NACO and States

AIDS Control Societies in implementing the State PIPs under NACP III,

monitoring and evaluation, documentation and cross sharing are vital

programme thrusts of UNAIDS in India.

In India, the UN HIV/AIDS Theme Group, made of all Representatives of

UN agencies, is the common policy and strategic decision-making body

for the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS. It is supported by the Joint

UN Team on AIDS, made of all HIV/AIDS programme heads of the UN

agencies, under the chairmanship of the UNAIDS Country Coordinator.

In addition, a Development Partners Forum has been established, co-

chaired by the Director General of NACO and the UN Resident

Coordinator; it consists of all large stakeholders involved in the

fight against HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS also monitors (and in some cases

administers) several collaborative initiatives involving two or more

UN co-sponsors, often funded through the Programme Acceleration Fund

(PAF).

UNAIDS wants to recruit National Programme Officer to coordinate the

technical and operational support of the UN agencies to NACO and

State AIDS Societies to manage and implement NACP III.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision and guidance of the UNAIDS Country Coordinator,

in collaboration with other staff of the UNAIDS Secretariat and UN

cosponsors:

• Coordinate the provision by the United Nations of support to NACO

and SACS for the implementation of NACP III in the fields of

planning, management and operational support. Support the

establishment of technical support units in states, in collaboration

with NACO and SACS, and their coordination with other sources of

technical assistance.

• Support senior staff at NACO, SACS and State Ministries of Health &

Family Welfare on the harmonization of key state strategies for

HIV/AIDS control and other major public health programmes, notably

the national rural health mission.

• Support NACO and SACS in strategic planning, identification of

competence gaps to meet the NACP III benchmarks and capacity building

for implementation of NACP III priorities. In coordination with

UNAIDS Secretariat and UN cosponsors staff, support NACO in the

implementation of monitoring and reporting mechanisms on grants

provided by the Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

• Facilitate the development and review of state plans with SACS and

other stakeholders. Share state-related information with UN agency

partners involved in the decentralized response.

• Bring in the UN expertise in reporting on the implementation of the

NACP III and State Programs and facilitate horizontal learning

through documentation and dissemination of best practices, including

UN agencies coordination at State level.

• Support the partnership of professional bodies (Indian Medical

Association, Indian AIDS Society, Association of Physicians of India

etc.) and facilitate public-private partnerships with NACO and SACS

in support of issues related to care and support for people living

with HIV.

• Liaise with senior officials of NACO, Ministry of health & Family

Welfare, State AIDS Control societies and other state level

organizations to provide updates on UNAIDS facilitated resolutions,

strategies, reports and best practice documentation.

• Supervise UNAIDS officers working with the states and coordinate

the activities of development partner and UN agencies taking place at

state and district level, in close coordination with the overall

advocacy effort.

• Assist NACO and SACS in utilizing UN agencies support for research

activities to guide the national response coordinate UN participation

in regular strategic reviews of the national programme.

• Assist and undertake activities as desired by Country Coordinator,

UNAIDS India.

Educational Qualifications:

• Post-graduate degree from reputed institute in Public health/social

science/ Development studies/ Development management or related field.

Experience:

• 3-5 years post masters experience in the project cycle management

in India at district, state and national level of public health,

reproductive health programmes and/or projects, with at least two

years experience in HIV/AIDS. This should include experience of

management, documentation, evaluation and dissemination of

programmes/projects in the field of HIV AIDS;

• Experience of handling budgets;

• Experience of coordination of multiple stakeholders;

• Familiarity with UN system of accounting and procurement preferred;

• Experience of State administration of HIV/AIDS control programmes

preferred;

• Experience of working with international donors and UN

projects/programmes on HIV/AIDS highly desirable.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong management and negotiation skills; proven training,

facilitation and communication skills; understanding of programme

planning, implementation and financing issues;

• Ability to work independently and as a team player in a multi-

cultural environment. Working knowledge of computers including MS

Office package, essential;

• Ability to write clearly and fluently in English, analyse data and

research reports, sum-up and synthesize documentation relevant to

activities at national, state and district level;

• Proven ability to mobilize partners, coordinate the action of

several stakeholders and document joint activities;

• The incumbent must have a significant understanding of the National

HIV/AIDS program and the social and economic dimensions of HIV/AIDS

and functioning of government, international agencies and

institutions in public health.

Languages:

• Proficiency in spoken and written English essential. Knowledge of

one or two Indian languages will be an asset.

Application to this vacancy should be sent to jobs.in@...

Please insert Vacancy Announcement Number in the Subject of the E-

mail.

Applications without the Vacancy Number or with the incorrect Vacancy

Number will not be accepted.