UNHCR Senior Regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator - P4

Duties and Qualifications
Senior Regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

This post is responsible for all countries in the Central Africa and Great Lakes region with a particular emphasis on DRC, Congo-B, Chad, Burundi, Rwanda, Central African Republic, and any major emergency or repatriation situations that arise in the region.

The Senior Regional HIV/AIDS Coordinator (SRHIVAIDSC) for Central Africa, is 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 focal points, Health, Nutrition, Gender and Community Service Coordinators/Advisors as well as Protection and Programme Officers. The incumbent should ensure that UNHCR HIV policies and programmes meet minimum UNHCR and international standards, to prevent infection and minimise mortality and morbidity among populations of concern. He/She plays a major role among the senior management team in the region, supporting all issues related to HIV, including Protection issues (e.g. HIV discrimination, stigma, mandatory testing, HIV testing for resettlement), Programme issues (e.g. HIV programme funds come from country as well as headquarter budgets), Technical Support Sectors (e.g. HIV is a cross-cutting issue that deals with protection, nutrition, food security, community services, gender and age, public health, water and sanitation, shelter, and the environment.

The incumbent is the HIV focal point for the 10 UNAIDS cosponsors with respect to HIV and Displaced Populations. He/She is responsible for coordinating and advocating for HIV and refugee issues with Regional/Sub regional bodies (e.g. Great Lakes Initiative on AIDS- GLIA), National AIDS Control Programmes, UN Country HIV Theme Groups, and major HIV donors such as the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) and the US Government (President¿s Emergency Preparedness Fund on AIDS Relief).

The incumbent is ultimately responsible for providing technical support, coordination, policy and planning, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation on HIV/AIDS for Displaced Persons in the region.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT:

A. 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 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 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 refugee 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/AIDS 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

B. Technical Assistance:
1. Provide technical assistance to UNHCR country offices and implementing partners in development, integration and mainstreaming of appropriate and cost-effective HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care, and monitoring and evaluation programmes and other reproductive health (RH)-related programmes to refugees, those who have repatriated (returnees), and other persons of concern to UNHCR. 2. Concentrate on technical assistance for HIV/AIDS and other RH-related programmes in following four areas: A) Protection; B) Prevention; C) Care and treatment; and D) Surveillance, monitoring and evaluation. 3. Emphasise diseases related to HIV/AIDS, such as prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and tuberculosis. 4. Prioritise HIV/AIDS 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.

C. Monitoring and Evaluation:
1. Participate in design, monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes as well as other RH-related activities 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.

D. Capacity Building:
1. Ensure the capacity of UNHCR and its implementing partners to address HIV/AIDS and other RH-related 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.

E. Advocacy:
1. Work with others in UNHCR to advocate for access to refugees, returnees and other persons of concern to local HIV/AIDS and other RH-related programmes and lobby for inclusion of refugees, returnees and other persons of concern as a specific group in government policies related to HIV/AIDS and other RH-related programmes. 2. Promote information sharing on all aspects related to refugees and HIV/AIDS. 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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES:

Advance university degree in Social Science/Public Health Studies preferably with Medical Background (e.g. nursing, medical doctor) Minimum 10 years of professional experience relevant to the function including internships and residencies, with at least, 5 years in an international capacity and 3 years, working with refugees or other conflict or affected and displaced persons or HIV experience Excellent knowledge of English and French.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Previous professional work with NGOs and UN agencies. Strong analytical and communication skills (oral and written) Ability to work in team. Computer skills in Word processing, PowerPoint, Excel, MS Access and a statistical programme. Experience working at a headquarters/regional office as well as working in remote areas in the field.

How to apply: 

Please go to the UNHCR Website, "employment", "International Professional staff" address below):http://www.unhcr.org/pages/4dca99626.html