Programme Management Advisor (Nutrition)

Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as fund manager for some of the largest development programmes in the country. In addition, UNOPS is Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative targeting drug resistant malaria in the greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS also provides procurement, infrastructure and project management services to a wide range of organizations in the country, including international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

LIFT is embarking on a new strategic period for 2024-2028. The LIFT 2024-2028 Strategy builds on the achievements of LIFT's experience as well as recent adaptations and learning in the face of a changing and dynamic context. The new Strategy outlines an approach to tackle structural drivers of poverty and vulnerability, while also considering immediate interventions to secure and maintain Myanmar's previous development gains. LIFT has proven itself as a key delivery partner across Myanmar’s changing contexts – ranging from post-Nargis recovery, economic and rural development at a time of transition, and relief support during COVID-19. LIFT is managed by the United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS) and has received funding from 16 international donors. The current donors are the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Denmark.

About the role

• Lead the analysis,  design, approval, and steer direction of nutrition sensitive and specific projects, taking a bespoke and agile approach when required.  

• Lead the research and report on development trends (e.g., political, social, economic, nutrition, health) for top management to enhance programme growth and added value within the LIFT's context. 

• Develop strategies to position the nutrition projects within the different stakeholders, by demonstrating a structured, thorough analysis and planning, evidence-based solid recommendations, and quality project execution.  

• Provide strategic, technical, and operational support throughout all stages of the projects by understanding UNOPS processes, preparing materials and documentation, making relevant interventions when necessary, and efficiently adjusting the execution plans when needed. 

• Liaise with the project´s leadership, colleagues, and partners to discuss strategic, operational, and implementation issues related to LIFT´s nutrition projects. 

• Provide sound strategic and technical advice for high-level decision-making. 

• Provide guidance, mentoring, capacity building, and continuous support to the technical experts under the Nutrition team, ensuring the programme´s performance.  

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises/meetings, annual reviews, or similar to the nutrition project's performance.

• Responsible for leading nutrition programming’s  direction (sensitive+specific) including building strategic partnerships, managing human resource, and ensuring compliance with LIFT’s programme objectives, UNOPS rules and regulations, and donor and interagency commitments. 

• Be aware of issues identified to ensure timely and quality resolution of short/mid/long term risks. 

• Lead the preparation and issuance of regular reports for management, donors, and partners to inform them of programme progress.

• Conduct regular field visits to assess progress and provide strategic and technical support to Programme´s project implementation.  

• Be aware and raise critical issues, bottlenecks, and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.

• Provide sound operational and technical advice to stakeholders on policies, strategies, processes, and best practices regarding nutrition-related issues to ensure efficient and quality results delivery.

• Build and sustain effective partnerships with nutrition sector counterparts and national stakeholders by actively sharing information and knowledge to facilitate programme implementation and build stakeholders' capacity.

• Ensure the Nutrition team issues communication and information materials for programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fundraising for nutrition programmes.

• Liaise with internal stakeholders on other programmes, facilitating nutrition projects to network and benchmark from best practices that could be implemented at LIFT. 

• Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned to develop knowledge and build stakeholders' capacity.

• Apply innovative approaches to support the implementation and delivery of effective and efficient initiatives. 

• Participate in capacity-building sessions to enhance the stakeholder´s capacity development. 

• Enhance a development & learning management culture within your team to ensure sustainable and scalable growth.

Education:

• A Master’s degree preferably in nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, or other similar field is required.
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor's), preferably in the above professional fields with 2 additional years of relevant experience, could be considered in lieu of a Master´s degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience leading programmes or projects in the following areas: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning, Social and Behaviour Change Communication, or similar field is required.   
• Experience managing all levels of internal and external stakeholders is required. 
• Team leadership experience is required. 
• Experience in guiding programmes in acute malnutrition contexts is highly desirable.
• Experience in advisory roles for large multicultural organizations or projects is preferable. 
• Experience working in Southeast Asian countries, and preferably Myanmar, or conflict-affected country contexts is highly desirable.
• Experience in health/nutrition programme/project development in the UN system is an asset.
• Experience in international organizations and/or international contexts is required. 

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

• Knowledge of  Burmese is an asset.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreemnet
Contract level: IICA-3
Contract duration: Open-ended (subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance)

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete)  in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

• Note that Yangon, Myanmar is currently classified as a non-family duty station.