Programme Management Senior Officer

UNOPS 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.

Access to Health Fund

The Access to Health Fund aims to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations in conflict-affected areas of Myanmar. The Fund works with local and international partner organizations and other key stakeholders to increase people’s access to health services and to strengthen local health systems.

The Access to Health Fund is supported by the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Norway and Korea. The Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited through their global CSR program also provides a dedicated fund to Access to Health with a similar vision of reaching essential health services to marginalized and vulnerable populations in conflict-affected and hard-to-reach areas and for health system improvement in Shan State.

The Access to Health Fund has a particular focus on improving health equity in Myanmar, with emphasis on the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable populations, many in conflict-affected areas. Focus areas of the Fund include maternal, newborn and child health, combating HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and local and community-based health system strengthening to deliver sustainable, efficient and responsive healthcare across Myanmar.

Grant Making

• Assist in needs and resource assessments

• Assist in the evaluation of proposals received and the selection of Implementing Partners

• Lead in grant negotiations with implementing partners

• Coordinate with other funding sources to avoid duplication and overlapping 

• Coordinate with grant team for finalizing grants making process and documentation in line with standard compliance procedures of UNOPS

• Track budget expenditures and payments according to grant support agreement (GSA) to ensure no interruption of fund flow

• Supervise and guide the Programme Management Associate for tracking the grant making process.

• Take proactive management actions related to the entire process and provide inputs to Programme Manager and SMT for decision making as necessary

Grant Management

• Manage assigned grants of implementing partners through budget revisions, report clearances, regular meetings and monitoring visits

• Collaborate with the M&E Team to ensure the grants are implemented in line with agreed log frames, national strategies and Access to Health Fund's priorities

• Work together with Grant Team to ensure timely disbursement to implementing partners and in following up project audit recommendations

• Coordinate with Grant Team and Gender and PSEA Unit for tracking asset management of IPs, prevention of fraud, overall important cross cutting issues such as PSEA, fraud. 

• Coordinate with Finance team tracking expenditures, cash forecasting, and seek advice for foreseeable audit issues when reviewing financial reports

• Work together with Procurement Team to ensure partners have timely and adequate supplies for implementation

• Maintain a clear understanding of grant outcomes, in particular as they relate to the strengthening of health systems and the improved health situation of vulnerable populations in conflict affected areas. Regularly communicate on these outcomes with partners and stakeholders

• Work with the M&E team and other regional teams for the performance review, thematic review, mid term and annual review as relevant for the programme context. 

• Contribute the report preparation of annual report and progress report in respective regional and thematic areas.

• Actively track and manage risks at grant level, seeking and implementing effective mitigation strategies

Portfolio Improvement

• Work closely with team members to promote an efficient portfolio which delivers integrated health services to vulnerable population in conflict affected areas of Myanmar

• Work closely with Health System Strengthening (HSS) Team and Health for All (HFA) Team to ensure grants contribute to the strengthening of health systems and ensuring cross cutting areas’ standards such as community feedback mechanism, conflict sensitivity and gender mainstreaming

• Work in close collaboration with Health Team/Programme Team: share information, seek their advice and give due consideration to advice received to move the portfolio forward in a way that is both managerially and technically sound

• Identify and suggest ways to expand integrated health services to vulnerable population in conflict affected areas

• Propose any initiative that may be necessary to adjust grants and portfolios and ensure they are in compliance with the Fund’s policy and strategies

• Provide teams with technical inputs as necessary for improving quality of the  interventions defined under respective thematic areas the Fund is supporting

Knowledge Management

• Report any issues impacting the Fund’s interventions in Myanmar

• Assist in promoting information sharing on all aspects related to public health in Myanmar

• Closely work with Communication Team for external and internal communication of health related information on the Access to Health Fund

• Stay in close contact with the partners to understand the state and local level context and share information with the program manager and/or SMT on developments that may impact grant performance

Partnership and coordination 

• Participate in national and regional level coordination meetings to improve Fund representation

• Explore new potential partners to improve access for the quality health care and provide inputs for making appropriate and effective Fund investments

• Coordinate with other fund managers such as GF-PRs and bilateral funding for new programme development or rescoping of existing programmes, revision of geographic coverage

• Assist Programme Manager for the overall management of regional portfolio of the fund, and support engagement with new partners especially for new EHOs and CSOs

• Actively seek opportunities to improve programme effectiveness and equity through employing localization strategies, including risk sharing, self-driven organizational capacity development, results-based financing, etc

• At least 2 years of relevant experience in the management of health or development programs is required

• Progressive experience in public health is preferred

• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision in a complex environment is desirable.

• Good writing and analytical skills are desirable.

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software  packages (e.g. MS Office newer versions, Google Suite Applications) is required

Contract type:  Local Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: LICA-9
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. 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.