Head of Strategy (Internal Announcement)

UNOPS Myanmar

Myanmar is one of UNOPS leading offices in Asia, acting as fund manager for three of the largest development programmes in the country, namely the Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG), the Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) and the Joint Peace Fund (JPF). Also, UNOPS Myanmar is Principal Recipient for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Myanmar and Cambodia, and for the Global Fund¹s Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative targeting drug-resistant malaria in the Greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS provides procurement, infrastructure and project management services to a wide range of organisations in the country, including the Government of Myanmar, international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs and INGOs. UNOPS Myanmar plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Job Specific

The 3MDG Fund was launched in 2012 and is set to continue until the end of 2018. By pooling over $283 million through the contributions of seven bilateral donors – Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – 3MDG promotes the efficient use of development funds.  3MDG accelerates progress towards the health Millennium Development Goals and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in Myanmar. In close partnership with the Government of Myanmar and others, it strengthens the national health system at all levels, helping poor and vulnerable people access quality health services.

A new structure for the 3MDG Fund

In 2016 the Ministry of Health and Sports (MOHS), in consultation with Health Partners, developed the 2017-2022 Myanmar National Health Plan (NHP) – a roadmap for the country’s response to health challenges in the next five years. The 3MDG Fund, now extended until the end of 2018, aims at supporting the NHP and fully aligning with its approach. This entails:

-        Focusing efforts on the delivery of an Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) to all populations in Myanmar;

-        Focusing on equity and on access to Health for the most underserved populations (remote and conflict areas, marginalized populations)

-        Ensuring that all interventions – including through support to service-delivery – contribute to capacity building and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS).

As part of this transformation, the Fund Management Office (FMO) is being reorganized, moving away from a vertical structure by components[1] and towards an organigram in which a Strategy Department provides cross-cutting support (Health, HSS, Civil Society, Conflict Sensitivity) while a Programmes Department manages grants and interventions in selected geographies.

The Head of Strategy works in close collaboration with the Head of Programmes to ensure the 3MDG Fund delivers excellent results through exemplary grant and program management.  S/he supervises three Advisory Teams working to support the Programmes Department’s work:

-        EPHS Team

-        HSS Team

-        Community Engagement and Conflict Sensitivity Team

Management of the Strategy Department

• Ensure the Department’s close collaboration and impeccable teamwork with the Programmes Department, the M&E Team, the Programme Support Unit, the Procurement Team, the LIFT Fund, the Global Fund Principal Recipients, and other relevant UNOPS stakeholders
• This will include information sharing, joint visioning, joint planning, and working as ‘one team’ in the implementation of programmes
• Provide guidance and support to three Advisory Teams within the Department: EPHS, Health Systems Strengthening, and Community Engagement and Conflict Sensitivity
• Ensure that the technical and strategic advice provided by the Department’s teams meets the needs of the Programmes Department and responds to the 3MDG’s strategic direction and needs
• Ensure that the 3MDG’s programmes actively pursue ways to deliver more health per dollar by expanding the set of essential health services available to people in Myanmar and increasing the number of people with access to these services
• In partnership with the Programmes Department, and in close collaboration with the MOHS and other relevant Ministries, ensure that program activities are aligned with the National Health Plan, with Ministry priorities, with EHOs’ priorities when relevant, with 3MDG’s conflict sensitivity principles, with approaches to civil society engagement, and with other key principles of the Fund
• Create and maintain strong partnerships with relevant external stakeholders, including major donors in health, in a spirit of supporting and facilitating each other’s work and aligning towards shared goals.
• 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 communities. Regularly communicate on these outcomes with partners and stakeholders.

HSS / CSS Advice

-        Work to ensure that Health and Community Systems Strengthening (at all levels, from village systems to Health Policy) is an integral part of any 3MDG investment

-        Embed HSS specialists in Programmes Teams when relevant, to provide hands-on and context-specific support

-        Define, set up, and manage ‘central-level’ systems strengthening initiatives

-        Ensure strong, constructive HSS/CSS partnerships with relevant UN, international and technical agencies

Health Advice

-        Provide sound, practical advice to the Programmes Department to ensure that the right health choices and approaches are understood and pursued.

-        Support efforts to bring together (‘integrate’) health interventions so as to deliver services in a more efficient way

-        Work in close collaboration with WHO and other Technical Agencies, systematically seeking their guidance and advice.

Community Engagement and Conflict Sensitivity Advice

-        Provide value-adding, practical advice to the Programmes Department to ensure that (i) community engagement and (ii) conflict sensitivity are an integral part of the 3MDG approach

-        Embed  Community Engagement and Conflict Sensitivity Advice specialists in Programmes Teams when relevant, to provide hands-on and context-specific support

Management of the Fund

• The Strategy Director is a key interlocutor with the Ministry of Health and Sports and the Ministry of Home Affairs, maintaining strong relationships with the Ministries and keeping his/her finger on the pulse to ensure the Fund Director aligns the 3MDG Fund with Government priorities.
• As a senior member of the 3MDG’s Management Team, collaborate with the Fund Director and assume an active role in defining and steering the Fund’s strategic direction by guiding adaptation of the Fund to changing circumstances, and overseeing a constant learning and transformation agenda which aims to keep the Fund’s support at the forefront of the Myanmar Health response
• In coordination with and under the overall leadership of the Fund Director, be able to present 3MDG’s strategy at the highest levels with the MOHS, 3MDG Board, and others as required.

Information and knowledge management

• Ensure that the Strategy Department adequately manages knowledge and information – keeping the 3MDG Fund and its key Partners abreast of important developments and capturing and sharing lessons learned
• On a regular basis, critically analyze risks to 3MDG investments and develop, implement, and update mitigation plan(s) for identified risks.

a.      Education

• A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (for example: international development, public health, public administration, sociology, political science) with 10 years of relevant experience.
• A Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of relevant experience is considered as equivalent

b.     Work Experience

• At least 10 years of experience managing grants or projects is required
• At least 5 years of working experience in the health sector is required
• Full competency in the usage of computers and office software packages  is highly desirable
• Experience of working sensitively and effectively in a culturally diverse setting is preferable
• Previous experience with the 3MDG Fund desirable
• Experience of working in local governance, including but not limited to formal local government structures, local and community based NGOs, traditional governance systems, and informal networks desirable

c.      Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Myanmar

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

This is a Local Internal Position and Only Myanmar Nationals Working Currently in UNOPS are Eligible to Apply.

UNOPS may consider allowing current holders of FTA contracts who are successful to keep their FTA contracts.

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.