International Consultant: SRMNAH Specialist

The Position:

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide high-level technical expertise, advocacy, and management support for the project: "Advancing Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health (SRMNAH) for women, adolescents and youth in the Pacific". As part of the UNFPA Pacific SRHR team, the consultant will drive results in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu, focusing on health system strengthening, maternal/perinatal surveillance and response (MPDSR), and the integration of GBV and HIV prevention services.

The International Consultant position is located in the Pacific sub-Regional Office initially in Suva, and reports directly to the SRHR Technical Advisor, under the overall guidance of the Deputy Director. The Consultant is part of a SRHR team that provides integrated programme and technical support within a system-strengthening approach fundamental to UNFPA’s overall strategy.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency dedicated to ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Operating in the Pacific for over 30 years through its Pacific Sub-regional Office (PSRO) in Suva and field presence in 9 Pacific island countries (PICs), UNFPA serves as the sole intergovernmental agency substantively dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The organization’s regional strategy is articulated through its 7th Multi-Country Programme (MCP7) for 2023–2027, which covers 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICT), including Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, RMI, FSM, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Nauru, Niue, Tokelau, Tuvalu, and Palau.

The UNFPA Pacific’s MCP7 programme aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023–2027 and contributes to UNFPA’s global Strategic Plan (2026–2029) by assisting Member States in achieving three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending the unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices. Central to UNFPA’s mission is a partnership-based approach, working closely with national governments to expand local capacities and secure sustainable, rights-based responses to SRHR across the Pacific.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

The SRHR landscape across Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu is marked by geographic dispersion and urgent health trends that demand focused intervention. Fiji faces a maternal mortality ratio that surged to 86 per 100,000 live births (2020)1 ; and an alarming HIV crisis with new infections rising to 1583 in 2024 from 415 in 2023. Tonga reports a sharp spike in maternal deaths reaching 183 per 100,000 live births in 2024, alongside a high adolescent birth rate of 32 per 1,000 and a staggering 44.9% unmet need for family planning2 among adolescent girls. In Vanuatu, maternal mortality remains high at 123 per 100,000 live births, while the country grapples with one of the world's highest prevalence rates of violence against women and girls at 60%. All three countries struggle with inadequate service readiness: only 7% of facilities in Tonga are ready to provide adolescent and youth-friendly services, 10% of Fijian health facilities are (antenatal care) ANC and (postnatal care) PNC service ready, while only 2% of all health facilities in Vanuatu provide all signal functions of basic emergency obstetric care (BEMONC). These indicators are further complicated by high STI prevalence, such as chlamydia rates of 29% in Fiji and 25.1% in Vanuatu among pregnant women, signalling a critical need for integrated health system strengthening.

The consultancy is a time-bound assignment to assist in scaling up high-impact interventions and strengthening health systems across Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu. The goal is to bridge service gaps and secure equitable, lifesaving SRHR services for women and youths, directly supporting the UNFPA PSRO’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda.

You would be responsible for:

Technical Implementation and Capacity Building

• Provide technical support for the roll-out and institutionalization of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) systems in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu
• Facilitate capacity building for healthcare providers in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (BEmONC); health sector response to GBV and other SRMNAH initiatives
• Coordinate the implementation of specialized programs in Fiji, including "Point of Care" (POC) testing, Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the Needle and Syringe program (NSP), and condom programming.
• Lead the coordination of Implementing Partners, government departments, and experts to ensure quality control of workplan implementation.
• Oversee the availability of essential SRMNAH and GBV supplies and lead the establishment of two dedicated Adolescent and Youth Friendly spaces at health facilities

Advocacy and Knowledge Management

• Provide technical support for quarterly RMNCAH coordination meetings and contribute to UN systems coordination.
• Support community outreach strategies and public information events focused on ANC, PNC, GBV and HIV prevention, including preparing relevant background material for these events.
• Support the development and production of high-quality SRHR advocacy and communication materials (leaflets, newsletters, technical briefs) to promote the visibility of UNFPA’s work.

Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation

• Monitor programme implementation and track progress, including through field visits to assess impact and compliance with results-based performance indicators.
• Support programme evaluation through review meetings and evaluation missions as required, to assess programme achievement, and recommend corrective actions.
• Undertake results-based reporting and specifically develop 6-monthly and annual donor reports for the SRMNAH project.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Masters degree in in Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Sociology, Anthropology, Health Economics, Health Systems, or other related discipline

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 5 years of increasingly professional experience in public health, programme management, and development relevant to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Demonstrated experience in SRHR, including MPDSR, and maternal and newborn health, including EmONC, is required.
• Experience in Health Systems Strengthening, Health reform, and Health Sector review is an asset.
• Experience and capacity in the development and delivery of health training modules to government, NGO, and community-level participants.
• Knowledge and practical experience in sexual reproductive health and rights programming in humanitarian settings are assets.
• Knowledge and understanding of the quality of care, specifically client rights issues, is desired.
• Familiarity with UN/UNFPA’s mandate, policies and procedures, and experience in programme and/or technical assistance with the UN System and other international development organizations is an asset.
• A strong track record of technical expertise and proven ability to produce demonstrable results is required.

Skills

• Good communication and advocacy skills
• Proactive, good emotional intelligence
• Excellent written English language skills
• Excellent drafting skills and ability to write reports.
• Ability to organize and plan work following the established timeframes.
• Field experience is an asset; knowledge of the Pacific region is desired

Languages:

Fluent in English

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,

Compensation and Benefits:

Payments will be made upon satisfactory delivery of associated deliverables and with acceptable quality by the UNFPA Representative, upon submission of Certificate of Payment and Accomplishment Report agreed by the supervisor

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.