FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Senior Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor
HOST ORGANIZATION: India Health Office, United States Agency for International Development
LOCATION: Delhi, India
POSITION LEVEL: Senior Technical Advisor
POSITION DURATION: 12 months
STAR-P3-158
TRAVEL: 20% estimated travel
STAR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) is a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). STAR is a Global Health talent hub. Through fellowships, internships, and strategic partnerships, STAR supports building the capacity of diverse global health professionals and organizations at all levels to make inclusive, collaborative, and innovative contributions to global health. STAR participants collaborate in the development of systems and tools that strengthen and sustain the local and global health response. https://www.ghstar.org/ Sign up with our listserv.
ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP
The STAR Fellowship is a global health and learning opportunity with:
- Individualized, tailored support to enhance the fellow’s achievement personal and professional goals
- Personalized learning plans and access to learning resources (courses, conferences, mentoring) based on fellow’s learning style and preferences.
- Access to broad professional networks to enhance peer learning and knowledge sharing.
FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
Background:
USAID/India Health Office (HO) manages a vast and diverse portfolio of programs that are aligned with the Government of India’s (GOI) Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) goals, the national TB goal to increase detection and treatment success rates, and the National AIDS Control Program to achieve epidemic control by 2030, and emergency response to COVID-19 as well as building resilient health systems. The health portfolio’s overall objectives are driven by an inclusive development agenda. USAID’s overarching approach in India is to work as partners with the GOI, demonstrating and evaluating scalable models that shape India’s healthcare system to effectively respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Through these relationships, USAID/India serves as the GOI’s “innovation lab partner,” demonstrating and evaluating high-impact solutions to India’s most complex health challenges, and then working with the GOI to scale them up across the country.
Introduction:
The Health Office works closely with the Government of India (GOI), private sector, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders to provide technical assistance (TA) for evidence-based high impact interventions in Family Planning/Reproductive Health (FP/RH) in selected state(s) of India and at the national level. The Senior Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor (Senior Advisor) will be responsible for providing technical oversight to the mission's FP/RH investments that are focused on meeting the sexual and reproductive health and contraceptive needs of the young populations. The position would serve as a thought leader, a subject matter expert and will lead the implementation of existing projects and strategic design of new investments that are evidence-based, innovative and aligned with the priorities of the GOI and the United States Government. The Senior Advisor will work on key global initiatives such as FP2030 and will coordinate and explore synergies and partnership opportunities for FP/RH, specifically programming for reaching young people. The Senior Advisor will build the capacity of state governments and implementing partners and ensure the utilization of best practices and global learning to inform the development of effective FP/RH strategies. The position would work on key areas such as expansion of the basket of contraceptive choice, policy advocacy, strengthening supply chain management, enabling young people, gender norms, private sector engagement, quality assurance systems and social behaviour change communication.
The Sernior Advisor, will support the FP/RH portfolio of USAID India as a recognized expert in the field, performing a full range of consultative, analytical, advisory, program management, monitoring and evaluative functions. The Senior Advisor will work in collaboration with other staff members of the Health Office and the senior leadership team to provide Technical Assistance (TA) for USAID/India RH and FP activities through the public and private sector.
Reporting structure:
The Senior Advisor will receive technical direction from the Division Chief- Family Health who will serve as their Point of Contact.
Essential Duties and Outcomes:
Set a distinctive strategic vision and provide thought leadership for FP/RH portfolio for USAID/India
- As a thought leader ensure that USAID/India programs integrate innovative methods and promote state-of-the-art technical approaches that reflect latest evidence, best practices, emerging priorities and trends in the field of FP/RH.
- Strengthen the USAID/India leadership for expanding the basket of contraceptive choices, quality assurance, gender, strengthening health systems, social and behaviour change communication, total market approach that address issues related to RH and FP in the public and private sector.
- Advocate for an enabling policy environment for FP and youth voices for strengthened focus on informed choice and expanding the contraceptive method mix. This includes working with high-level policy makers, senior host country government counterparts, media and journalists, pharmaceutical manufacturers, academicians, international forums such as FP2030 and researchers.
- Provide strategic vision and leadership to support the FP2030 roadmap for India including collaboration with development partners, GOI, private sector, youth organizations and civil society partners.
- Integrate key initiatives for meeting needs of priority groups such as adolescents and young people, tribal populations, people with disabilities etc.
- Build capacity of USAID staff and implementing partners in best and emerging practices in FP/RH.
- Contribute to the planning and implementation of public health outreach and education programs and events, including high-level visits for GOI and USG staff.
Strengthen the technical leadership and program management support for FP/RH programs supported by USAID/India Health Office programming
- Design, implement and evaluate technically sound and cost-effective interventions aimed at increasing use of quality family planning services expanding contraceptive choices in the country, and addressing gender norms through USAID/India’s various projects.
- Provide technical support for development and review of partner work plans; monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) plans; progress reports and other deliverables and assist in monitoring the project(s)’ performance in achieving FP/RH goals and objectives.
- Strengthen network and partnership development on FP/RH interventions, working with a variety of stakeholders to explore synergies and leverage resources, and forging collaborations with donors and private sector.
- Provide expert advice to the GOI and relevant state governments for improving access and quality of RH and FP services through participation in meetings, review of documents, participation in program reviews and other forms of technical assistance.
- Provide guidance and technical oversight to private sector engagement initiatives, including market shaping approaches and enterprise-based models for FP/RH.
- Prepare briefers, presentations or other documents to summarize progress, conduct regular data review, share results and trends, and facilitate sharing of best practices across US Government and other donor/bilateral programs.
- Participate in technical meetings on RH and FP issues and liaise with other USG agencies, host government, development partners, academicians, Indian and international technical experts and officials on relevant technical matters.
Strengthen M&E and compliance for ongoing FP/RH activities and accelerate knowledge sharing and best practices for measuring impact
- Provide technical oversight for the implementation of an appropriate performance measurement strategy to effectively monitor and evaluate the extent to which the objectives of the USAID/India FP/RH programs have been achieved.
- Strengthen the FP compliance systems and provide assistance and oversight to ensure that all family planning programs implemented or funded by USAID adhere to applicable U.S. legislation, policies and regulations.
- Provide recommendations on the design of new research and innovations in the context of FP/RH.
- Analyze and interpret epidemiological and other quantitative and qualitative data to provide guidance on the replication of best practices in FP/RH and provide assistance on evidence-based programming, focusing on state-of-the-art interventions for FP/RH.
- Ensure that FP/RH programs reflect sound project design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and documentation of experiences and results and ensure dissemination of these learnings for enhanced visibility of USAID’s work.
Anticipated learning outcomes: approximate 10% time
- Cultivate mentorship skills based on the STAR GH mentorship curriculum to more effectively support and improve knowledge transfer and skills acquisition of staff, incoming fellows and interns.
- Advance leadership skills to successful support capacity building and knowledge sharing activities, and mentor develop junior staff.
- Apply leadership skills and technical expertise to support programmatic growth and scale up within family planning and reproductive health programming.
FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Required:
Minimum 13 years of relevant technical experience with master's degree or a minimum of 15 years of relevant technical experience with bachelor's degree.
Knowledge of public health issues in one or more of the following: family planning, reproductive health, adolescent health, maternal and child health, gender.
Must have in-depth professional-level knowledge of development principles, concepts, and practices, especially as they relate to managing FP/RH programming in India.
Familiarity and understanding of USAID policies and procedures (highly preferred), or those of other donors, donor funded projects, community- based projects, or corporate social responsibility projects.
Demonstrated ability for achieving results, conceive, plan, organize, manage, and evaluate important, diversified and complex work projects efficiently.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate closely with government staff, private sector partners and effectively manage their expectations, and build capacity.
Understanding of private sector market-based models, total market approach, social marketing.
Proven abilities to set priorities, to multi-task, and to work collaboratively across technical disciplines.
Strong management skills are required, along with the ability to work well in a team environment.
Hands-on experience designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating FP/RH interventions in India.
Ability to function with a high degree of independence and latitude with respect to policies, programs and issues related to his/her area of expertise.
Excellent analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
Fluency in English and preferably in Hindi.
India citizenship/ or Indian permanent residency required.
Additional skills (preferred)
- Familiarity with USG FP/RH compliance and regulations, and gender policy.
- Familiarity with global initiatives such as FP2020/2030.
- Established relationships with FP/RH thought leaders to facilitate access to emerging approaches and to identify appropriate leverage opportunities across program portfolio.
- Proven ability to influence donors, partners, and peer organizations toward innovative programs and best practices.
- A number of emergency response assignments or other crisis response work that demonstrates the ability to successfully adapt and support assistance methodologies to real-world complexities.
How to apply:
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TO APPLY:**
All applicants are required to apply for this position through STAR’s online recruitment system at https://recruitment.ghstar.org/positionDetail.html?pid=336, which allows you to store your CV/resume and separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. The position will remain open until filled.**