The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Programme provides young talented professionals pursuing a career in development with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in multilateral technical cooperation and international development within a UN agency.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNAIDS Country Offices are clustered under 6 Regional Support Teams: Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and Northern Africa, Western and Central Africa, and Eastern and Southern Africa. The South Sudan Country office (UCO SSD) is one of 17 Country Offices in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region.
South Sudan has, since 2013, been going through periods of insecurity, including armed and communal conflicts. As a result, South Sudan is a non-family duty station: the successful candidate CANNOT be joined by their family. Staff members have access to housing in secure UN-ran compounds and health services from UN-ran health facilities. This Salary calculator may come in handy to estimate your income as a JPO in a non-family duty station: https://info.undp.org/gssu/onlinetools/SalCalcInt/SalCalcInt.aspx
Content and methodology of supervision
As part of the UNAIDS JPO programme overall framework, the JPO will benefit from the following supervision modalities:
- Structured guidance provided by the UNAIDS Country Director and other members of the UNAIDS Country Office (UCO) Team especially at the beginning of the assignment, with the purpose of increasing the JPO’s understanding of their responsibilities, knowledge of the context of their work to enable them deliver on their responsibilities.
- Establishment of a work plan, with clear deliverables to guide their work and facilitate completion of their annual Performance Evaluation Reports.
- Knowledge sharing and periodic review of their work for the provision of guidance and feedback.
- Participation in UCO Team/Office meetings to ensure integration and operational effectiveness.
- Guidance and advice in relation to learning and training opportunities within the field of expertise.
- Regular calls organized by the Human Resources Department (individually and/or as a group) to establish a community of practice and provide networking opportunities for JPOs. Specific emphasis is set on mentoring and supporting first-year JPOs.
Training and Learning Components
Upon completion of the assignment the JPO will have/ will be able to:
- Fully understand the HIV/AIDS missions, objectives and operations of UNAIDS and its Cosponsors in South Sudan.
- Demonstrate a good understanding of the AIDS epidemic at country and regional level with regards to epidemiology, key strategic information required to improve understanding of the HIV situation, risk management, financial landscape and the legal and other enabling environment.
- Demonstrate competence in ‘translating’ strategic information into national interventions with regards to Prevention, Care and Treatment for vulnerable groups.
- Follow up discussions on technical issues on HIV & AIDS with counterparts to help promote AIDS policies and programs, at national level.
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the AIDS response in South Sudan, the structural barrier (cultural, policy and legal) and HIV in humanitarian settings.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the development of the UN Joint Program within the context of peace, development and humanitarian response (triple nexus).
The JPO training programme includes the following learning elements:
- Preventing and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse Human rights-based programming
- Safety and security training
- Diversity and inclusion
- The JPO position includes a Duty Travel and Training Allowance (DTTA) of $4000 per year which may be used for learning activities related to the assignment and career development.
Duties and Responsibilities
The mandate of the UNAIDS Office in South Sudan is to:
- Provide leadership, leverage strategic partnerships and coordinate UN system wide response to support the implementation of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026 and the Political Declaration Commitment by ending inequality that fuel the AIDS epidemic within the SDG framework.
- Promote generation and use of strategic information to better understand the source of inequality and barriers that fuel new infections, track the epidemic, measure progress and impact of the response.
- Support efforts to strengthen capacities of communities, community led monitoring and their meaningful engagement in Universal Health, social protection and human rights mechanisms applying GIPA principles.
- Provide intellectual leadership to guide policy decisions and programmes, including the creation of an enabling political, fiscal and legal environment and full integration of HIV in humanitarian settings.
- Promote, support and guide national partners, the UN system and private sector in integrating HIV and AIDS into wider Universal Health Coverage and country development plans both at national and subnational levels to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 leaving no one behind.
Under the direct supervision of the UCD, the incumbent will:
- Develop a knowledge base and advocacy tools on gender, legal and human rights issues in South Sudan, identifying the existing legal, social and structural barriers, including gender-based inequalities, unequal gender and social norms, and gender-based violence that hinder HIV programme implementation and protection of the human rights of key and vulnerable populations.
- Advocate for the removal of punitive and discriminatory laws and policies and structural barriers that foster HIV transmission, exposure or create barriers to HIV services for key and vulnerable populations.
- Support the UCO to provide technical and programmatic support for the implementation of guidelines on HIV integration in the humanitarian response.
- Support the UCO to strengthen capacities of communities for community led monitoring and their meaningful engagement in Universal Health, social protection and human rights mechanisms applying GIPA principles.
- Support the UCO to build the capacity of Civil Society Organizations to enhance their capacities to become eligible for sustained funding from Global Fund, PEPFAR and other donors.
- Support the UCO and the UN Joint Team in the documentation of successful HIV-related initiatives and improve strategic communication and knowledge management.
- Represent the UCO and participate in various coordination and technical working group meeting as may be required such as Prevention, Gender and Human Rights, Humanitarian, Social Protection, Key Populations, AGYW Technical Working Groups meeting.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Master degree or equivalent in international development, international relations, social or physical sciences, public health, management or similar fields.
Working experience:
- Minimal 2 years to maximal 4 years relevant working experience preferably in programme management in public or private sector at the national or international level, experience in data analysis and coordination.
- Experience working in the areas of gender, human rights, humanitarian setting including working with refugees and internally displaced people, and civil society partnership will be an advantage.
- Working experience within the UN system should not exceed 50% of the relevant working experience including UNV, (paid) UN internship and UN consultancy.
- All paid work experience since obtaining Bachelor’s degree can be considered.Internships will be considered if relevant to the position.
Languages: Essential: Excellent knowledge of English
Nationality:
- This post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is addressed exclusively to Nationals of the Netherlands.
- For criteria see the website of Nedworc Foundation: Junior Professional Officer Programme - Nedworc Foundation
- Please read the criteria and FAQ section carefully before considering applying
Attachments:
- A brief motivation letter in English that explains why you're the perfect candidate for the position by using examples of your interests and achievements
- Copy of your passport
- Copy of your Master degree