Specialist in HIV program management in support of the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS)

1. Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with Governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations. 

 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development issues such as the widening economic and social inequalities, the climate crisis, rapid urbanisation, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis, COVID.19), the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the emergence of health threats. The scope and scale of delivering health and well-being for all demands innovative partnerships and financing. 

 UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund (GF), in line with UNDP’s HIV and Health Strategy 2022-2025: ‘Connecting the Dots’, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the pledge to leave no one behind.   When requested, UNDP acts as interim Principal Recipient (PR), working with national partners and the Global Fund to ensure management, implementation, and oversight of GF grants, while simultaneously strengthening health institutions and systems for national entities to assume the PR role over time. 

 UNDP has an important role in supporting health outcomes by supporting countries to address the social, cultural and economic determinants of HIV and health, in partnership with UN entities and other organizations. This is done through UNDP’s core work in reducing inequalities and social exclusion that drive HIV and poor health, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health. UNDP also contributes through its coordinating and convening role in bringing together multiple partners and resources at national and local levels. 

 As a trusted, long-term partner of The Global Fund (GF), UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services. Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance in over 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach and providing technical assistance to national counterparts during all phases of implementation, strengthening legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks, and building capacities across key functional areas, including financial management, health information systems, procurement and supply chain management. Within the HHD Group the Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST) is a dedicated team providing support to UNDP Country Offices implementing health and development programmes.   

UNDP was designated by the Global Fund to support national stakeholders in the implementation of the HIV and tuberculosis grant in Congo. UNDP has set up a Global Fund project team specifically dedicated to the implementation of the grant signed between UNDP and the Global Fund in Congo. UNDP is recruiting a Specialist in HIV program management to support the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS).

1. Scope of work

The HIV program management specialist in support of the PNLS will assume the following responsibilities:

1- Advice and support to the definition of strategic orientations, the development of standards and directives as well as related documentation:

• Take stock of the national documents available to combat HIV/AIDS and TB/HIV coinfection, to be updated and developed;
• Take stock of the various plans to combat HIV/AIDS and TB/HIV coinfection available, to be updated and developed;
• Support the development and implementation of a budgeted annual plan of program interventions, drawn from the overall operational plan of the PSN, that of the Ministry in charge of Health, including activities specific to the PNLS and adjusted annually;
• Participate in the daily monitoring of the implementation of the activities planned in the grant, including the implementation of the high-volume sites strategy;
• Support the development of normative documents, guidelines, guides and training modules necessary for the implementation of the Programme;
• Support the development of a training and capacity building plan for PNLS staff;
• Contribute to building the capacities of the PNLS team in the area of planning and programmatic management.

2- Substantely contribute to the implementation and monitoring of program activities including continuous analysis of the results obtained according to the program performance framework:

• Collaborate with the ICAP technical team to implement differentiated approaches to HIV services and to strengthen the capacity of health providers in high-volume sites;
• Support the Director of the PNLS in the coordination and implementation of HIV activities;
• Support the planning and implementation of PMTCT and pediatric HIV interventions.
• Monitor the implementation of community interventions to combat HIV.
• Support and monitor the establishment of points of dispensation (PODI)
• Participate in supervision of support sites at intermediate and peripheral levels:
• Support the preparation of various workshops, strategic meetings, technical groups/committees and missions;
• Support the monitoring and implementation of recommendations from various workshops, strategic meetings, working groups and missions.
• Support the PNLS in the continuous monitoring of the results obtained at the level of each district and in particular high-volume sites on the basis of the targets of the performance framework as well as providing recorded performances to improve performance;
• Contribute to the development, on time, of the PNLS quarterly reports in connection with the grant as well as the PNLS annual activity report;

3- Ensure coordination between the PNLS and technical and financial partners:

• Support the preparation and holding of coordination/consultation meetings with Technical and Financial partners;
• Contribute to initiatives to mobilize financial resources, technical expertise and skills to support sub-programs in the health sectors;
• Support the program for the inclusion of the private health subsector in the health component of the response to HIV/AIDS.

     2. Institutional Arrangement

The HIV Program Management Specialist will report to the PMU Program Specialist and will work in close collaboration with the Global Fund Project Coordinator and other PMU departments (Program and Finance).

   3. Competencies:  Expected Demonstration of Competencies

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

4. Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

5.      The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

1. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
2. A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
3. Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.