Programme Analyst, Maternal Health, NOA, La Paz - Bolivia

The Position:

Under the direct supervision of the Quality of Care and Services Programme Analyst, you will coordinate, implement, monitor, and report on the maternal health components of the UNFPA country programme in the Plurinational State of Bolivia. The position focuses on improving outcomes in maternal and neonatal health among vulnerable populations, particularly indigenous women and those in rural areas, who face significant geographical, institutional, cultural, and economic barriers to accessing services. This involves ensuring continuous, high-quality emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), and establishing timely referral systems. You will also address cross-sectoral maternal health issues by providing technical assistance to partners and government institutions to transform discriminatory social and gender norms. You will work to design and implement public policies that integrate human rights, gender, and intercultural approaches, while also strengthening national capacities to generate disaggregated data and evidence for informed policy-making. 

You will be responsible for the cost-effective and timely delivery of project results, leading new interventions and projects in line with the UNFPA Country Programme (2023-2027) and beyond. This role requires close coordination with the Public Health System, implementing partners, and other UN agencies. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.  

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

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact and sustained results and ensure effective external relations, communications, and 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 position is envisaged to tackle a critical issue in Bolivia, a country with one of the highest the third-highest maternal mortality rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite being a middle-income country, Bolivia remains one of the poorest and most unequal in the region, with persistent disparities affecting its most vulnerable populations. These inequalities are starkly visible in the country's maternal mortality rates, where indigenous women in rural areas account for over two-thirds of all maternal deaths. The UNFPA's country program for 2023-2027 is a direct response to this crisis, aiming to reduce preventable maternal deaths as a primary way to address these deep-rooted inequalities. 

As the Maternal Health Programme Analyst, you will be on the front lines of this effort, providing technical expertise and leadership to ensure that UNFPA's vision is realized. Your work will directly support the development and implementation of key initiatives, from strengthening the public health system to ensuring access to life-saving services. You will need to coordinate with other areas of the UNFPA Bolivia program that are working on social determinants of maternal mortality in order to address and ensure that all women and girls, especially those in indigenous and rural communities, can fully exercise their sexual and reproductive rights. By contributing to this program, you will play a vital role in building a more equitable and healthier Bolivia.  

You would be responsible for:

Under the direct supervision of the Quality of Care and Services Programme Analyst, this position will have the following but not limitative main responsibilities: 

Results-Based Programme Management and Implementation for the effective, evidence-based management of maternal health initiatives. You will:  

● Lead and implement strategic interventions that improve the availability and quality of maternal healthcare services, strengthening the primary healthcare system to ensure continuous access to basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) including the development of systems to advise and monitor the progress of its implementation and operationalization in the territory,

● Advice on developing and implementing feasible solutions that address deep-rooted structural inequalities related to maternal health and maternal mortality,

● Provide insights on strategies that use human rights, gender, and intercultural approaches to transform discriminatory social norms related to Maternal health and to ensure that women and other marginalized groups can access essential services and are no longer left behind,

● Strengthen national and subnational capacities for results-based program management by providing technical assistance to government counterparts and partners,

● Drive program implementation by monitoring UNFPA's key initiatives, such as the Maternal Mortality Reduction Territorial Model, and coordinating with UN agencies and other key partners,

● Manage and provide oversight into the deployment of nurse-midwives in the public health system to ensure safe deliveries and increase the use of modern contraceptives, particularly for postpartum and post-abortion care. 

Public Policy and Advocacy to influence national and local policy to create an environment that supports maternal health and reproductive rights. You will:  

● Advance advocacy and political dialogue at all levels to place maternal and sexual and reproductive health on the public agenda and influence policy,

● Advocate for and support government institutions in designing and implementing public policies that incorporate human rights, gender, and intercultural approaches, using evidence-based policy dialogue,

● Develop and implement strategies to transform discriminatory gender and social norms that create barriers to accessing maternal health and family planning services. 

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for building the skills and knowledge of partners to ensure sustainable results. You will:  

● Provide technical leadership for the design and implementation of evidencebased strategies that expand universal access to sexual and reproductive health services for vulnerable populations, including adolescents and indigenous women,

● Coordinate and provide technical support to the Ministry of Health and other government institutions to enhance the implementation of intercultural and quality care standards, expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services for indigenous and rural women. 

Data, Evidence, and Knowledge Management to ensure that maternal health strategic interventions are developed and implemented by robust data and that results are effectively communicated. You will: 

● Contribute to strengthening national capacities for the generation of timely, spatially defined, and disaggregated data to inform the design, implementation, and monitoring of public policies,

● Provide technical advice in the design and negotiation of improved administrative records related to maternal health, maternal mortality, comprehensive abortion care and sexual violence within official information systems,

● Prepare and present critical reports for internal teams, donors, and stakeholders, showcasing program results and impact,

● Deliver technical assistance to Strategic monitoring of maternal deaths and improvement plans to ensure the evidence-based implementation of the territorial maternal mortality reduction plans. 

Cross-sectional actions toward addressing maternal mortality within UNFPA and with strategic partners. You will: 

● Facilitate coordination with other UNFPA areas on issues related to addressing maternal mortality, from a perspective of developing specific public policies, providing essential services and information, gender social norms, generating data and evidence, and using communication tools and strategies to develop joint actions,

● Coordinate with implementing partners and national and subnational government counterparts directly or indirectly involved in addressing maternal mortality to jointly define and operationalize the necessary intersections for its accelerated reduction. 

Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership.  

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

Advanced university degree in health sciences, preferably in Public Health and/or Obstetrics & Gynecology. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

● Relevant experience in the development and management of Maternal Health and/or Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights programs,

● Managerial work experience in the Public Health System is desirable,

● Leadership and management in multicultural environments,

● Supervisory, mentoring and monitoring skills,

● Effective communication aimed at people from different fields of work and backgrounds,

● Experience in designing, implementing and reporting of Maternal and/or SRH programs,

● Knowledge of work programs and procedures in the United Nations System is desirable. 

Languages: 

Fluency in written and spoken Spanish and English working knowledge required. 

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,
• Communicating for impact.
  
   

Functional Competencies:

• Advocacy/Moving toward a policyoriented agenda,
• Optimizing national government and partner resources/building strategic alliances and partnerships,
• Implementing results-based programs,
• Internal and external communication,
• Global promotion of organizational priorities,
• Creating visibility for the organization,
• Resource mobilization.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

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.