SRH Field Expert (Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odessa)

Volunteering Crisis & Emergency Response

Overview

Support UNFPA's mission to enhance SRHR services in Ukraine.

You have:

• At least 7 years of professional experience in the humanitarian field, Health Sector, national or international organizations
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Proficiency in the MS Office package, Google applications and teleconferencing tools
• Strong interpersonal and organisational skills, ability to multitask and be detail-oriented
• Understanding of the main processes and methods of work regarding the position
• Experience working on similar positions with international organizations/projects
• Knowledge of the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odessa

Contract

This is a UNV National Expert contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Expert contracts.

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. In Ukraine, UNFPA works to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, and to strengthen the country’s demographic resilience with particular focus on supporting vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and communities affected by the war. In 2025, UNFPA Ukraine launched its 4th Country Programme (CPD 2025–2029), which is aligned with the UNFPA Strategic Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Ukraine. The CPD focuses on four key outcomes: improving access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, empowering young people, and strengthening population data and demographic resilience. It is designed to respond to the challenges of war, displacement, and recovery, while laying the foundation for long-term, sustainable development.

This field position will support UNFPA operations in the Northeast, East, and South of Ukraine, enhancing the SRHR needs assessment of populations near the frontline to ensure an adequate programmatic response in SRH services and SRH-GBV integrated services. The incumbent will report directly to the SRH Expert. The UNV will support coordination of the SRH Technical Working Group (SRHTWG) at the subnational level, engaging all agencies providing SRH services to reach the most vulnerable women, girls, men, and boys, while addressing barriers to effective implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP), particularly in areas affected by damaged healthcare infrastructure.

Chaired by UNFPA, the SRHTWG fosters inter-agency cooperation and engages national and international governmental and non-governmental institutions to ensure unrestricted access to quality SRHR services across all levels of healthcare. The role aims not only to address immediate service gaps but also to strengthen longer-term recovery and health system resilience through advocacy, coordination, programme monitoring, technical support, and capacity building.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Advocacy and coordination: - Collaborate closely with Ukrainian government counterparts (Local Health authorities, relevant agencies) and with the Health Cluster to develop lifesaving strategies on SRHR, aligning UNFPA CPD with the Ukrainian Health Strategy 2023. - Liaison with the SRHR team in Kyiv at the programmatic and advocacy level. - Coordinate with Hubs and emergency coordinators in Odessa, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions,to develop contingency plans in emergencies, identifying challenges and opportunities and addressing them as required. - Liaison with the GBV unit and GBV AoR teams to ensure SRH-GBV integration in the humanitarian response with a rights-based approach. - Coordinate at the field level the SRH WG under Health Cluster in establishing and managing effective coordination and operationalization of SRH-related interventions in designated regions(s), in line with UNFPA Guidelines and MISP; - Lead the SRH Working Group in the field, in liaison with the GBV AoR team, in mapping and verifying the quality of locally available SRH services, ensuring access and cross-referral to comprehensive SRHR services and integration with GBV services for survivors of violence in designated region(s). This includes categorizing services by primary health care (PHC), secondary care, outreach services, and availability of human resources. - On behalf of the SRH Coordinator, contribute to the engagement of relevant humanitarian actors, including the local government actors, international and national non-governmental organizations in the work of the sub-national SRH working group(s); - Prepare standard periodic reports and progress updates on the ongoing SRH working group for inclusion in SRH WG/Health Cluster updates, OCHA SitReps, Humanitarian Bulletins, UNFPA HQ internal and external meetings and advocacy, etc. - In consultation with the SRH Programme Manager, the International SRH Response Coordinator prepares, updates, implements and monitors the calendar activity plan for the programme based on the approved annual work plan(s);

Capacity Building

• Assist in promoting shared knowledge and understanding of the SRH-related guiding principles and MSIP for effective SRH programme management and inter-agency coordination;
• Contribute to coordinating the delivery of SRH training to all interested actors in the designated region(s)

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Work with the local partners to the SRH WG and provide necessary support to enable data entry into the 5W and SRH Service Mapping;
• Assist in conducting Rapid Assessments and responses initiated by the Health Cluster and SRH WG, including by contributing to the assessment of capacity gaps that hinder quality and/or coverage of SRH services;
• Monitor the implementation and quality of SRH service provision, including providing UNFPA support to facilities in designated regions(s);
• Contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge by synthesizing and documenting findings and lessons learned, success stories and best practices, strategies and approaches of the country office, and drafting relevant materials for dissemination;
• Monitor the implementation of diverse programmatic activities, including those funded under ECHO.

Community awareness

• Assist in developing a strategy for effective communications with affected populations on SRH services, including access to services for vulnerable groups of women and girls;
• Map actors who can support SRH-related interventions and identify gaps in designated regions(s);
• Contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge by synthesizing and documenting findings and lessons learned, success stories and best practices, strategies and approaches of the country office, and drafting relevant materials for dissemination;
• Perform any other duties as may be required by UNFPA country office management.
• Serve as a back-up for the SRH TWG Coordinator (WHFP-embedded) position

• Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

• Competencies and values

• Communication
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Analytical Thinking
• Innovation & Creativity
• Integrity
• Respect for Diversity

• Working knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)- at least 7 years of professional experience in the humanitarian field, Health Sector, national or international organisations • Excellent communication and negotiation skills and ability to convene stakeholders and facilitate a policy process among the UN, NGOs, national health authorities and donors. • Proficiency in the MS Office package, Google applications and teleconferencing tools; • Strong interpersonal and organisational skills, ability to multitask and be detail-oriented; • Understanding of the main processes and methods of work regarding the position. • Experience working on similar positions with international organisations/projects will be considered an advantage. • Familiarity with UN procedures and working methods, particularly with UNFPA agenda, policies and procedures is a plus; • Working experience in projects funded by international donors is desirable. • Broad partnership networks in the designated regions will be an advantage. • Knowledge of the regions of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Odessa. • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in the UNFPA’s work, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.

As it is a national UN Volunteer's assignment, the UN volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

Entitlements of National UNV Expert >> USD 2076

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This is a full-time contract.

Allowances: • Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 2076 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Well-Being Differentials for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”. • USD 400 entry lump sum, one-time payment.

Medical and life insurance: • Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date. • Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements: • Annual leave:  UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment. • Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period. • Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle. • Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.

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Potential interview questions

Added 7 months ago - Updated 7 months ago - Source: unv.org