Programme Officer United Nations Development Programme Experience: 0 to 3 Years Chisinau, Moldova Apply By: 15-03-2025

UNODC has specific mandates to assist countries to provide injecting drug users, prisoners with evidence-informed, comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care services through advocacy; support in developing effective legislation and policies; support in developing comprehensive evidence-based strategies and programs; building capacity of national stakeholders including government agencies, civil society and community organizations to ensure optimum coverage of these population groups with HIV services. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief – Regional Section and the technical guidance of the HIV/AIDS Section at the UNODC Head Quarters, the HIV/AIDS NPO will be responsible for providing on-going technical guidance and policy advice to the Government of  Moldova on the three UNODC HIV/AIDS key policy and programmatic areas, namely HIV/AIDS prevention and care related to (a) drug dependence, particularly injecting drug use (b) prison settings and (c) HIV and law enforcement. S/he will also facilitate collaboration and coordination activities with CSOs, UNAIDS, it’s co-sponsors and other key players and assist the UNODC Country/Regional Office in Kiev in strengthening national capacities to develop and implement strategies that deal effectively with HIV/AIDS prevention and care in those key areas. 

More specifically, the incumbent will:

• Assist the Government in the assessment of the HIV/AIDS situation in the key areas, the development of effective strategies and reviewing and adapting national HIV/AIDS policy and implementation plans;
• Implement activities on both banks of the Republic of Moldova under the joint Swedish project in the period from 2022-2025
• Assist the Government in building national capacity for enhanced policy development, coordination, sound monitoring and evaluation with regard to HIV/AIDS prevention and care in those key areas;
• Facilitate the establishment of technical working groups involving all relevant stakeholders at the national level;
• Represent UNODC in the technical working group, inter-agency task force, UN theme group on HIV/AIDS, CCA, UNDAF and other relevant forums;
• Organise and participate as a resource person in advocacy meetings, round-tables, training workshops and other meetings related to specific HIV/AIDS and drug dependency issues;
• Review, analyse, and evaluate technical reports and other relevant materials on the state of the art of prevention and care of HIV/AIDS in the key areas and facilitate dissemination of good practices;
• Contribute to programme/grant proposals, including for the Global Fund and the World Bank, to determine their technical soundness and appropriateness in the context of HIV/AIDS among drug users, particularly injecting drug users, in prison settings and as it relates to the trafficking in human beings;
• Prepare reports such as reports to the HQs, Regional Office, Government and donors;

Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public health, sociology, law, psychology, economy or other related areas or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Minimum 2 years (with Master’s degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor’s degree)of years of professional experience at the national level in managing development assistance projects, preferable in HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes
• Experience in projects related to injecting drug users, in prison settings and as it relates to the trafficking in human beings is a distinct advantage;
• Knowledge of and/or practical experience in the area of organisation and delivery of training programmes in the field of HIV/AIDS and drug dependence would be an asset.
• Proven ability to work independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary and multi-cultural team.
• Well-developed communication skills to liaise, negotiate and advocate with key stakeholders including with other implementing agencies.
• Ability to write reports and reviews and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues and defending recommendations.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Romanian and Russian.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/24753