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Apply to UNFPA-SRH in Emergencies Specialist -P3-Quibdo, Colombia
Position Title: SRH in Emergencies Specialist
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Quibdo, Colombia
Duration: 3 months
Start date: ASAP
Language: Fluency in Spanish and English required
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake of August 10, 2026, severely impacted local health infrastructure across northwestern Colombia, creating an immediate reproductive health crisis. In Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, the primary public regional facility—Nueva ESE Hospital Departamental San Francisco de Asís—faced a massive surge in trauma patients while staff conducted ongoing safety assessments on damaged facilities. The collapse and overcrowding of primary healthcare facilities pose immediate, life-threatening risks to thousands of pregnant women, adolescent girls, and newborns across affected municipalities. The region of Chocó already suffers from high baseline maternal mortality rates, geographical isolation, and structural healthcare disparities, all of which are now exponentially worsened by the loss of routine antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, safe delivery commodities, and family planning resources.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats:
Humanitarian responders in Colombia face a complex security environment where disaster response intersects with active internal armed conflict. Responders face severe threats from non-State armed groups (NSAGs) that influence nearly 78% of rural populations. Key operational hazards include direct threats and violence against aid workers, vehicle theft, armed curfews, and illegal checkpoints that restrict movement. Responders also confront record levels of attacks on medical missions, high risks of crossfire during territorial clashes, and widespread explosive hazards, including anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance, and drone-deployed 3 munitions. These access barriers and security risks severely constrain the delivery of emergency shelter, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to disaster-affected communities.
Role Description:
To prevent surge-related maternal and neonatal mortality, UNFPA urgently requires an SRH in Emergencies Specialist to lead the immediate implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health. The specialist will lead rapid assessments of damaged health facilities, restore emergency obstetric and newborn care capacities, establish mobile reproductive health teams for remote settlements, and fortify referral and counter-referral networks for high-risk pregnancies. Additionally, the specialist will ensure the immediate availability of essential commodities for the clinical management of rape and coordinate technical health responses directly with the Ministry of Health and departmental health secretariats. Donor support for this specialist helps ensure that maternal healthcare remains a non-negotiable priority from the earliest hours of the response.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the general supervision of the UNFPA CO Representative and the direct supervision of Assistant Representative the incumbent is responsible for, but not limited to, the following assigned duties:
Support assessment and continuity of essential SRH services, including antenatal care, safe delivery, and emergency obstetric and newborn care.
Support identification/registration of pregnant women and strengthen referral pathways, particularly in Quibdó.
Coordinate distribution of RH kits, contraceptives and CMR supplies.
Provide technical support on MISP implementation to health partners and government counterparts.
Contribute SRH inputs to the Emergency Response Plan, sitreps and donor reporting.
Coordinate with GBV/protection actors on referral linkages.
Qualifications and Skills Required:
● An advanced University degree in Medical sciences or public health, or equivalent qualifications;
● 5 or more years working experience in the field of reproductive health, preferably in the UN system or INGO;
● Experience in coordination and implementation of Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health;
● Humanitarian experience and international experience are of added advantage;
● Proficiency in Spanish and English is required
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Quibdo, Colombia
Duration: 3 months
Start date: ASAP
Language: Fluency in Spanish and English required
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake of August 10, 2026, severely impacted local health infrastructure across northwestern Colombia, creating an immediate reproductive health crisis. In Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, the primary public regional facility—Nueva ESE Hospital Departamental San Francisco de Asís—faced a massive surge in trauma patients while staff conducted ongoing safety assessments on damaged facilities. The collapse and overcrowding of primary healthcare facilities pose immediate, life-threatening risks to thousands of pregnant women, adolescent girls, and newborns across affected municipalities. The region of Chocó already suffers from high baseline maternal mortality rates, geographical isolation, and structural healthcare disparities, all of which are now exponentially worsened by the loss of routine antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, safe delivery commodities, and family planning resources.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats:
Humanitarian responders in Colombia face a complex security environment where disaster response intersects with active internal armed conflict. Responders face severe threats from non-State armed groups (NSAGs) that influence nearly 78% of rural populations. Key operational hazards include direct threats and violence against aid workers, vehicle theft, armed curfews, and illegal checkpoints that restrict movement. Responders also confront record levels of attacks on medical missions, high risks of crossfire during territorial clashes, and widespread explosive hazards, including anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance, and drone-deployed 3 munitions. These access barriers and security risks severely constrain the delivery of emergency shelter, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to disaster-affected communities.
Role Description:
To prevent surge-related maternal and neonatal mortality, UNFPA urgently requires an SRH in Emergencies Specialist to lead the immediate implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health. The specialist will lead rapid assessments of damaged health facilities, restore emergency obstetric and newborn care capacities, establish mobile reproductive health teams for remote settlements, and fortify referral and counter-referral networks for high-risk pregnancies. Additionally, the specialist will ensure the immediate availability of essential commodities for the clinical management of rape and coordinate technical health responses directly with the Ministry of Health and departmental health secretariats. Donor support for this specialist helps ensure that maternal healthcare remains a non-negotiable priority from the earliest hours of the response.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the general supervision of the UNFPA CO Representative and the direct supervision of Assistant Representative the incumbent is responsible for, but not limited to, the following assigned duties:
Support assessment and continuity of essential SRH services, including antenatal care, safe delivery, and emergency obstetric and newborn care.
Support identification/registration of pregnant women and strengthen referral pathways, particularly in Quibdó.
Coordinate distribution of RH kits, contraceptives and CMR supplies.
Provide technical support on MISP implementation to health partners and government counterparts.
Contribute SRH inputs to the Emergency Response Plan, sitreps and donor reporting.
Coordinate with GBV/protection actors on referral linkages.
Qualifications and Skills Required:
● An advanced University degree in Medical sciences or public health, or equivalent qualifications;
● 5 or more years working experience in the field of reproductive health, preferably in the UN system or INGO;
● Experience in coordination and implementation of Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health;
● Humanitarian experience and international experience are of added advantage;
● Proficiency in Spanish and English is required
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.